La Plata County voters have reelected La Plata County Commissioner Matt Salka to a second four-year term on the Board of County Commissioners. Salka, a Democrat, fended off a challenge from Republican rancher Paul Black.
With 81% of all active voters’ ballots counted, Salka had captured 56% of the vote; Black received 44%.
County Clerk and Recorder Tiffany Lee called the race around 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Salka represents a district that is anchored in Bayfield, where he once served as mayor, and spans the eastern part of the county. Although the commissioner representing each district must live within its confines, commissioners are elected at-large by all county voters.
“I'm looking forward to working for La Plata County residents for another four years,” Salka said. “I want to thank all the voters that have the trust in wanting to reelect me, and I want to continue working hard for workforce housing, addressing child care services or the lack thereof, and continue working hard for our residents here in La Plata County.”
Black did not respond to requests for comment Monday or Tuesday.
Salka’s victory is a stinging loss for Republicans in La Plata County, who have not had a member of their party on the board since Brad Blake was elected in 2014. Blake was ousted by Democrat Clyde Church in 2018, and the Board of County Commissioners has been composed of three Democrats since.
No Republican has been elected to any office in the county except that of the coroner and the surveyor since 2018.
Salka said he is in the role to serve all residents of the county.
“I've done my best (in) the first four years of making sure that I was always the voice for anybody here in La Plata County,” he said. “My first question was never, ‘are you a Republican? Are you a Democrat, or are you an unaffiliate or an independent?’ My question is, ‘Who are you? How can I help you?’”
Commissioner Marsha Porter-Norton, the Democrat running unopposed in District 2, was reelected to her seat for a second and final four-year term on the board. District 1 Commissioner Church has two years remaining of his final term.
Salka’s campaign focused largely on his accomplishments as a leader in broadband connectivity, adept distribution of American Rescue Plan Act funding and various other projects, such as the recently unveiled weather radar system.
Black’s campaign message consisted, almost entirely, of his desire to take a hatchet to the county’s land-use code. He blamed the laborious process of planning and permitting demanded by the code for the lack of affordable housing and for stifling local growth. Although targeted revisions of the code are already underway, Black suggested revising the code in a linear fashion from start to finish.
In response to criticism from Black and his supporters, Salka has said will push for solutions that address land use concerns.
Much of the campaign hinged on typical party-line rhetoric. Salka, a Democrat, has endorsed relatively stricter regulation across the board (although he acknowledged the need for code revisions) and has not shied away from advocating in favor of raising taxes to address the county’s budget constraints. Black, a Republican, blamed regulation for a lack of revenue and called impact fees “a secret tax.”
In his next term, Salka will face the county’s budgetary challenges. As the price of everything from magnesium chloride road deicer to heat to asphalt has gone up, county property tax revenues have shrunk by comparison thanks to property tax breaks decided at the state level.
As a result, the county’s 2025 budget is projected to shrink by about 25% next year and the road and bridge fund has an annual deficit of $10 million.
At 8.5 mills, La Plata County has the fourth-lowest property tax rate in the state. Salka said he would support a general mill levy increase and an increase in road and bridge-specific funding through either property or sales taxes. Black has indicated support for generating more county revenue through a sales tax, but said the road and bridge fund could be propped up by cutting the budget in other areas.
In addition to wielding $700,000 from the lodgers tax reallocation, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters Tuesday, Salka said roads will be among his top priorities. He also looks forward to working for state approval to increase the lodgers tax up to 6%, and engaging with businesses and residents to update the land-use code.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
