As your elected representative on Basalt Town Council, I am writing to apologize for not recognizing the taxing issue earlier.
I always thought that the 1994 vote by Basalt citizens allowed the town to adjust the mill levy rate as needed. I was on council when we lowered the property tax rate during the Great Recession. I felt at the time it was appropriate since so many Basalt residents were being financially burdened, but I did not realize that a maximum rate was never set in 1994, so by Colorado law under the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, TABOR, the town could not raise the rate back up to the 1994 level without a vote.
I know it seems messy and refunds will be coming to start restoring public trust, but let’s fully clean this up and vote “yes” on ballot measure 3A that will keep the tax rate the same as last year, so you will not see a tax increase, and set the maximum rate at 5.957 mills. This will solve this issue and keep the town moving forward.
There are so many great things happening in Basalt, like helping fund the expansion of performance and visual arts, increasing capacity and affordability of early childcare, partnering on creating affordable housing, addressing flood issues and traffic calming, beautiful town gardens and parks, working to address climate change, helping to fund We-Cycle, and providing grants to the many nonprofits that call Basalt home. Keeping the funding stable will allow the town to focus on the future, so vote yes for 3A on your ballot that will be coming to your home in the next week.
Gary Tennenbaum
Basalt