County to ask voters for funds
Ballot measure seeks property taxes for road improvements
Friday, September 7, 2007
Steamboat Springs — The city won't be alone in asking for increased property taxes this November.
On Tuesday, the Routt County Board of Commissioners approved a ballot question that will ask voters to allow county government to be exempted from a state statute that limits the growth of property taxes. The increased revenues would fund improvements to 59 miles of county roads during the next six years.
Also Tuesday, the city of Steamboat Springs approved ballot questions to fund the construction, operation and maintenance of a proposed $34 million recreation center with property taxes.
The county hopes to raise $3.3 million beginning in 2008 to fund its road improvements. The improvements are based on the recommendations of the Citizen Road Review Committee, which was established in spring 2006.
"It was obvious to us that there was definitely a need to make a plan to accomplish these improvements," Commissioner Nancy Stahoviak said.
To raise that amount of money, the commissioners are asking to be allowed to assess property taxes at a rate of up to 12.266 mills. That mill levy is actually a decrease from this year's mill levy of 12.420, but it is a smaller decrease than would be required by the state statute. If the ballot measure does not pass, the mill levy will fall to 9.229. Voters have already exempted all other county taxes from the state statute, known as TABOR.
Commissioner Doug Monger said the improvements are needed because of more people living in rural Routt County and more people traveling its roads to reach recreational locations.
"We can't keep up with the existing level of service, let alone future needs," Monger said.
Stahoviak said property taxes were the only option. Other options, such as an increased sales tax, were not available because of state statute restrictions on county governments.
"The county, as a county government, is very limited in the sources of revenue that we can get from voters," Stahoviak said. "Property tax is really the only way we can go to our voters and request more revenue."
The scheduled road improvements are scattered throughout the county over the next six years. Proposed projects include widening shoulders on Routt County Road 129, reconstructing much of C.R. 14 south of Colo. Highway 131, and hard-surfacing several roads that are currently unpaved.
Because the county is required by state statute to share property taxes it collects within municipalities, the governments of Yampa, Oak Creek, Hayden and Steamboat Springs would also receive a boost to their road and bridge budgets. The city of Steamboat Springs, for example, would stand to gain $818,000 annually.
The $3.3 million raised annually would be used accordingly during the next six years: $2.6 million will be dedicated to road and bridge improvements, with $818,000 of that amount going to the municipalities' road and bridge budgets. The remaining $700,000 will be used to pay for increased county operating expenses, including energy and personnel costs.
The total cost of the road projects is projected to be $18,936,000. The property taxes will pay for $10,436,000, and county reserves will cover $8.5 million. Monger said the county is often criticized for the size of its reserves and said he hopes this contribution will relieve some of that animosity.
"We believe this is an appropriate match," Monger said.
After six years, the additional funds will no longer be earmarked for road improvements. Commissioners said they didn't want to tie the hands of future boards. Possible projects that might be funded are expansions to Yampa Valley Regional Airport and the construction of a new office building on the downtown campus.
The commissioners this week made presentations on the ballot questions to the city of Steamboat Springs and the town of Yampa. Similar presentations will be made on Sept. 20 in Hayden and Sept. 27 in Oak Creek.
"Our goal is, No. 1, to do a little public outreach in the county," Stahoviak said.
Since the municipalities would receive a portion of the additional property tax, Stahoviak said the commissioners wanted to keep them informed so they could develop a plan for how to use the money and share it with their citizens.
Monger said the windfall could be especially beneficial to Steamboat Springs, and would allow it to fund projects such as developing bike lanes and preparing for development on the west side of the city.
"We hope they'd get on board with us," Monger said.
