Survey results will help determine whether county will pursue ballot question
PITKIN COUNTY, COLO. (May 25, 2023) - The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) at their May 23 work session moved forward with a countywide survey to assess community backing for a dedicated tax and bonding authority to support affordable housing and childcare programs in the county. The survey is slated to begin Wednesday, June 1.
“Housing is a significant challenge here in Pitkin County. It impacts our workforce, their families, and our local businesses and economy,” said Francie Jacober, chair of the BOCC. “Along with housing, access to childcare is also critically important for many of these same employees and employers. We believe these issues go hand in hand and improving both will help maintain our community character, strengthen and support our workforce, bolster our local economy, and, overall, make Pitkin County a great place to live and raise a family.”
Community members will have the opportunity to take the survey starting June 1. It will be administered through phone calls to mobile phones and landlines. The calls will come from the 970 area code. The public may also receive invitations to take the survey online through text messages and emails. The survey will be available online in English and Spanish for all community members to take, and those results will be included in the final report and presentation to the BOCC and community.
The goal of the survey is to provide a statistical representation of the county’s voters for the upcoming November election since the Colorado Constitution requires any tax increases and bonding to be approved by voters. The online survey will provide an opportunity for community members who did not receive the survey phone call, text, or email invitation to provide their input and feedback on these proposals.
The BOCC will receive a presentation and analysis of the survey results at a public meeting later in June. The commissioners have until September 8 to decide whether to place a question on the 2023 ballot.
“It’s critical to receive feedback from a broad base of our community so we know their opinions about these issues and other concerns facing the county,” said Jacober. “We plan to use this information, along with feedback gathered from community meetings, local businesses, nonprofits, and other sources to help make a decision about moving forward with these proposals.”
Media contact: Marci Suazo, Pitkin County Communications Manager, marci.suazo@pitkincounty.com, (970) 309-2343