A tax proposal to help keep up the Pine River Cemetery in Bayfield, Ballot Issue 5D, passed Tuesday.
With a majority vote of just over 58 percent, residents who live within the district boundaries voted in favor of doubling the tax rate that would help preserve the cemetery. Results showed 1,476 voters in favor of increasing a property tax mill levy and 1,061 against. The mill levy will rise from 0.075 to 0.15, a small dollar increase that proponents say will make a significant difference for the historic lot.
Taxes for the cemetery will increase from $1.50 to $3 per year based on a $250,000 home. Bud Smith, the lawyer for the Pine River Cemetery District, expressed his satisfaction.
“I think (voters) will see a cemetery they can be proud of for years and years to come,” he said Tuesday night.
The cemetery is in a scenic area overlooking the valley, popular in the winter with cross country skiers, Smith said.
“It says something about your community if you take care of your deceased and you honor the past. It gives people a sense of community,” Smith said.
The district's three-member board is appointed by La Plata County commissioners.
vguthrie@durangoherald.com
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