Tax increases are inevitable and almost always necessary. However, democratic principles demand representation and concomitantly, prudent consideration of the needs of all parties.
For example, consider the Three Springs district of Durango and the Grandview entrance to Durango: There is no transit service to the area. It was suspended a year ago. The Animas River Trail connection from Escalante Drive to Wilson Gulch was abandoned in favor of the controversial connection to Oxbow Park on the north side. Long ago, the city forfeited its commitment to 115 shovel-ready acres for a well-planned community park, middle school and elementary school.
There are no plans to provide easier access to Three Springs and Mercy hospital from the Florida Road area. There has been no planning or discussion of the re-routing of Farmington Hill that will transform the bridge to nowhere into a tax revenue bridge that will pass by acres of shovel-ready commercial property on both sides of U.S. 160.
In addition, there is continued neglect of several acres of undeveloped city property next to the extant police substation in front of Mercy, that could become the main police station.
Bill Frederick
Durango
