By Lisa Johnson

Executive director, Goshen County Economic Development Corp.

When people visit Goshen County, we want them to leave with a good impression, and maybe they’ll come back again.

Two organizations working to improve the public perception of the communities in Goshen County are the Goshen County Chamber of Commerce and the Goshen County Economic Development Corporation.

We work closely together but each has broad responsibilities with a different focus. Simply stated:

n The Chamber works to attract visitors and customers to do business with local merchants.

n The Economic Development Office helps communities develop infrastructure to support business development and provides information and resources to businesses, leading to job creation and capital investment.

The citizens of Goshen County have the chance to play an important role this election to help both of these groups succeed in fulfilling their mission.

We’re asking voters to do two things and giving you millions of reasons why.

Number one, vote yes for the Goshen County Lodging Tax. These dollars, spent by visitors to Goshen County, are used by the Chamber and the Goshen County Lodging Tax Board to publicize Goshen County attractions and encourage new visitors to our area.

The Lodging Tax Board spends about $45,000 each year in advertising and promotions. In 2006, visitor spending generated about $24 million for the economy of Goshen County.

According to the Wyoming Business Council, Travel and Industry Division, the tourism industry in Goshen County generated: $3.7 million in earnings, 270 jobs, $200,000 in local taxes and $700,000 in state taxes.

Number two, vote yes for the Goshen County general purpose sales and use tax. Since 2005, the “penny tax” has generated $5 million that has been spent on infrastructure in the county and each municipality.

Projects have ranged from streets to recreation, water and sewer, health and safety – the very building blocks that make Goshen County livable for our current and future residents.

Local officials nearly doubled the investment by accessing $9 million in grants for these construction projects and equipment purchases by Goshen County and the towns of Fort Laramie, LaGrange, Lingle, Torrington and Yoder.

But this is only the beginning. Every community in Goshen County has many more serious infrastructure needs. Unfortunately, if voters don’t renew the penny tax, Goshen County will stand to lose millions of dollars in grants and be hard-pressed to come up with other ways to fund these important projects.

Help us bring Goshen County to a more level playing field with other areas of the country so that we will have a better chance to attract new or support expanding businesses that create good-paying jobs.

Growth will happen. Goshen County needs to be ready. We have a chance to build better communities. Join us, and invest in the future of Goshen County.

Finally, please make sure you understand how the ballot works. Do not skip a question or your ballot will be considered a no vote.

Vote yes for the Lodging Tax and General Purpose Sales and Use Tax on Nov. 4 – for peace of mind, knowing that every community in Goshen County will get a bigger piece of the pie.

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