Election Day is just four days away, do you know what SPET #11 is all about?

A message from Energy Conservation Works:

JACKSON, Wyo. — With polls closing next Tuesday, Nov. 8, Energy Conservation Works wanted to take one last opportunity to share information on how to vote and what impact your vote could have on our energy future.

First of all, SPET, our Town and County’s ‘Specific Purpose Excise Tax,’ is a penny of sales tax for capital and infrastructure projects. Tourists pay more than 50% of sales tax collected in our area.

Voting for SPET Initiatives will not increase taxes as this penny is already in place. You can vote for any or all of the initiatives on this year’s ballot. SPET Initiatives that receive a majority of votes will keep the SPET penny in place until they are funded.

S PET #11 reads as follows: Energy Conservation Works Projects $5,000,000 for funding community solar and/or other local renewable energy generation; alternative fuel transportation projects; energy audits; planning, design, and construction of energy conservation and emission reduction projects. This project is sponsored by the Town of Jackson.

There are a number of specific projects and clear objectives that could be completed if this initiative passes. These projects include Wyoming’s first community solar project, which would allow both renters and homeowners to receive solar energy without having to install solar on their rooftops. Additional proposed uses include expanding clean transportation & energy efficiency projects like the 57 that were successfully funded by the 2010 Energy SPET.

It’s important to note that many of the projects result in significant energy bill savings and can leverage additional funding through rebates or grant funds. Practically speaking, that means that the payback times for efficiency projects are likely to be within 20 years. That is why the successful 2010 Energy SPET was labeled “the SPET that pays you back.”

SPET #11 also gives us a dedicated funding source to leverage unprecedented amounts of federal funding for clean energy and energy efficiency. Dollar amounts for available federal funding are in the billions – but most require some level of local match to take advantage. ECW has proven success in this department as well, having leveraged $1.75 million in additional funding for SPET projects in the last 10 years.

For more information on how to vote or SPET in general, visit the Town of Jackson website here.

To learn more about the success of the similar 2010 Energy SPET, take a look at this short video collection.