Cheyenne Mayor: We’ll Keep Talking To CFD, Event Tax Might Help
Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr says the city will continue conversations with Cheyenne Frontier Days about how to pay for an adequate police presence at Frontier Park.
She also suggested an event tax of $.50 to $1.00 on concert tickets might help to pay for the police officer presence that is needed to safeguard the public.
The mayor made the comments in an interview with Townsquare Media on Thursday morning following a Wyoming Senate Committee vote in favor of a bill to take jurisdiction over a malt liquor license for Cheyenne Frontier Days.
The mayor said her conversations with the state liquor commission indicate that the state already has the ability to issue the malt liquor license to CFD, ''so we don't see any significant change that will come out if this does in fact pass."
She did say there might be "constitutional issues," but said that's ''certainly above my pay grade." The mayor went on to say that the larger issue is public safety at the park, saying currently there is only about 1 police officer per 1,700 CFD concert-goers.
She says that raises the issue of how to pay for an increased police presence and who will pay for it. She suggested the event tax as a possible solution.
You can hear the full interview with Mayor Orr below.