Early election returns on Tuesday night show that Aspen voters are poised to approve allowing the city to keep excess revenue from taxes on tobacco products.
With 1,217 votes reported at 7:30 p.m., almost 78 percent of Aspen voters had approved ballot question 2A, which asks for the municipal government to keep all revenues from a tax approved by the electorate in 2017.
It started last year as a $3 tax on a pack of cigarettes and 40 percent hike on all other tobacco products — including cigars, e-cigarettes and chewing tobacco.
The tax escalates $.10 cents each year until it reaches $4.
The city anticipated it would collect $325,000 annually but it turned out that an additional $111,622 came in over that estimate last year, which is the first time the tax was imposed.
Last year’s additional money is subject to TABOR limitations and had to either be returned to taxpayers, or the government could keep it with the blessing of city voters.
If question 2A passes, the city does not have to go back and ask again if the government collects more than $325,000 in any given year.
City Finance Director Pete Strecker confirmed that as of Monday, the city had collected $357,000 in tobacco taxes so far this year.
The revenue is earmarked specifically for financing health and human services, tobacco-related health issues, and addiction and substance abuse education.