Montrose - Daily Press

The first step in trying to solve a problem is realizing you have one, much as Montrose County citizens have come to realize this last year when funding shortfalls hit home in critical departments.

Voters swatted down a ballot question last November that would have kept the county's collection of a 1-percent sales tax from sunsetting. The Daily Press endorsed a vote against it as well, citing accountability issues.

Nearly a year later and we're back in the same position. But things have changed, as has the current ballot proposal.

Advertisement

In September, the Montrose County Commissioners voted unanimously to place on the ballot two funding questions, one for the sheriff's office and one for the road department.

The initiative for a fair tax proposal was taken on by the Montrose Citizens for Funding Our Future. This was a grassroots effort by citizens who had concerns about the funding shortfall for both the sheriff's department and road and bridge. Originally appointed by the commissioners to explore options, the group has worked diligently the last year.

What they came up with was a 0.75-percent sales tax initiative that would be used primarily to fund the sheriff’s office. A second initiative calls for a 1-percent sales or use tax countywide. Under the resolution language, the $7-plus million in revenues such tax could generate would be dedicated to road and bridge. Currently the county does not collect any sales tax.

We encourage a yes vote on both ballot proposals and this is why:

The first sales tax resolution calls for at least 70 percent of revenues generated to go to the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office.

It could also be used to fund several organizations or entities that fall under the definition of public safety, such as the drug task force, district attorney’s office, health clinics and more.

Currently, the MCSO is lacking necessary equipment and adequate staff. Like the rest of the county’s departments, money is tight at the sheriff’s office.

With increased growth comes an increase in crime and other activities. Public safety becomes paramount.

The road department is responsible for maintaining close to 1,400 miles of roads in the county, but does not have enough in the budget to do so in the face of increasing growth and road use.

Also because of funding issues, the county is short on the necessary maintenance staff for the department.

There is accountability written into the proposals and given how well the school district and fire protection district have been in the past, we believe the county is set up to do the same.

The county is also looking at instituting impact fees, which would apply only to new development. Impact fees could be assessed to help pay for new roads or services made necessary by such development, but cannot be used for existing maintenance issues. Collecting future impact fees is not a viable option to solving our current problems.

We can talk about how the county should maintain the roads better, or how there's not enough deputies out on the road, or we can do something about it. This is an opportunity, a progressive step forward to address real needs. The Daily Press urges a yes vote on 1A and 1B.

Comments