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Aspen council and school leaders weigh ballot options to shore up district finances
Summary
Aspen officials and the Aspen School District discussed renewing or increasing a sales tax, converting to a property tax, and alternative countywide approaches after the district reported low reserves and state funding changes.
School district leaders briefed the Aspen City Council on multiple options to address a budget gap caused in part by state funding formula changes. Pete Strecker, speaking by phone for the district, said the district currently collects a 0.3% sales tax that produced about $3.9 million in 2024 and that doubling that levy would raise roughly $7.8 million.
Strecker framed four options for council consideration: (1) take no action this year and let the current 0.3% run to its sunset at the end of 2026; (2) extend the existing 0.3% in place; (3) ask voters to increase the sales tax (the district had discussed about 0.6% as a target); or (4) convert to a property-tax (mill levy) model similar to Snowmass Village. “Weare currently getting about 4,000,000. We expect if it were doubled, it would be an increase of another 4,000,000,” Strecker told the council.
Council members pressed on equity concerns because roughly 20% of students live outside the district and some commercial areas do not contribute sales tax to the district. Members asked whether a countywide special district or a property tax could broaden the base and reduce Aspen residentsper-capita burden. One councilor said renewing the 0.3% or modestly increasing it could be more palatable than an immediate doubling, and another urged additional time to talk with Pitkin County officials about countywide options.
The council did not take a final vote but directed staff and the district to continue stakeholder outreach and return with a concise one-page packet explaining how new revenue would be used and possible ballot language by the councils next packet deadline. Staff flagged that the latest date to place a question on the ballot would require decisions in early September.