Comments
sickofitall 5 years, 8 months ago
JHC, we are struggling as it is. My property taxes have doubled in the last 4 years. The problem is probably people speeding on dirt roads. Get some police out there and collect revenue :) Throw some Mag Chloride down, perhaps these roads should be rough, after all going for a hike is rough'in it.
dimwitiguess 5 years, 8 months ago
If you're going to ask for money for the roads, how 'bout asking for enough to add safe shoulders for bike riders. Better roads make faster traffic with rude drivers who don't mind running bike riders off the road. Bike riders will pay taxes. Why not take care of their needs too? Too expensive? Then don't fix the roads.
I'm tired of being threatened by speeding traffic and the hostile drivers who take pleasure in running me off the road, honking their horns when they are on top of you, or seeing how close they can get. At least invest in road signage that make drivers aware that bikers are on the road and have a right to be.
RCR 129 was recoated with chip seal and it is still as dangerous as it was because there is NO SHOULDER for bike riders. We have rights too. We pay taxes too. What is the county's plan for safer shoulders? What? They didn't think of that? Maybe the county "commishes" need to address that if they want my vote. This is the time for bike riders to speak up! But then again I'm just a dimwitiguess.
katrinkakelly 5 years, 8 months ago
Stay on the right side of the fog line bike rider, PLEASE.
id04sp 5 years, 8 months ago
And buy some gas. That's where road funds come from.
Matthew Stoddard 5 years, 8 months ago
So what's the difference between spending $34 million on a rec center that "you" won't use or bike lanes on County Roads that "I" won't use?
Plus, the rec center is CITY, not COUNTY. 2 separate entities.
Matthew Stoddard 5 years, 8 months ago
Doesn't matter in the context of what's being posted on this thread. People are saying they want the money for the City's rec center to pay for county roads/bike lanes. Doesn't work that way.
And it's not the same taxpayers at all times. The rec center will affect property tax recipients in the city limits, not county residents, from my understanding.
elphaba 5 years, 8 months ago
So do we get a 34 million gold plated rec center and bad roads?
another_local 5 years, 8 months ago
The gold plating is only on the bathroom fixtures... just like at the new $500 per square foot community center.
momofthree 5 years, 8 months ago
katrinakelly: have you actually biked any of the roads around here? in many (most) cases, there is about half a foot of road on the "shoulder" side of the white line--after that, it's dirt, grass or often gravel left over from the chip seal process. why is it so hard for drivers to slow down and give plenty of room as they pass bike riders?
id04sp: not exactly--the whole point of this story is that tax payers will be paying for improvements, not people buying gas.
Watcher 5 years, 8 months ago
The main point I see here is that the commissioners want us to pass an open ended tax increase. I would be more inclined to vote in their favor if this exemption would sunset in six years. Why do they not trust us to decide if we want to pay for other services down the road?
I am NOT voting an increase for future commissioners and I don't really care if their hands are tied. If they come up with something beneficial then they can come back to the voters.
colobob 5 years, 8 months ago
Life is full of priorities, the trouble with that is that some peoples priorities are all screwed up. Nix the rec. center and fix the roads!
colobob 5 years, 8 months ago
2 seperate einties - same taxpayers!
sickofitall 5 years, 8 months ago
Watcher, I agree.
colobob 5 years, 8 months ago
sorry, entities. Still the same taxpayers!
madmoores 5 years, 8 months ago
And awwwwwway we go!!! Dimwitiguess and momofthree are about two or three months out on the dead horse beating of how bikers and drivers should act when riding/driving on the DANGEROUS narrow roads of your county. My advice, take the $34 million for a rec. center and improve the roads, build a friggin' path on 129 and construct some sort of bypass for the traffic downtown. $34 million could go a long ways towards something that would benefit more than a few.
dimwitiguess 5 years, 8 months ago
ido4sp,
The article says the tax will come from PROPERTY tax. You don't need to buy gas to have PROPERTY. Can't you read or do you just think you know it all? Get over yourself. Madmoores, the roads aren't dangerous, the drivers are and some use their vehicles in threatening ways.
Requires free registration
Posting comments requires a free account and verification.
Or login with:
OpenID