In November, Durango voters and residents living within the Durango Fire Protection District outside city limits will be asked whether to approve a property tax increase meant to provide the fire department with enough money to build a new station in the Three Springs subdivision.
Earlier this month, the fire department issued a news release laying out the specifics of why a new station in Three Springs is necessary, how the agency plans to fund it and what will be done with the money. DFPD Chief Randy Black said the release is the latest in the procedural steps the department must take with the new ballot measure.
“There’s a number of procedural steps that have to happen,” Black said. “The release is the next step in the process where we’re publicly coming out and saying, ‘This is what we’re doing. This is why we’re doing it, and this is what we’re going to do with the money.”
According to the release, Three Springs has seen a drastic increase in population and emergency call volume in recent years. More growth is expected as Three Springs’ first phase of development wraps up and phase two begins, the release said.
Black said when the Three Springs development was being planned out, DFPD was donated land to build a station. However, the responsibility to fund the station’s construction falls to the fire department, and according to State Statute Title 32, the only way those funds can be raised is through voter-approved tax increases. In this case, DFPD decided to go with a property tax increase because it ensures everyone pays a small amount to receive better emergency response.
“There’s only two ways that we can get funding, and that’s sales tax and property tax,” Black said. “That’s by state statute. I have no control over that. Those are the only two options available to us. We’re following the rules and saying this is the path forward that makes the most sense, given what’s available to us to make sure that we’re doing the right thing for the community.”
Black said asking for a tax increase – and what that means to individuals’ pocketbooks – is not lost on the department. But the new station and the resources it would provide will benefit the entire community, he said.
“It doesn’t just benefit Three Springs,” Black said. “It doesn’t just benefit the city, and it doesn’t just benefit the county. It benefits everybody.”
However, he said, that is the only avenue the department has to address the growing needs of the community, and that if everyone pays their share, everyone benefits.
“Unfortunately, you know, it’s not cheap,” Black said. “When we divide it up by everybody, it’s a lot less. You know, when everybody pays a little, it’s better than a few people paying a lot. But it’s not lost on us. This is people’s hard-earned money that they’re paying.”
When asked why the department is asking voters to approve a mill levy increase now, Black said development in the Three Springs area has been going on for nearly the last two decades. However, the amount of homes and emergency calls in the area has really started to increase more recently.
“The Three Springs need has been growing for the last 20 years,” Black said. “That growth has continued, and it was fairly steady for a while, but not strong, and all of a sudden it’s blown up.”
A common question raised among some La Plata County residents is why growth doesn’t pay its own way when it comes to utilities, roads and other amenities meant to serve a growing population. Black said the Three Springs station would serve the entire fire protection district – not just Three Springs – by adding more emergency resources to the department. Additionally, the funding would help pay firefighters a living wage, incentivizing them to live and work here.
Black said the fire department is open to any questions from the public about the ballot measure and the proposed fire station. Black said the department is requesting community members reach out with any questions before the second week of October so they can provide as much information about the proposal as possible.
“If people have questions, we want to know,” Black said. “If there’s any homeowners group, social group that would like somebody to come to a presentation, we are happy to do that. We’re totally open to any questions, any ideas and suggestions. The things we can’t do are change the mill rate.”
More information about the measure and proposed station can be found at durangofire.org/mill-rate-increase-2025.
