Yellowstone Park Penny Tax Might Set Precedent

National Park Service officials say, if approved, a 1-cent concessionaires sales tax to raise money for infrastructure projects at Yellowstone would probably be the first of its kind.

The tax would be collected in Park and Teton counties and would pay for projects such as new roads and sewer lines. Rep. Keith Gingery of Jackson says he has already submitted a bill to impose the tax.

Park Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson tells the Jackson Hole News and Guide that while many local and state governments collect taxes on sales made by park concessionaires, that money typically goes to the state or municipality. He says the beneficiary has “never been the National Park Service, not that we know of.”

Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk says concessionaires in the park grossed $121 million last year.

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Information from: Jackson Hole News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com