Letter: Restrained support for Eagle Valley Transportation Authority
Those who know me will be the most surprised by my support for this initiative — it is rare for me to respond positively to a tax increase. After countless hours of meetings with members of the EVTA formation committee, serving on the EVTA Stakeholder Committee, digging into the facts and figures, and spending the summer going out of my way to utilize the entirety of our county’s public transit offerings, I have come to the determination that this is an initiative I will be supporting. There are problems with it, some of which can be rectified down the line and others we will be stuck with, however, the positives will exceed the negative consequences.
Why do I support the EVTA? It comes down to four distinct points.
1. The status quo is dysfunctional. We have four independent public transit agencies within the county that don’t work together effectively and a fifth (CDOT) that considers itself to be in “competition” with the other four.
2. Despite having the greatest need, communities west of Edwards are given the short end of the stick when it comes to public transit offerings both operationally and financially. While this initiative won’t necessarily change that, certainly not overnight, it is more likely than not that Vail, Avon, Beaver Creek, and Unincorporated Eagle County will pass their version of the ballot initiative, and if those four pass it, then the EVTA is established. Being a Gypsum voter, my vote is for the Gypsum initiative because if the Gypsum initiative passes, then we will have a seat on the governing board. Furthermore, since my vote has no impact on whether or not this passes elsewhere in the county, the bulk of my sales taxes will go up as well.
3. The creation of the EVTA eliminates the annual Eagle Air Alliance contributions from the municipal entities that pass it, reducing pressure on municipal budgets and effectively transferring the burden from a property tax to a sales tax.
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4. The establishment of fare-free zones will give greater access to public transportation to the people who need it most and will serve as a proving ground for public transit impacts in Eagle County.
As a resident of Gypsum, I ask you to trust our council and mayor who support the initiative and vote yes on Ballot Issue 2B.
Seth Levy
Gypsum
