Last on Glenwood Springs’ Thursday night City Council agenda, but certainly not least, city leaders are expected to decide if, when and how much of a streets sales tax the city should pitch to voters.
The city already has a 0.5 percent sales tax, intended to help maintain and rebuild the city’s streets. But many believe the amount in generates simply does not suffice.
“We have unanimous recommendations of our various volunteer boards of citizen experts that we appoint from the community to advise us on these issues,” City Councilor Jonathan Godes said in advance of the council meeting.
“There was not one voice of dissent from one board or commission member about a 0.75 [percent] increase, only a discussion whether to sunset it or not,” he said.
The city’s Financial Advisory Board (FAB) recently gave its unanimous recommendation to councilors in support of a street sales tax question to appear on this April’s municipal election ballot.
“These volunteers with FAB and the Transportation Commission are highly professional and functioning boards. A wide range of personal political beliefs, professions, ages and genders represents them. These are the people who really know this issue. We ignore their advice at our peril,” Godes warned.
As previously reported, it was simply a matter of when, not if, the city would need to bring the issue to voters, FAB Chairwoman Kathryn Trauger emphasized earlier this month.
“The Financial Advisory Board felt now was the proper time,” Trauger said in that interview.
However, whether the votes exist on council to put the question on the April ballot, or wait until a future time, remains in question and is expected to play out at the Thursday council meeting.
Also, whether or not Community on the Move, the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association’s ad hoc political committee, will support a street sales tax question this April also remains to be seen.
Community on the Move has been instrumental in campaigning for and helping pass numerous infrastructure initiatives for over three decades, and its endorsement typically carries weight in the community.
On Thursday morning, a City Council will discuss the street sales tax before taking an official vote later in the evening.