Join Chalkbeat Colorado’s free every day publication to get the newest reporting from us, plus curated information from different Colorado retailers, delivered to your inbox.
Voters in three western Colorado communities authorized lodging tax measures in Tuesday’s election that may ship cash to efforts aimed toward making youngster care extra reasonably priced and simpler to seek out.
The measures handed simply in La Plata and Grand counties and by a slimmer margin within the Metropolis of Montrose, in response to unofficial election outcomes.
With Tuesday’s lodging tax victories, the three communities be part of a few dozen others in Colorado’s mountain resort areas the place voters have agreed to permit some lodging tax proceeds for use for youngster care efforts. Typically, the funding is used to assist households pay for youngster care or to spice up wages for academics.
Lodging taxes have just lately change into an interesting option to generate new funding for native workforce wants akin to housing and youngster care. That’s due to a 2022 state regulation that allowed Colorado counties and native advertising and marketing districts to make use of lodging taxes for these functions in the event that they get voter approval. Lodging taxes are sometimes palatable for voters since they’re typically paid by out-of-town guests, not locals.
In La Plata County, the place Durango is the county seat, the poll measure authorized Tuesday will reallocate 70% of lodging tax proceeds from tourism efforts to youngster care and housing. That shift may imply about $500,000 a 12 months for native youngster care efforts.
Heather Hawk, govt director of the Early Childhood Council of La Plata County, mentioned she was enthusiastic about Tuesday’s lodging tax victory, particularly its almost 70% approval charge. She mentioned a bunch of native advocates will full a strategic plan for the funding by the top of the 12 months, however the ultimate determination on how it will likely be distributed will relaxation with La Plata County commissioners.
Hawk mentioned $500,000 a 12 months just isn’t an enormous sum of cash, however it will likely be a dependable stream that may assist the county leverage grants and different funding sources that require native {dollars}. She mentioned the cash might assist with efforts akin to financing building of a brand new youngster care middle or boosting wages for hard-to-retain toddler and toddler academics.
Hawk mentioned the cash may assist mother and father with infants and toddlers cowl the price of youngster care. Toddler care can value as much as $21,000 a 12 months within the county, she mentioned.
“We all know that now we have a severe affordability hole in our group, particularly for households which are working within the tourism business,” mentioned Hawk. “They usually are making an excessive amount of to qualify for youngster care subsidies or Head Begin, however not sufficient to actually afford the price of care.”
Grand County’s lodging tax measure handed with about 60% of the vote on Tuesday. It’s going to enhance the county’s current lodging tax from 1.8% to 2% and permit the county to make use of 30% of the proceeds — or about $675,000 a 12 months — for housing, youngster care, or companies that profit guests.
A county official beforehand advised Chalkbeat how the cash is spent may differ from 12 months to 12 months, with a housing initiative one 12 months, a baby care initiative the following, and so forth.
Voters within the Metropolis of Montrose, the biggest metropolis in Montrose County, agreed to boost the resort room tax from .9% to six% Tuesday, with 52% of voters in favor of the measure. Of the income from that tax, 17% — or about $158,000 a 12 months — will go towards youngster care initiatives. The remainder will fund road upkeep, reasonably priced housing, and tourism companies.
A metropolis official beforehand advised Chalkbeat the town would doubtless draft a plan for spending lodging tax cash devoted to youngster care by subsequent spring. One of many best wants within the space is for extra youngster care slots, he mentioned.
Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, overlaying early childhood points and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.
