Town of Vail seeks pro and con statements on two ballot questions

The Town of Vail on Thursday issued the following press release seeking written pro and con statements on two ballot questions it will ask residents to consider in the Nov. 8 election:

The Town of Vail is soliciting written comments for and against ballot issues 2H and 2I, which will appear on the Nov. 8 regular election ballot coordinated with Eagle County.

Ballot Issue 2H provides for the formation of the Eagle Valley Transportation Authority and a .5% sales tax in order to expand and enhance transportation across the Eagle River Valley.

Ballot Issue 2I would allow the Town of Vail to retain any housing sales tax collected in 2022 in excess of the $4.5 million approved by voters in November 2021. Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) prohibits first-year collections of any new tax to exceed the amount stated in the original ballot language. Revenues in years 2023 and beyond are not restricted. Staff estimates the excess collected in 2022 will be up to $800,000.  Any amount collected will be used for housing initiatives and programs.

Per Colorado state law, comments received will be summarized for inclusion in the TABOR ballot issue notice, which will be mailed to all registered voters. Only comments filed by persons eligible to vote in the Town of Vail will be summarized in the notice. The comments must address the specific ballot issue, indicate whether they are “for” or “against” the issue, and must include a signature and the address were the signer is registered to vote.

Statements must be received by the Town Clerk no later than September 23. Comments should be addressed to: Vail Town Clerk, 75 S. Frontage Road, Town of Vail, CO 81657 or to sbibbens@vailgov.com.

Complete text of the ballot issues is as follows:

BALLOT ISSUE 2H – FORMATION OF EAGLE VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY

SHALL EAGLE VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (“EVTA”) TAXES BE INCREASED $15,563,303 IN 2023 (FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR) AND BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS ARE RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER FROM THE LEVY OF AN ADDITIONAL 0.50% SALES TAX (ONE CENT ON EACH TWO DOLLARS OF TAXABLE SALES) ON EVERY TRANSACTION OR INCIDENT WITH RESPECT TO WHICH A SALES TAX IS LEVIED BY THE STATE OF COLORADO; PROVIDED THAT SUCH TAX INCREASE SHALL COMMENCE ON JANUARY 1, 2023;

AND SHALL THE EVTA BE ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE EAGLE VALLEY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT (THE “EVTA IGA”) AS MAY BE AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME BETWEEN EAGLE COUNTY, THE TOWNS OF AVON, EAGLE, GYPSUM, MINTURN, RED CLIFF, AND VAIL, AND BEAVER CREEK METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROVIDING ENHANCED REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EVTA IGA, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• EXPANDING TRANSIT SERVICE, EXPRESS ROUTES, AND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS ACROSS THE EAGLE VALLEY;
• ENHANCING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN GYPSUM AND EAGLE AND OTHER COMMUNITIES;
• ENHANCING AIR SERVICE AND IMPROVING ACCESS AT EAGLE COUNTY AIRPORT;
• PROVIDING A FARE-FREE TRANSIT ZONE FROM EDWARDS TO VAIL, INCLUDING AVON, BEAVER CREEK, MINTURN, AND EAGLE-VAIL;
• REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FROM TRANSPORTATION; AND

SHALL ALL AMOUNTS RECEIVED BY EVTA FROM SUCH TAX INCREASES, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND OTHERWISE PURSUANT TO THE EVTA IGA AND EARNINGS THEREON BE COLLECTED AND SPENT WITHOUT LIMITATION OR CONDITION AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?

BALLOT ISSUE 2I – AUTHORIZING THE EXCESS REVENUE COLLECTED FROM THE TOWN’S SALES TAX TO BE RETAINED AND SPENT ON HOUSING INITIATIVES

WITHOUT IMPOSING ANY NEW TAX OR INCREASING THE RATE OF ANY EXISTING TAX, SHALL THE TOWN OF VAIL BE AUTHORIZED TO RETAIN AND EXPEND WITHOUT LIMITATION THE EXCESS REVENUE RECEIVED BY THE TOWN FROM THE SALES TAX LEVIED PURSUANT TO BALLOT ISSUE 2A PASSED BY THE TOWN’S REGISTERED ELECTORS ON NOVEMBER 2, 2021; PROVIDED THAT THE FUNDS SHALL BE USED FOR HOUSING INITIATIVES, HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS AND HOUSING PROGRAMS AND RELATED ACTIVITIES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE TOWN?

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