At James Ranch, our lives revolve around regeneration and healthy ecosystems.
With sound management practices for our resources, our grasses flourish. When our grass is optimal, the products we derive from our livestock are top quality. With high quality, our customers get a healthy product for their family’s supper. Our ecosystems are everything.
Tourism in Durango has a similar ecosystem. COVID-19 has shown Durango what happens when there’s a kink in the tourism ecosystem. Our restaurants and events suffered and some even closed; our service industry faltered and all the festivals were cancelled. Locals did their best to shore up the ecosystem but it was a struggle.
Now the residents of Durango have the opportunity to boost the ecosystem and get Durango back on track. By supporting the lodgers tax, a tax the local resident does not pay, we’ll be putting the tourists’ money to work for the betterment of our ecosystem. It’ll provide locals the benefit of outstanding restaurants, festivals and cultural events, and guided outdoor activities.
When there’s a lot to do, the wealth is spread to everyone, from service jobs to creative entrepreneurs. The ecosystem will be rejuvenated. And, while James Ranch is not within Durango’s city limits, we, like Purgatory, Glacier Club and other county/region-wide attractions, are directly impacted by Durango’s tourism ecosystem.
Let the tourists help reinvigorate our ecosystem and vote yes on 1-A.
Jenn Wheeling
James Ranch
