(Aspen, CO) Local election officials are now collecting comments from the public detailing the pros and cons of six financial ballot issues in the upcoming General Election, Nov. 8. The comments collected from the public will be published in the TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) Notice and mailed to all voters 30 days before this November’s election.
“A registered elector who wishes to submit a pro or con statement regarding any of the six financial ballot issues may submit their comments to the Designated Election Official of each district. The elector must be registered in the district,” said Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder, Ingrid Grueter. She added, “We are required by the Colorado Constitution to publish the TABOR Notice, which is referred to by many residents when studying an issue before voting.”
Financial issues on the November ballot come from the following four jurisdictions, and comments should be emailed to the designated election official (DEO) of each district as indicated below:
Only registered voters residing in the political subdivision and eligible to vote on the questions may submit comments on the question; comments must include a signature where the signer is registered to vote. The deadline for written comments for the TABOR Notice shall be filed by noon on Friday, Sept. 23. TABOR Notices will be mailed to all registered voters no later than Friday, Oct. 7.
For more Pitkin County election information, including a soon-to-be-posted sample ballot with the text of all ballot races and measures, please go to www.pitkinvotes.com.
Contact: Ingrid Grueter, Clerk and Recorder – 970-429-2708
The Pitkin County Ballot Issues read as follows:
City of Aspen Ballot Issue 2A: Short Term Rental Tax
SHALL CITY OF ASPEN TAXES BE INCREASED NOT MORE THAN $9,140,000 COMMENCING MAY 1, 2023, AND BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS ARE GENERATED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY THE IMPOSITION OF AN EXCISE TAX OF NOT MORE THAN 10% ON THE AMOUNT CHARGED ON A NIGHTLY ROOM RATE AT ANY ACCOMMODATION OR BUSINESS THAT IS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT FROM THE CITY; PROVIDED HOWEVER THAT:
- SUCH TAX SHALL BE APPLIED TO “LODGE EXEMPT PERMIT PROPERTIES” AS HEREAFTER DEFINED IN AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT STR-LE AT 5.0%
- SUCH TAX SHALL BE APPLIED TO “OWNER OCCUPIED UNITS” AS HEREAFTER DEFINED IN AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A SHORT-TERM RENTAL OWNER-OCCUPIED PERMIT STR-OO AT 5.0%
- AND 2ND HOMEOWNER, INVESTMENT PROPERTY UNITS AS HEREAFTER DEFINED IN AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL WITH A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PERMIT STR-CLASSIC AT 10%;
AND SHALL AT LEAST 70% OF THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM SUCH TAX BE UTILIZED FOR THE PURPOSE FUNDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SHALL THE REMAINDER OF THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM SUCH TAX NOT UTILIZED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING BE UTILIZED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR AND FOR ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES; AND SHALL THE CITY BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, KEEP AND SPEND THE REVENUES FROM SUCH TAX AND ANY INVESTMENT INCOME THEREFROM NOTWITHSTANDING THE LIMITS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?
City of Aspen Ballot Issue 2B: Extension of Existing 0.5% Sales Tax for Parks and Open Space
SHALL THE CITY OF ASPEN’S EXISTING 0.5% SALES TAX FOR THE PURPOSE OF BUYING, IMPROVING, AND MAINTAINING TRAIL, RECREATIONAL AND OPEN SPACE PROPERTIES, AND ANCILLARY FACILITIES, WHICH IS SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2025, BE EXTENDED IN PERPETUITY; AND SHALL THE REVENUES FROM SUCH SALES TAXES AND THE EARNINGS THEREON BE COLLECTED, RETAINED, AND SPENT AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE WITHOUT LIMITATION UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION (TABOR) OR ANY OTHER LAW?
