Eagle County survey finds overwhelming support for affordable housing, childcare

Eagle County has received results from telephone polling regarding affordable housing and early childhood services conducted in mid-May. A summary of the results is available online at www.eaglecounty.us/commissioners.

Pollsters contacted 500 community members, who were asked about their views on the availability of attainable housing and affordable, quality childcare. Key findings include:

• 95 percent of respondents said finding an affordable place to live in Eagle County is a problem, with 71 percent indicating it’s a “big problem.”
• 64 percent indicated support for a three-tenths of a cent sales tax to fund affordable, workforce residential housing developments in the county.
• 70 percent of respondents said finding affordable childcare and early childhood education services in Eagle County is a problem, with 42 percent saying it’s a big problem.
• 64 percent indicated support for a one-tenth of a cent sales tax to fund early childhood education and development services in the county.

In addition, 72 percent of respondents said “things in Eagle County are headed in the right direction” and 73 percent rated the county’s economy as good or excellent.

County Manager Brent MFall says the Board of County Commissioners will use the results to help shape future public policy decisions. No determination has been made on whether the county will go to the voters with ballot questions.

Polling to determine voters’ reactions to expanding the allowed uses of open space funds to include hard surface and soft surface trails is scheduled to take place in late June. For more information, contact McFall at 970-328-8607.