(Fremont County, WY) – The failure of Fremont County’s half percent sales tax option for economic development in this week’s General Election represents a loss of the No. 1 source of local funding for the Wind River Transportation Authority, WRTA Director Tim Nichols said Wednesday.
More than 7,080 people voted in favor of renewing the half percent sales tax this week, but more than 9,340 voted against the option, according to unofficial election results.
The WRTA received $437,000 in revenue from the economic development sales tax for fiscal year 2025, Nichols said – a number that represents 58 percent of the “local match” budget the agency used to leverage about $1.94 million in grants this year.
“This dedicated (sales tax) funding has been the backbone of our services,” Nichols said Wednesday in a message to the community. “Looking forward, WRTA stands at a pivotal moment, faced with the need to re-envision how we continue to serve Fremont County.”
Funding options
For now, Nichols said the WRTA plans to maintain its current service offerings for “as long as we can – to the point that it’s fiscally responsible.”
“We do not want to reduce service to the public,” he said. “It’s counter to our mission.”
To achieve that goal, however, the WRTA will “have to explore every alternative funding option” available, Nichols said.
“The Fremont County Association of Governments, which oversees WRTA, will face difficult decisions in the months ahead as we explore every possible path to sustainability,” he said. “We’ll exhaust every avenue we possibly can before we have to start cutting services and (making) employment cuts.”
For example, he said the WRTA could try to generate more revenue from advertisements, or the agency could sell “route service guarantees” to local businesses looking for ways to attract more people to their storefronts.
“It’s advantageous to (businesses) to subsidize the transit agency that’s bringing them that additional economic activity,” Nichols explained.
He has also been speaking with state and federal lawmakers about ways to provide more “stability” and “long-term” funding for public transportation agencies nationwide.
“We believe this transition presents an opportunity to strengthen our services through collaboration,” he said Wednesday, inviting “our community members, stakeholders, and everyone who values accessible public transit to make their voices heard” by “reaching out to local leaders to express support for WRTA.”
He also expressed hope that “there may be generous benefactors who share in our vision for public transit and see the value in supporting WRTA during this transitional period.”
“Temporary private contributions will play a key role in helping WRTA bridge the funding gap, keeping our services accessible for all as we work toward long-term solutions,” he said.
For more information call the WRTA at (307) 856-7118.