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Town weighs 0.5% sales-tax option and other ballot measures to fund capital needs
Summary
Town Manager Patterson presented options for ballot measures — permanent or sunset sales-tax increases (manager recommended a 0.5% sunset to stay below Manitou Springs' rate), mill-levy changes, property-sales of orphan lots and projects to fund (marshal office, culverts, sewage feasibility). Trustees asked for clearer cost/justification before selecting items for a vote.
Town Manager Patterson presented four ballot options to the Board of Trustees to raise revenue for capital projects and operations: permanent sales-tax increases, temporary (sunset) sales-tax options, mill-levy changes and sale of orphaned town lots. Patterson recommended a 0.5% sales-tax increase as a sunset measure tied to specific projects (for example, renovating the old marshal's building to add wastewater infrastructure), noting that the proposal would keep Green Mountain Falls below nearby Manitou Springs' overall sales-tax rate.
Trustees discussed trade-offs: some expressed concern that raising sales tax could disadvantage businesses given the town already sits near regional highs (manager cited 8.13% current rate) while others emphasized limited local revenue options and the need to fund critical infrastructure such as sewage and culvert repairs. The board agreed to bring the four options back as business items at the next meeting and to develop ballot language and cost justifications for voters.
