GILLETTE (AP) - Two Campbell County commissioners have won support from 10 companies in the energy industry to raise local property taxes to help build a technical education center at Gillette College.

The tax would raise an estimated $3.9 million a year toward the $36.8 million project, half the cost of which is being covered by the state. The Legislature last winter also approved funding for a health sciences building at Laramie County Community College and a new diesel mechanic program at Western Wyoming Community College.

Campbell County's proposed property tax increase from about 11.09 to 12 mills - a mill is a thousandth of a dollar, or a 10th of a cent - would increase annual property taxes roughly $90 for every $100,000 of property value. Twelve mills is the maximum allowed under state law.

The proposal comes from Commissioners Craig Mader and Chris Knapp. The idea was criticized by Commissioner Roy Edwards, however, while Commissioners Dan Coolidge and Amir Sancher were lukewarm.

"I think it would be better off if the coal companies, and the mineral industry who (are) going to pay for it, give the money up front," Edwards said.

"The coal mines and the mineral industry are the ones saying they need it for the jobs and, either way, they are the ones that are going to be paying for it."

Coal mines provided 47 percent of the county's property tax revenue last year. The oil and gas industry provided another 39 percent, while homes and businesses provided 11 percent.

Sancher said he would be unwilling to raise the tax without the industry's support.

He also said he didn't want the tax to continue after the project is fully funded. He said he was concerned that future commissioners might be unwilling to lower taxes.

"None of us are going to be there - unless we run again, our terms will be done - to stop this," he said. "There are going to be future people obligated to this debt."

The proposal backed by the energy companies would sunset the additional tax after the money for the college is collected. In addition, the revenue would be earmarked solely for the technical center. Also, the tax increase would be lifted if the county begins getting additional federal Abandoned Mine Land funding starting next year, as expected.

Greg Schaefer, vice president for external affairs with Arch Coal, suggested that parts of the new building be named after coal companies because those companies would foot a large part of the building's cost.

"It would be nice to get some recognition in the building," he said.

Coolidge, an oil and gas operator, said people he'd spoken to have been mostly supportive of the tax increase.

"I'm sure going to look at it," he said. "Just raising it for the sake of raising it, I wouldn't support that."

Mader has pushed for an increase to the maximum mill levy for years. He said he was prepared for a political fight.

"There are some members of the community that are anti-tax in any form, anti-spending, anti-government," Mader said. "The reason we orchestrated it the way we did was to go forward with your support."