ROCK SPRINGS — Western Wyoming College’s Board of Trustees committed themselves and the college to help educate residents about the impacts Initiative 1 will have on Western if it passes in November.

The board unanimously approved a resolution to provide information to voters leading up to the election. Initiative 1 would create a 50% property tax exemption on residential property if approved. That result would also lead to reductions in funding for the college and other governments and special districts receiving funds from property taxes. Those impacts would likely force the college to conduct another round of layoffs, as it had done earlier this year.

“Yeah, we hope it doesn’t pass,” Board President Jim Jessen said.

Western President Kirk Young said the Wyoming Community College Commission is working on a similar initiative to educate voters about how the initiative’s passage would impact colleges across the state.

Trustee Ken Lorimer told the group that every dollar paid by Wyoming taxpayers returns $13 in services to every resident of the state. He said while winding up with some extra money in a person’s pocket sounds like a good idea, he’s already seen the impacts the already initiated property tax cuts can have on services offered to residents. Lorimer also said he hopes voters understand their property taxes are not being squandered, saying it isn’t easy for him to approve spending.

“We have an excellent institution here,” Lorimer said. “I would like to keep it that way.”