Sixth penny for streets? There may be no other choice

You may not like using the specific purpose tax for road projects in Cheyenne, but blocking this effort would mean the loss of some important items.

By D. Reed Eckhardt

Family, friends, even casual acquaintances have been threatening recently to vote against some propositions on the sixth-penny sales tax ballot, which will be up for a vote here on May 2.

Not everyone -- despite the claims of Cheyenne Councilman Pete Laybourn and Mayor Marian Orr -- is happy with the conversion of several key projects to money for streets. The people who I bump into rightly point out that the money being set aside for roadways will do next to nothing to solve Cheyenne's pothole problems since these are one-time funds that will not even be available to the city for years.

The Cheyenne Greenway is set to get sixth-penny funding.

These concerned residents also assert their belief that sixth-penny money -- officially known as the specific purpose tax -- should be used to build Cheyenne and Laramie County forward. They point to examples like the county library and the Botanic Gardens, both previous sixth-penny triumphs. For example, they would rather see the money used to open up the Belvoir Ranch with trails or develop alleyways downtown. They argue those projects would help move Cheyenne forward and make it more welcoming to the younger singles and families that local officials say they want to attract. People don't come here for a lack of potholes, they correctly point out.

The problem is -- as the list below shows -- there is no way to get directly to the streets money without taking out some other important projects. 

For example, opposing the $2.4 million for streets in Proposition 5 also would mean a vote against the expansion of the Cheyenne Greenway. Who wants to take out one of the most beloved amenities this city has to offer? Similarly, Proposition 8, which contains $3.5 million for roadways, includes a planned park for eastern Cheyenne. That future amenity sits right at the heart of current city growth and is an excellent future project. I guess if someone wants to express their anger about the street funds, this is one possible target. Of course, a "no" vote on Proposition 8 would hurt the smaller communities in eastern Laramie County as well. They have $2.1 million worth of projects wrapped up in this bundle.

This always has been the Laramie County Commission's strategy when setting the sixth-penny ballot. The commissioners package the smaller communities' projects with significant city work to garner Cheyenne voters' approval. The towns like Pine Bluffs and Burns fear that if they have to stand alone, city voters will not support them. Combining the towns' proposals with things like the Greenway or Botanic Gardens virtually assures passage. 

Putting the streets money into the packages will have a similar effect, though it is worth noting that Orr and Laybourn wanted that money separate. They believe, perhaps rightly so, that Cheyenne voters will support money for roadways as they indicated in last November's balloting by electing both of these streets-only politicians. Given that Proposition 8 could be a "no" vote target, they may be right.

Regardless, it is important to say -- as has been mentioned here before -- that this push for streets money from the sixth penny is a shell game. Rather than working to find a recurring, long-term approach to streets, which run a $2.5 million annual deficit, Orr, Laybourn and the others want you to be dazzled by the $6 million in these propositions. Yes, it is shiny and new, but it won't come close to solving the city's long-term issue of streets funding. That unfunded work will pile up at least $12.5 million (probably more) over five years -- in addition to present deferred projects -- and continue to build. Sixth-penny money for streets is a delusion being peddled as a concrete solution. 

Voters will have many decisions to make on May 2 as the overall ballot totals $118.3 million (see below). Indeed, there are items among the propositions that I didn't even know were there until I prepared this article. But any efforts to block sixth-penny funds for streets will come with a cost to the future of this city. That makes it tough. In the end, opponents of this streets effort may have no choice but to accept this misuse of tax funds. That's unfair -- but it also is reality.

D. Reed Eckhardt is the former executive editor of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

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SIXTH-PENNY PROJECTS ON THE MAY 2 BALLOT

Proposition 1 -- $18 million
-- Laramie County Courthouse remodeling to, among other things, make space for a fourth district court judge, $9 million.
-- Build Municipal Court building or court addition at the Municipal Building, 2010 O'Neil Ave., $9 million.

Proposition 2 -- $16.2 million
-- Expansion of Laramie County Jail.

Proposition 3 -- $15 million
-- Construct Christensen Road from Commerce Circle to U.S. 30, including a new bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad.

Proposition 4 -- $9.9 million
-- Design, construct and equip a multi-purpose building at Laramie County's Archer Complex.

Proposition 5 -- $11.97 million
-- Various projects for the smaller communities in eastern Laramie County, $3.8 million.
-- Street improvements in Cheyenne, $2.4 million.
-- Cheyenne Greenway expansion, $3.8 million.
-- Fire station at Archer to serve eastern Laramie County, $2 million.

Proposition 6 -- 11.97 million
-- Multi-purpose indoor athletics facility for Cheyenne, $6.8 million.
-- Various projects for the smaller communities in eastern Laramie County, $1.7 million.
-- Radio towers and equipment to improve Laramie County radio coverage, 3.5 million.

Proposition 7 -- $14.9 million
-- Various projects for the smaller communities in eastern Laramie County, $800,000.
-- Emergency services storage and medication distribution for Cheyenne/Laramie County Public Health, $1 million.
-- Gym facility at Cheyenne Ice and Events Center, $7.1 million.
-- Fire station and fire engine upgrades for Cheyenne, $6 million.

Proposition 8 -- $8.8 million
-- Various projects for the smaller communities in eastern Laramie County, $1.1 million.
-- City of Pine Bluffs debt reduction, $1 million.
-- Street improvements for Cheyenne, $3.5 million.
-- Buy land for future park in eastern Cheyenne, $3.2 million.

Proposition 9 -- $11.7 million
-- Various projects for the smaller communities in eastern Laramie County, $2.3 million.
-- Computer upgrades to allow all emergency and fire districts in Laramie County to operate on the same system as 911, $3 million.
-- New fire station for Laramie County District No. 2, $2 million.
-- Improvements in Cheyenne's West Edge project, $4 million.
-- Laramie County sheriff video and technology upgrades, $500,000.

TOTAL: $118.3 million