Force Four Entertainment has decided against using Penhold as the backdrop for a real-life view into how people would live in a world without taxes.
The Axe the Tax development team had shortlisted the town for a program that will follow residents as they decide how to spend money that would have otherwise been directed towards municipal levies.
“Even though we didn't get the TV show we still won the day,” said Mayor Dennis Cooper, noting he was informed directly by mail the town had not been selected. “We have better communication with our citizens.”
Penhold caught the eye of the production company after grassroots advocacy lambasted high property taxes and summoned hundreds to get involved in political action.
The documentary would have placed the equivalent of tax amounts in residents' bank accounts and followed them as they decided how to spend it.
“It was nice to be on the list for awhile,” Cooper said, adding the show gave residents a reason to get involved in helping municipal government officials plan the future of the town. “Citizens would come up and talk to us about different things.”
At one point the town even met with about 100 residents to discuss the possibility of hosting the reality TV crew.
“Now we'll have to keep the engagement going,” he said. “We're planning on continuing that with a few more things.”
