San Miguel County directs staff to draft ballot questions on restoring two mill levies and a two‑step road funding plan

San Miguel County commissioners directed staff on Aug. 13 to prepare ballot language for two related November questions: a combined question to restore full capture for the county’s early‑childhood (ECAP) and mental‑health (MHAP) mill levies, and a two‑step road‑and‑bridge funding measure that would seek additional revenue for road maintenance with a fallback arrangement.

County manager Mike Bordonia reviewed three proposals: (1) a lodging‑tax question that would expand allowable uses and allow local lodging tax rates of up to 6 percent; (2) a question to restore full collection (0.75 mills) for both the early‑childhood and mental‑health mill levies, which are now constrained by a new statutory revenue cap; and (3) options to address road‑and‑bridge funding shortfalls that have required the county to backfill road maintenance from the general fund.

Bordonia told commissioners that due to recent valuation increases and the state's statutory cap on allowable year‑to‑year revenue growth, the ECAP and MHAP funds will collect substantially less next year than voters originally intended: the county estimates those two funds together could lose roughly $83,000–$129,000 each unless voters authorize full capture. Commissioners agreed the most straightforward approach is to present one combined question asking voters to authorize collection at the previously approved levels.

On roads, county staff described a long‑standing mismatch between the level of service the county needs and the funds available: the last time voters were asked to raise road funding, measures to increase the road mill levy failed, and the county has since been using general‑fund reserves to make up the difference. Bordonia offered three options: certify full capture of the revenue the road levy would generate without increasing total mills (a bookkeeping approach), ask voters for an additional two‑tenths of a mill to add roughly $300,000 per year for road improvements (allowing modest paving and contractor work on problem sections), or a larger mill increase (which staff did not recommend at this time).

Commissioners expressed concern about placing multiple or new tax increases before voters at once and about ballot fatigue. The board settled on staff producing two related items: a combined ECAP/MHAP question to restore full capture, and a two‑step road proposal that would include a fall‑back or tiered language so voters could choose more or less funding depending on approval outcomes. Commissioners asked staff to return with draft ballot language and sample statements; county staff said the deadline to submit final language to the county clerk is Sept. 5.

No formal vote was recorded today; commissioners approved drafting the questions and requested sample language for future action.