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Letter: Vote no on 1A

It’s simple. Eagle County wants to freeze the mill levy at the current rate of 7.15% while under state law the rate will drop to 5.88%. Eagle County wants to circumvent the Colorado Constitution in order to generate more taxes. Which is a tax increase or the county wouldn’t be required by law to ask you to vote on it. In other words, your taxes will be lower if this bill does not pass.

But there’s more. The county also wants to adjust the mill levy “thereafter” for the same purpose with no end in sight.

For 2021 it will not raise the current mill levy, it will just maintain the current rate of 7.15%. But read the next sentence. “Thereafter” county officials are asking for the right to adjust the mill levy to “maintain revenues” — whatever that means — and it does not include a sunset date.  So we are being asked to give the county this authority forever. This request is nothing more than  Eagle County asking for a blank check going forward for whatever “maintaining revenues” means.



This is the local government attempting to circumvent the Colorado Constitution. But even worse, there is no alternative plan in place as to what’s next. It’s simply the old adage “I’m from the government and I’m here to help, so trust me.”

Removing this protection in this unstable economic environment, when so many homeowners are behind in their mortgage payments, is an irresponsible solution to a problem that can be fixed without increasing property taxes or changing the basic structure of the current law.

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So ask yourself one basic question: In good times, does government ever give you a refund? I think we all know the answer to that.

If Amendment B passes, your tax rate will be 7.18%. If it is defeated, your tax rate will be 5.88%.  It’s a tax increase and it’s that simple. Vote no on 1A.

Kaye Ferry
Vail


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