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Vail Daily letter: 1A, 1B in competition

On the one hand, the county commissioners have put question 1A on the ballot to raise $5.4 million per year in taxes to buy land to build affordable housing. On the other hand, they have put question 1B on the ballot to extend for 15 years the open space tax which generates about $4.5 million per year to buy land to take it off the market so that it can’t be developed. These two taxes are in competition with each other. Taking land off of the market so that it can’t be developed will only make the remaining land more expensive. The most prevalent argument in letters to the editor to extend the open space tax seems to be along the lines of, “This won’t increase your taxes.” I just received my health insurance renewal for Kaiser for next year, and it’s going up by 23 percent. Not only is it practical to have health insurance, it’s a federal law. With perpetual increases in health insurance premiums, I’m looking to lower other expenses just so that I can stay even!

Mike Beltracchi

Edwards


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