Ballot issues face Pitkin County, Basalt ahead of November elections

Pitkin County voters are being asked to weigh in on one Pitkin County-specific issue that would provide funds for the airport runway and terminal renovations slated for 2027.

Basalt voters will be asked to weigh in on two Basalt-specific issues — one that would increase lodging taxes for short-term rentals, hotels, and motels, and one that would extend an existing mill levy providing funds to the Basalt Regional Library.

Pitkin County Ballot Issue 1A: Airport Enterprise Funds

Pitkin County will ask voters registered in the county for permission to increase debt by up to $340 million, with repayment costs not to exceed $940 million to help fund the design and construction of the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport Modernization Project. The modernization project was approved by voters in the November 2024 election and is currently moving into the design phase. 

The funds would not require an increase in taxes and the debt will be paid for from the airport’s enterprise fund, which is built upon revenues from airport fees and the fixed-based-operator lease. 

The airport project includes major runway reconstruction and a renovation of the airport terminal. Much of the cost of the runway reconstruction will be conducted with federal funds, but there will still be portions that the county needs to raise funds for locally. 

Because this ballot issue does not result in an increase in taxes, revenues, or debts, the Tax Payer Bill of Rights (TABOR) did not require there to be “for” and “against” statements on Pitkin County’s TABOR notice. 

Town of Basalt Issue 3A: Increase Lodging Tax for Affordable Housing

Voters registered in the town of Basalt will be asked whether Basalt can increase the lodging tax from 4% to 6%, to be paid for by “lodgers” on the purchase price paid or charged for the “furnishing,” or rental, of any of those rooms or homes. Revenues created by the increase will be deposited into a dedicated fund aimed to address affordable housing in Basalt. 

This measure affects temporary lodging that is rented to a guest for less than 30 consecutive days. Lodgers in the ballot language refers to operators of hotels, motels, and short-term rentals. Furnishing refers to the rental of such units. 

The money generated will aim to “increase the supply of workforce housing for town of Basalt residents and employees of other local governments, Basalt Businesses, and nonprofits.” The ballot issue says that this will be done through the purchase of real property, by addressing infrastructure, and redeveloping existing housing. The money can also be used to help with public or private partnerships to develop workforce housing, support programs to reduce the cost of renting or purchasing workforce housing, and other expenses incurred on the town through the implementation of these programs. 

The TABOR notice did not have arguments “for” or “against” Issue 3A because neither had comments submitted by the constitutional deadline. 

Basalt Regional Library District Ballot Issue 7B

Registered voters within the boundaries of the Basalt Regional Library District will be asked whether the Basalt Regional Library can extend a mill levy which was initially approved in 2006 to pay off building construction bonds. The current levy is set at 1.08 mills. 

Issue 7B would not increase taxes, but extend the levy that properties have been paying toward the Basalt Regional Library since 2006. The current annual cost on a home with an actual value of $1 million in the Basalt Regional Library District is $67. 

Funds raised through the extension of this mill levy would be directed toward maintenance of library facilities, wage payments to retain staff, and maintain or increase operating hours at the library, maintain or increase community access to books, internet, information, and programs at the library, improve job search and home support, and help support other library services and programs. 

In 2025, the mill levy produced $782,000. That money would be put into the district’s general fund going forward. 

The City Council of the town of Basalt and the Board of County Commissioners at Pitkin County have both endorsed the measure. 

Arguments in support of the measure on the TABOR notice highlight that the extension of the mill levy would not result in an increase in the tax rate and help pay for services, staff, and maintenance at an important public resource in Basalt. They point out that the money is locally controlled and that the library does not receive funds from the state of Colorado, Eagle or Pitkin County, or other government agencies. 

They also point out that the library has historically been a good steward of taxpayer funds. 

The library’s mill levy has decreased since 2021. In 2023 the library board voted not to extend a supplemental operating levy that “reduced taxes by $350,000 annually,” and the library will retire the building construction bonds in 2025 which is one year earlier than planned.

No comments opposed to issue 7B were submitted by the constitutional deadline to be included in the TABOR notice.