Town of Snowmass Village Ballot Issue 2C: Authorizing the expanded use of existing tax dollars for workforce housing
WITHOUT IMPOSING ANY NEW TAX AND WITHOUT RAISING ANY EXISTING TAX RATE, SHALL THE TOWN OF SNOWMASS VILLAGE BE AUTHORIZED TO EXPAND THE PERMISSIBLE USES OF THE EXISTING 2.4% TOWN LODGING TAX AND 2.5% OF THE EXISTING TOWN SALES TAX CURRENTLY RESTRICTED TO MARKETING, SPECIAL EVENTS AND GROUP SALES PURPOSES TO ALSO INCLUDE WORKFORCE HOUSING PURPOSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE ACQUISITION, CONSTRUCTION, REHABILITATION, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF TOWN-OWNED, CONTROLLED OR SPONSORED WORKFORCE HOUSING, COMMENCING WITH REVENUES GENERATED
BY SAID TAXES IMPOSED ON JANUARY 1, 2023, AND MAY ALL SUCH REVENUES BE DEPOSITED IN ONE FUND COLLECTIVELY DEDICATED TO MARKETING, SPECIAL EVENTS, GROUP SALES AND WORKFORCE HOUSING, AND SHALL ALL SUCH REVENUES CONTINUE TO BE COLLECTED, RETAINED AND SPENT AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY SPENDING, REVENUE-RAISING, OR OTHER LIMITATION CONTAINED WITHIN THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?
Aspen Ambulance District Ballot Issue 6A: Dedicated funding to support the Aspen Ambulance District
SHALL ASPEN AMBULANCE DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED BY UP TO $2,443,901 ANNUALLY (FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR DOLLAR INCREASE, FOR COLLECTION IN 2023) AND BY SUCH AMOUNTS AS ARE GENERATED IN FUTURE FISCAL YEARS FROM AN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX MILL LEVY IMPOSED AT A RATE OF 0.599 MILLS, FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING A STABLE FUNDING SOURCE FOR ASPEN AMBULANCE DISTRICT; AND SHALL THE DISTRICT BE ENTITLED TO COLLECT, RETAIN, AND SPEND THE FULL REVENUES FROM SUCH TAX INCREASE IN EACH YEAR AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE NOTWITHSTANDING ANY REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE LIMITATION UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION (TABOR), SECTION 29-1-301, C.R.S., THE COUNTY HOME RULE CHARTER OR ANY OTHER LAW?
Crystal Oaks Metropolitan District Ballot Issue 6B: Mill Levy
SHALL THE CRYSTAL OAKS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT’S TAXES BE INCREASED BY $30,000 ANNUALLY (FOR COLLECTION IN CALENDAR YEAR 2024), AND BY ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS THAT ARE RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY THE IMPOSITION OF AN AD VALORUM PROPERTY TAX LEVY OF 13.5 MILLS; AND SHALL THE DISTRICT’S TOTAL PROPERTY TAXES THEREAFTER CONSIST OF A MILL LEVY NOT TO EXCEED 13.5 MILLS BUT TO BE DETERMINED, ANNUALLY, BY THE BOARD WITHIN THAT LIMITATION AT SUCH A RATE AS MAY BE SUFFICIENT TO PRODUCE THE REVENUES NEEDED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYING THE DISTRICT’S OPERATIONS AND CAPITAL EXPENSES AND TO CREATE IMPROVEMENT AND REPLACEMENT RESERVES; AND SHALL THE PROCEEDS FROM SUCH TAXES AND INVESTMENT INCOME THEREON CONSTITUTE VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGES WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION (TABOR) AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITATION SET FORTH IN SECTION 29-1-301 OF THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES?
Crystal Oaks Metropolitan District Issue 6C: Voter-Approved Revenue Change (“De-Brucing” Style)
SHALL THE CRYSTAL OAKS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, WITHOUT CREATING ANY NEW TAX, OR INCREASING ANY CURRENT TAXES, BE PERMITTED TO RETAIN AND SPEND THE FULL AMOUNT OF GRANTS, FEES, TAXES, AND OTHER REVENUES COLLECTED IN 2023 AND EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR, WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE LIMITATIONS INCLUDING THOSE CONTAINED IN ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?
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