Everyone likes getting a Christmas bonus or a winning lottery ticket. But everyone also knows that those cannot be counted on for the necessities. And bonus or not, the bills still have to be paid.
What that translates to for La Plata County voters is simple: If you value safe roads and bridges and recognize the importance of maintenance in keeping costs in line, vote “yes” on La Plata County Question 1A to raise the county’s mill levy. It is a reasonable and measured response to a tough situation.
For years, local taxpayers experienced a huge windfall as taxes on the gas industry paid for much of what county government provided in services and infrastructure. Those days are gone. The price of gas is down and unlikely to rebound any time soon. The gas industry remains an important part of the local economy and will be for years to come, but the boom is over and with it went the luxury of counting on it to cover the county’s costs.
Since 2010 La Plata County’s tax revenue has been cut in half – a $15 million loss. Its population, however, has continued to grow. The math is inexorable.
The county has gotten this far because prior boards had the wisdom to set funds aside during the gas boom. But living off savings only goes so far and postponing work on roads and bridges is a false economy. Repairs costs more than maintenance.
Like all tax increases in Colorado, a mill levy increase requires a vote. Ballots will be mailed out Tuesday and this measure will appear as La Plata County Question 1A.
Its provisions are straightforward: If approved, Question 1A will allow a mill levy increase of up to 2.4 mills. (It affords the commissioners the option of reducing the rate should circumstances require.) That works out to an additional $6.50 per month on a $350,000 home. And it will sunset in 10 years.
The ballot language specifically says the resulting revenue will go to roads and bridges. It will be spent as authorized by the commissioners “only after consideration of the recommendations of a citizens advisory committee.” That committee is to advise the commissioners “on project priorities, review progress on the priorities and issue an annual report to the citizens of the county.”
Question 1A stems from two years of work by the county’s Long Term Finance Committee, made up of well-known and respected county residents, which looked at the county’s needs overall. Its recommendations then went to another citizens group called the Fiscal Sustainability Steering Committee, which made the final recommendations to the commissioners – all three of whom approved.
La Plata County’s mill levy has been fixed at 8.5 mills for more than 25 years. That is the fourth lowest rate of any of Colorado’s 64 counties. If Question 1A passes, it will rise to 10.9 mills. The median mill levy for all of Colorado’s counties in 2014 was 20.021.
Critics will point out that a 2.4 mill increase is a lot in percentage terms. But it is still less than two medium lattes per month – and with nothing left for the barrista.
La Plata County Question 1A is prudent response to an unavoidable circumstance. The gas boom gave county taxpayers a welcome break, but going forward is now up to us.
Vote “yes” on La Plata County Question 1A.
