Clear Creek County officials review survey showing support for paid firefighters, favor sales-tax funding over property tax

A consultant told a joint Clear Creek County–municipal meeting that a recent mail survey shows residents generally approve of the Clear Creek Fire Authority’s performance and are open to funding paid firefighter positions — with a countywide sales tax the most acceptable single funding option.

Bill Ray, a consultant who presented the survey results, said the mailer was sent to about 35,100 households and closed Dec. 10, producing 344 responses. "You have a high approval rating, and also a strong rating of confidence handling tax dollars," Ray said, summarizing respondents' views. He added that wildfire risk and housing costs were the survey's top open-ended concerns.

Ray said voters responded most positively to an option framed as a 1.45% county sales tax, gave lower support to a straight property-tax increase (about 14.67 mills in the scenario presented), and showed moderate support for a blended sales-and-property-tax approach. He cautioned that voters often change their responses when they see actual ballot (TABOR) language and recommended showing sample ballot language before a final decision.

Why it matters: county and municipal officials said survey findings will shape whether and how to ask voters…