La Plata County is the 12th fastest growing county in Colorado. With growth comes an increased pressure and demand on the county to provide quality services and infrastructure. The county has not raised property taxes in 24 years, has the fourth lowest mill levy in the state, and revenue next year is expected to decline 13.6 percent. Accordingly, La Plata County commissioners and Durango city councilors unanimously advanced local ballot measures for voters to decide future infrastructure investments in our county. The Herald agrees these investments are important and should be made at this time. (All cost estimates come from the county assessor’s office using 2016 assessments.)
Ballot Issue 1A will authorize La Plata County to increase property taxes via a mill levy of up to 2.4 mills to raise $4.5 million in 2017 and $40 million over 10 years, sunseting thereafter, to fund construction and maintenance costs associated with the county’s 10-year road and bridge improvement plan.
The county’s residents and economy stand to benefit from critical infrastructure and public safety improvements these funds will support. The mill levy increase ($76 per year on a $400,000 home and $1,044 per year on a $1.5 million commercial property) will close the widening gap between available funds and road and bridge needs. Vote “yes” on 1A.
Ballot Issue 1B will authorize La Plata County to increase its debt $40.4 million ($3.2 million annually) over 20 years, sunseting thereafter, to finance a new 80,000-square-foot terminal and make other safety, capacity and functional improvements at the Durango-La Plata County airport. It is currently operating at double capacity and is out of compliance with federal standards at peak times.
Improvements include space for more and larger aircraft, increased baggage handling, additional parking, a new road entry and taxiway and new terminal on the east side of the runway, to allow future expansion.
Federal funds and user fees will pay over half the project’s costs that will take four to five years to complete. A homeowner with a $400,000 home will pay about $56 per year and a business owner with a $1.5 million property will pay roughly $770 per year. Our 30-year old airport, an economic driver for our region, currently loses 200,000 customers and $7.6 million dollars annually to other airports and is overdue for an upgrade. Vote “yes” on 1B.
Ballot Issue 3A would increase property taxes in School District 9-R by $1.7 million ($41 per year on a $400,000 home and $557 per year on a $1.5 million business property) and similar amounts in future years for general program purposes to benefit students and faculty at 9-R, Mountain Middle and Animas High schools. This mill levy will allow the district to make up for funds denied it by the use of the “negative factor” in the state’s determination of school funding.
The negative factor is blamed for a $1 billion statewide school budget shortfall; for 9-R alone, the figure is currently $37 million. The result has been an ongoing budget crisis, a freeze on staff salaries and the loss of popular programs. Vote yes on 3A.
Ballot Issue 3B authorizes Bayfield School District to increase its debt by $28.7 million ($2.1 million annually, roughly $200 per year on a $300,000 home) to provide local matching funds required for the district to receive $8.5 million in state BEST program grants (which do not need to be repaid) to help with school construction, renovation and expansion.
Bayfield’s request will take advantage of available grant funds and allow the district to address overcrowding and safety issues and prepare to meet the educational needs of current and future students. Vote “yes” on 3B.
