The Archuleta County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) discussed next steps for a potential lodging tax increase to be put on the ballot at its Aug. 5 work session.
County Manager Jack Harper explained the reason for having the matter on the work session agenda was to get direction from the commissioners, noting there is “certainly interest” in moving forward with the ballot question and “it’s more of, actually, a question of timing.”
Harper inquired if the commissioners would want to put something forward this November or next year.
Commissioner Warren Brown commented, “I think this is a great idea; I don’t think we can pull it off in [90] days,” explaining he’d like to start the process this year in hopes of putting something forward in 2026.
“If it even makes the ballot then, with all the needs and asks we have coming forward,” he added.
Brown also explained that what he’s learned from being in the community and how voting topics are handled, “we need to do a better, more complete job of educating the community and getting them on board, and beyond a small group, but a county-wide group to try to make sure this is going to be successful.”
Brown commented the county would be following the same pattern that has been established over the last few years and that there would not be a high chance of getting the ballot question passed this year.
Commissioner John Ranson also expressed concerns about how going to the ballot this November may not be plausible for the county, noting the same concern Brown mentioned with multiple entities in the community looking for funding.
Ranson also indicated that he does “really like the concept” of proposing an increase to the county’s lodging tax rate and what those funds could be used for.
He went on to explain that he believes the county will be able to “come up with significant savings, which we already have … going into next year.”
He commented that if the county could show the public anywhere from $500,000 to $700,000, “that would go a long ways,” in showing the county is trying to come up with capital for road projects, “but we need additional help.”
Ranson noted the road and bridge fund has decreased from $9 million to $2 million over the years, “and we’re at a point now where we really gotta watch it in the summer ‘cause all those expenses come in and we’re close to having a negative fund balance.”
Ranson commented that the county needs to show constituents that it’s doing the best with what it has.
“These savings are gonna go towards roads,” he added, noting that would help the county in getting a ballot question approved.
Commissioner Veronica Medina suggested that the county needs to have more listening sessions, “that are better advertised, and really get out the word.”
She explained that she received “a lot of messages” from constituents who were unaware of the previous two listening sessions the BoCC has hosted on the matter.
“We gotta do a better job of communicating with the public on when those meetings are,” she said, noting the first session had a bigger crowd, “because more people knew about it.”
She asked if the BoCC would want to host another listening session this year or put out a community survey.
“I think there’s other steps that we need to take besides just whether or not we’re gonna go to ballot this year or next year,” she said, noting the county still needs to communicate with the public.
Brown agreed with Medina, encouraging the option of putting out a survey that could also ask if the community wants to have a listening session.
“If we’re gonna do the survey, see how they want to go forward with it,” he said.
Medina also mentioned that “another part of those questions” is how much the increase should be, as well as what the community wants to see those dollars go toward.
She noted that commissioners have considered putting those funds “towards roads, solely,” and that she has also brought up housing, infrastructure and child care as options.
She also commented that she would like to see some of those funds go toward emergency medical services.
Brown also noted the county should provide information on what areas funding can be used for under the approved state legislation.
Harper explained that, from a staff perspective, if the commissioners wanted to go to ballot this year, that would change the timing of things.
Medina asked what kind of timeline is expected with sending out a survey and determining if there will be another listening session.
She then indicated that in September the county would be able to send out the survey and “understand where we’re at” after getting the survey results back.
clayton@pagosasun.com
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