When I first heard of the city’s plans to build a new police station and fix roads, I thought these were projects I would support. I still do, but not with the funding proposed in 2A.
The city is asking for $250 million over 25 years with few constraints on spending it. Some will go to the police station and roads, but what about the rest?
About 60 percent of the new property tax goes to the fire district. Currently, these payments come from the general fund (sales taxes). So, what is the city going to do with the money that it previously budgeted to the fire district? We don’t know.
A similar proposal was rejected by the voters in 2006, when the fire district was formed. The city asked voters for a property tax increase. The money previously used for the fire department would have been available for the city to use at its discretion. Voters refused to give the city a blank check.
We are again being asked to approve a property tax to fund the city’s portion of the fire district. Once again, the city would be afforded a windfall, and once again, we have no idea how the money will be used. I am concerned that Durango is becoming unaffordable for many people. In Chuck Collins’ recent talk about income and wealth disparity, he mentioned towns such as Telluride, where most workers can’t afford to live in the city. Initiative 2A moves Durango closer to that situation.
Tom Stuber,
Durango
