SHERIDAN — As budgets tighten for local nonprofits, the General Purpose Excise Tax dollars distributed by the city of Sheridan have gone from being an extra funding source to a critical lifeline.
“With a recent cut of $90,000 in our state funds, we need your help more than ever,” the Child Development Center wrote in its GPET application.
“Without the city funding, it is unlikely the Sheridan Public Arts program would survive,” the Sheridan Public Arts Committee wrote in its application.
In Fiscal year 2022 — which begins July 1, 2021 — GPET requests top $1.23 million, according to city treasurer Karen Burtis. In FY2021, the city distributed a total of $910,750 to 22 organizations. $400,000 of that amount was contractually obligated dollars given to the Sheridan County Air Service.
Of the 24 organizations that applied for GPET funds in…
