I respectfully request that residents vote “For” Ballot Issue 2A to reauthorize our ½ cent dedicated sales tax.
Rarely does one enjoy the chance to vote on a tax so clearly aligned with our collective quality of life and where one-third is paid by visitors from out of town.
This sales tax is an investment in enhancing our quality outdoors with half the tax dedicated to preserving and enhancing our parks open space and trails, and the other half to construct modern facilities to accommodate our police force (~100 safety officers) and city staff (~500 city governance).
I moved to Durango 20 years ago because of its extraordinary outdoor environment, but over the past two decades have come to appreciate that another key to Durango’s quality of life is our collective sense of safety.
Our police deliver the essential services that create a town where we feel safe to live, work and play. Like many, I am shocked at the large amount budgeted to remodel the 9-R building and Big Picture school. That said, I’m also shocked that the median price of a home in Durango is $1M.
Please decide your vote from the perspective of a rocking chair in 30 years. Our community will be a better place for all of us if we invest in our parks, open space and trails and build a downtown-based police facility and city hall that reinforces the strong relationship between city residents and officers and the staff that serve us.
Seth Furtney
Durango
