The League of Women Voters of La Plata County will sponsor an election forum from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday in the Durango City Council Chambers, 949 East Second Ave.
The forum will cover three of the issues that will appear on the Nov. 1 election ballot, including city of Durango Ballot Issue 2A, Statewide Proposition 103 and Durango Fire Protection District Referred Issue 4A.
In Durango Ballot Issue 2A, the city is requesting permission to take on a $4 million debt to buy water from the Animas-La Plata Project.
Currently, Durango has 60 million gallons of water storage available and an average daily use of 9.5 million gallons (including irrigation water) during peak season. The city can store enough water to support summer water needs for seven days.
If voters allow the purchase of an additional 3,800 acre-feet of annual water supply, the city will have an additional 700 million gallons of storage available, which would support water needs for 75 days.
Rate increases are not planned for 2012, but they may be necessary in the future to “support additional water-system improvements,” according to the city’s website, www.durangogov.org.
Bill Ramaley, chairman of the Durango Water Commission; Dick Reitz, a member of the commission; and Jack Rogers, director of Durango Public Works, will speak on behalf of the proposal at the forum.
Statewide Proposition 103 proposes an increase in income and sales taxes to increase funding for preschools, K-12 education and higher education. The proposal would mean an additional $2.9 billion in tax revenue for schools over five years, with the state income-tax rate rising to 5 percent (up from 4.63) and the state sales tax-rate rising to 3 percent (up from 2.9).
Support our Schools for a Bright Colorado is the main campaign endorsing the proposition and is headed by state Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder.
The two major opposition campaigns to Proposition 103 are Save Colorado Jobs, led by campaign chairman and former state Rep. Victor Mitchell, and Too Taxing for Colorado, led by chairman Penn Pfiffner.
Eric Sondermann, a political consultant who is not working on any campaign related to the proposal, has cited the shaky economy, a volatile political environment, a small coalition in favor of 103 and a lack of dollars for advertising as factors that Heath’s campaign needs to overcome.
The Durango Fire Protection District Referred Measure 4A would increase property taxes for many residents.
Durango Fire & Rescue Authority is asking voters to pass a 6.8 mill levy across its 325-square-mile district, creating a uniform tax district.
Currently, DFRA, which is a combination of an ambulance service and three fire districts – Durango, Animas and Hermosa Cliffs – has multiple revenue streams and boards of directors.
The levy would streamline operations, allowing the four levels of government to be consolidated into a single Durango Fire Protection District, said DFRA Chief Dan Noonan.
Funds transferred from the Animas, Hermosa and Authority boards would help fund DFRA’s capital needs for important supplies for three to four years, said Noonan, who will speak on behalf of the levy at the forum. Eliminating the Animas and Hermosa Cliffs districts would save about $800,000 in redundant spending, he said.
If passed, city residents would see an annual tax increase of about $130, based on a $400,000 home; Animas district residents would see an annual increase of about $40; and Hermosa Cliffs residents would see an annual decrease of about $36.
The city would experience a $1.4 million windfall if the ballot issue passes. The additional money would be used to fund local projects, which would need to by approved by City Council, Noonan said.
