Jackson Hole Working: Do Not Bundle SPET Projects

June 24, 2019

Dear Chairwoman Macker, Mayor Muldoon, Teton County Commissioners and Town Councilors,

The Specific Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) has been a vital voter-driven tax in our community for almost 40 years. Since the 1980s, Teton County voters have approved:

• $42 Million for Education
• $35 Million for Hospital Infrastructure
• $39 Million for Town and Teton Village Sidewalks, Water/Sewer
• $12 Million for Transportation
• $15 Million for Trash Transfer Station

Teton County voters are educated and engaged. They show up to the polls in high percentages (96% in 2016 General Election) to exercise their right to weigh in on issues and elected positions. We ask that you trust your citizens and please do not move forward with bundling SPET items on the 2019 SPET ballot.

It is critical that each voter recognize that our elected officials have worked very hard to put up a slate of capital projects, all very worthy of their serious consideration, to be voted upon, individually, by the voters of Teton County.

SPET’s motto is “Your penny. Your projects. Your vote.” We ask that you do not bundle SPET initiatives and allow voters the opportunity to weigh in on community capital projects and exercise their right to support each project on its merits.

Thank you for the many hours, conversations and meetings you have given to each of these proposed items and the SPET process. We hope that you will continue to allow the people to make the final decision on SPET.

Sincerely,

Jackson Hole Working