Dear city of Durango, please, take my money. Raise my property tax. Each year my house is magically worth an additional $15,000; the average amount it has appreciated the past 15 years. I and other homeowners can afford giving a couple hundred bucks back annually to help pay for street improvements.
Stop trying to raise the sales tax. That is a regressive action that disproportionately hits local taxpayers who do not own homes.
Instead, ask to increase taxes on those who benefit the most financially from living in Durango: the landowners. It’s only fair.
Also, please continue to provide the money-losing government services like the Rec Center, library, Animas River Trail, fireworks displays, open-space acquisitions, recycling program, special events, park maintenance, etc. Those are largely the reasons property owners are even benefiting in the first place.
Tom Sluis
Durango
