Jackson Hole News from Jackson, Wyoming • 34

JACKSON HOLE NEWS Wednesday, November 25, 1987 RegiorialNews 3 Legislators see no tax increase in near future Vail voters reject convention center Lady bartender files $10,000 sex suit SUN VALLEY, Idaho A female bartender in Ketchum has filed a $10,000 suit over an incident in which an employee of Slavey's Bar allegedly pulled down her pants while she was at work. The suit claims damages for emotional distress, assault and invasion of privacy. Although the vjctim was behind the bar at the time of the alleged attack, her suit charges that the actions of her supervisor at the bar constitute "unwelcome sexual By Jim Angell Associated Press Writer CASPER There is little chance that Wyoming's Legislature will adopt a tax increase during its upcoming budget session, but most likely it will have to look at improvements in state government management and budget cuts, a group of legislators said Friday. Members of the Legislature's Joint Revenue and Appropriations committees, speaking during the Wyoming Heritage Foundation's forum on the budgeting process, agreed that proposed increases in taxes would not win much support from lawmakers. "I do not see tax reform playing a significant role in Wyoming in the hear future," said Rep.

Cynthia Lum-mis, R-Cheyenne, chairman of the House Revenue Committee. "I suspect it will take the form of shifting the burden from the mineral industry to try to spread it around the population. But such burden redistribution is very unlikely in the future." "The initial crisis is the health and economy of Wyoming," said Sen. Kelly Mader, R-Gillette, of the Joint Appropriations Committee. "We can't afford tax increases of any kind." Members of the panel, one of several held during the forum attended by more than 600 people, also sug gested an improvement in the management of state government to help resolve its fiscal problems.

"Yes, we do have a crisis, but it doesn't have to do with revenues and expenditures, it has more to do with management," said Rep. Jim Ger-inger, R-Wheatland, also a member of the Joint Appropriations Committee. "The state of Wyoming does not have a business plan. There is no way to cut down in one area and build in another in an organized approach." Geringer suggested development of a central management and business program for the state so it can better plan for the future. He added that more cuts may be needed in state government.

Sen. Robert Frisby, R-Cody, agreed that cuts will probably be necessary. "There is not a department in government that cannot be cut," said Frisby, chairman of the Senate Revenue Committee. "There are some of them that should not be cut. The trouble is government does not have the same incentive to cut as private industry.

Frisby applauded plans to increase mineral severance tax auditing functions in the state. "When we cut in government, it is important to set priorities," he said. "One place we do not want to cut is the place where you can raise revenues." VAIL, Colo. By a nearly 21 margin, voters in Vail defeated a proposed $16 million convention center that was seen as a way to reduce the resort town's dependence on ski business. At the same time, the Vail Trail reports, voters rejected a plan to finance the convention center with a .4 percent increase in the sales tax and a new 1.3 percent resort tax on lodging, food and beverages.

The 66,500 sq. ft. building was the brainchild of a Vail businessman who saw convention business as a way to expand Vail's economy beyond the five months of winter. He and several other business leaders personally funded $50,000 worth of feasibility studies on the project and secured 1,500 signatures from Vail residents asking the Town Council to investigate construction of the facility. Crested Butte faces housing shortage CRESTED BUTTE, Colo.

Real estate agents in Crested Butte say that Colorado resort town is facing a massive housing shortage this winter. If winter employees haven't already found a place to live, property managers are advising recent arrivals to look for a roommate or begin searching in nearby Gunnison. According to a report in the Crested Butte Chronicle and Pilot, rental properties are especially tight this winter because so many people seem to have adopted the resort town as a year-round residence. A typical twobedroom, two-bath condo is renting for $450 per month vith a one-year lease if one were available. Aspen study shows support for consolidation ASPEN, Colo.

A study in Aspen has concluded that consolidation of town and county government would result in more efficient, less expensive government. According to the Aspen Times, the $9,000 report prepared by the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Public Affairs found that town and county governments would realize a first-year savings of roughly $1 million if the two governmental units were combined. The study further says that savings would increase even more -dramatically in the future as the full effects of consolidation are felt. The report points out that similar consolidation efforts proved successful in Juneau, Alaska, Anaconda, and in a county in Louisiana. With the preliminary report completed, the town and county will fund a second phase of the study which will look at how to best effect Sullivan proposal to tax cigarettes and booze bothers liquor association boss Passage of drinking age bill predicted in House CHEYENNE, (AP) Gov.

Mike Sullivan's announcement that he will push for increased taxes on alcohol and cigarettes sparked stiff opposition Friday from the president of the Wyoming Liquor Association. "I didn't think the state was hurting all that bad." Robert Fall said. "You get the tax up there so much and you're going to have to start charging more for drinks." Fall said taxes on liquor and cigarettes already are excessive. As keynote speaker at the Wyoming Heritage Foundation's forum on the state budget, Sullivan said he will recommend that legislators raise taxes on malt beverages from 2 cents per gallon to 20 cents per gallon and from 8 cents to 28 cents per pack of cigarettes. Sullivan said Wyoming has lived off taxes on mining companies long enough and needs to find other sources of money.

But Fall argued that raising liquor taxes would su press sales so much that the state would not earn any more money than under current tax levels. As owner of a restaurant in Sheridan, Fall said his response to increased liquor taxes would be to raise prices. The Wyoming Liquor Association will lobby against any efforts to raise liquor taxes during the upcoming legislative session. Fall said. While Wyoming Taxpayers Association Executive Vice president John Allen reacted more favorably to CHEYENNE.

Wyo. (AP) -Legislators probably will agree to raise the state's drinking age from 19 to 21 in February's budget session, particularly if Gov. Mike Sullivan gets behind the idea, according to Sen. Richard Larson. "The governor is beginning to be more open." said the Albin Republican.

"The prior administration was strongly opposed." A number of legislators are cosponsoring the drinking age measure, which has been prefiled for th budget aessiva. Attempts to raise the age during this year's general and special sessions were unsuccessful But Rep. Gary Yordy said he believes the change can be accomplished either in the budget session or during a one-day special session next year. Speaking Friday to the Laramie County Republican Women's Club, Yordy said there appears to be support in the House for the increase. "It's to be close," said the Cheyenne Republican.

"I think we have enough votes to win if we can get it introduced" in the budget session. Non budget bills must win the support of two-thirds of the house of introduction to be considered in a budget session. The drinking age increase died during this year's special session when joint Senate and House conference committees failed to reach agreement on House amendments to the bill. Several other states approved increases this year to save federal highrrty funds Congress is withholding from states that do not raise their drinking ages. Wyoming is the only state in the nation that has not raised its drinking age and has made no plans to do so.

Larson said he senses the Senate is now ready to set Wyoming's drinking age at 21. "My real feeling is that there is enough support to get it passed," he said. The senator noted that almost every organization in the state that deals with children has come out in support of the higher drinking age. Governor Mike Sullivan Sullivan's suggestion, he said his group would probably join others opposing the tax increases. know we are comparatively quite low in the cigarette and liquor tax," Allen said.

"So I can understand the governor wanting to examine those as possible sources of money." But Allen said he hoped the taxes would only be considered as a last resort. The association will assess the current revenue situation and the details of Sullivan's proposal before making a decision about whether to lobby against it, Allen said..