Statewide Lodging Tax Adopted

On Friday, Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 134 into law effectively creating a 5% statewide lodging tax. Sheridan Travel and Tourism Executive Director Shawn Parker explained how that will affect the locally approved 4% countywide lodging tax that is already in place. 

The addition essentially sets the total lodging tax for Sheridan County at 7% with 4% being allocated to the local tourism group and 3% will fund the state level. Some have criticised the state tourism office of disproportionately benefiting communities adjacent to the two National Parks that inhabit Wyoming, but Parker disagrees with that sentiment.

Now that House Bill 134 has made it through the 2020 Budget Session of the Wyoming Legislature and been signed into law, it is scheduled to go into effect in January of 2021. The local delegation was split on this issue with Representatives Mark Kinner, Richard Tass, and Cyrus Western voting in favor of the measure on concurrence and Representative Mark Jennings opposed. Senators Bo Biteman and Dave Kinskey voted against the bill on 3rd reading. You can view the legislation by followoing this link https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2020/HB0134.