Voters handed La Plata County a lifeline Tuesday, approving a sales tax increase that will help plug growing budget holes after months of financial strain and dwindling revenue streams.
Shortly after the first wave of results were released around 7:15 p.m., La Plata County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Lee called the election in favor of the measure, which was leading with 57% “yes” votes to 43% “no” votes. The vote count remained unchanged after a second wave of results were posted at 9 p.m.
For La Plata County, the outcome marks a major win and the success of a countywide campaign that is expected to have a significant impact as the 2026 budget is finalized in the coming months.
“The citizens of La Plata County won,” Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton said shortly after the outcome was confirmed. “That’s what this is about. It’s about our services, it’s about the fact that voters appreciate what they’re getting for their money, and it’s about the fact that we can thrive as a county – not just do the bare minimum in terms of statutory mandates.
“So yes, I’m thrilled for the campaign,” she said.
The first draft of the 2026 budget proposed a $119 million budget in expenditures, a 12% decrease from the $136 million approved this year – but the success of the sales tax proposal means it goes back to the drawing board with slightly more to work with.
Ballot measure 1A proposed a 1% sales tax increase, adding $1 for every $100 spent on most consumer goods. The revenue will be directed to a variety of county services: the road and bridge department, the Sheriff’s Office, health and human services and other needs that would be at the county’s discretion.
Over the past several months, La Plata County officials have become increasingly vocal about what they describe as a rapidly worsening budget crisis that could significantly impact departments across the board.
Declining gas revenues, combined with inflation and recent cuts in state and federal revenue streams, put the county in a precarious position that will require cuts across all departments and services, officials said.
One example commissioners have pointed to: New property tax legislation at the state level that has lowered assessment rates to relieve pressure of rising home values and costs.
It has been bad for the county, according to Porton-Norton, who said the decrease has cut about $8.3 million from the annual operating revenue so far, and will likely cost an additional $6 million next year.
Critiques of the ballot measure have questioned the efficiency of La Plata County’s spending and said the additional economic burden the sales tax places on the already struggling residents is untenable.
Some residents have also raised concerns about the lack of specific spending restrictions in the ballot language, noting that the county would have broad discretion over how to use the additional revenue if the measure passed. But county officials say that flexibility is intentional – and necessary.
They have emphasized that having unrestricted funds allows the county to better respond to unforeseen costs, such as potential legal payouts tied to ongoing jail-related lawsuits that may need to be settled in the coming year.
Regardless, the tax, expected to generate about $18 million annually, will be largely spent on maintaining essential services, officials have assured.
Officials warned that the measure’s failure would mean departments could face hiring freezes, deferred maintenance and cuts to everyday services residents rely on.
And in anticipation of the worst-case scenario, some of those cuts have already occurred. In October seven staff members were laid off as part of a reduction in force initiative.
While the “worst-case” will remain a hypothetical of the past, Commissioner Matt Salka said he does not find those cuts to be premature – even in hindsight.
A government’s job is to be the most effective it can be with the money it has, and intermittent reorganizations need to be done regardless of budget ups and downs, he said.
However, Salka was excited at the prospect of not needing to cut anymore staff – a 10% decrease in the county’s employees was floated as a serious possibility if the ballot measure failed.
“I'm very excited. This saves jobs. This saves our vulnerable population,” Salka said. “I’m excited to have these future discussions with my fellow commissioners, as well as our staff (around) finalizing our budget for 2026 – and mind you now discussions will be a little bit different.”
The passage of the sales tax not only serves as a beacon of hope for the future of county services and the residents it serves, but demonstrates the effectiveness of grassroots campaigning Porter-Norton said.
Before elected as commissioner, Porter-Norton said she worked on the failed 2016 campaign to raise the property tax.
There, she learned the importance of getting out to the county and talking to people – which was the main strategy this time around – and a successful one.
“I believed personally, in the beginning, that (the campaign) had to be very personal, that this wasn’t about doing social media posts, and it wasn’t just about texting people,” she said.
It was about creating conversations, making people available to answer questions and spending the time explaining complicated budgetary legislation repeatedly.
And the hours of face-to-face contact appears to be effort well spent – at least according to the commissioners.
The tax hike is more than just a Band-Aid to the budget problem, but a long term solution to some of the structural challenges posed by decreasing property rate values, Salka said.
“I'm very hopeful that will not be coming back for a while for asking for any sort of tax increase via the county,” he added.
jbowman@durangoherald.com
