Exec Bits

At our last meeting, the Cody Country Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted to support the renewal of the 4 percent lodging tax and the additional 1 percent sales tax to fund Cody/Park County infrastructure projects.

Renewal of the Lodging Tax

 The lodging tax funds the Chamber's year-round visitor center through an annual Park County Travel Council grant, and members regularly rank our visitor center as one of the most important services we provide.

Additionally, this tax is almost wholly paid by visitors to Park County including those staying in Yellowstone National Park properties that lie within our borders. The vast majority of money collected pays for the critical advertising allowing Cody to compete in a very crowded marketplace of destinations vying for visitor spending.

1% Sales Tax for Infrastructure

 While the board's vote to support the infrastructure tax was unanimous, there was a lengthy discussion about the pros and cons of this new tax. Board members were very sensitive to the challenging economic times we face and the fact that we have over 560 unique members, not all of whom will agree this tax should be passed.

That being said, it was decided that maintaining Cody's water and sewer infrastructure and roads was very important for our current and future business growth. Unlike the current 4 percent sales tax, nearly all of this money will stay in Park County for local projects, allowing us to take care of our own needs without asking for additional state assistance - assistance which will not be there to the extent it has been in past years. Another important point is that by law the proceeds from this tax will only be used to build or maintain infrastructure and it will go before the voters every four years. And, a significant percentage (30%) of this tax is absorbed by visitors who otherwise do not have to contribute to their use of our infrastructure.

We take a lot of pride in our community, and we certainly respect each member's prerogative to support or oppose any additional tax.  We as a Chamber of Commerce hope that each of you will study the proposal and decide what you believe is best for your business. The Chamber Board has reviewed the proposal and thinks these taxes are in the best interests of the community's businesses, residents and visitors.

There are many important details about the 1 percent infrastructure tax that can be found HERE and HERE and HERE.

Networking Opportunities

Don't forget that our next c2b (Cody Business Breakfast) happens next Friday, Sept. 7th from 7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. at Bubba's Bar-B-Que Restaurant. These morning networking opportunities continue to increase in popularity. Come enjoy breakfast and the chance to meet new people in our business community.

Finally, mark your calendar for Thursday, October 25th. The Chamber will be hosting a "Membership Appreciate" Business After Hours AND a reception for Karen Miller, visitor center manager, who will be retiring from the Chamber after 17 years of service. This will also be your opportunity to meet Karen's replacement. We are in the process of finding a great new manager to join our team.

Have a great Labor Day weekend. We're getting ready for the biggest Rendezvous Royale
(Sept. 19-22) ever (which kicked off with a very successful Scout's Mini Auction last week.) I'll share more information about all of the excellent events in our next newsletter.  

Thanks for being a Chamber member and thank you for all you do to make Cody a great place to live, work and enjoy the great outdoors.