Sales tax proposed to fund childcare support from Aspen to Parachute

A local coalition asked Aspen School District educators on Wednesday for their support of a tax increase to fund childcare. 

The Confluence Early Childhood Education Coalition made a case to the Aspen School Board for the 0.25% sales tax increase from Aspen to Parachute to quell the lack of affordability and capacity of childcare.

To move forward, the coalition must get Pitkin, Eagle, and Garfield commissioners to approve their creation of an Early Childhood Development and Education Special District, defining the area from Aspen to Parachute in which the tax would apply. They would also have to approve the coalition’s district service plan, which outlines the intended use of sales tax funds. 

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“The benefits to kids are enormous. Their learning benefits and their life success benefits are enormous,” said Rob Stein, former Roaring Fork Valley School District superintendent, who presented the coalition’s goals. “The benefits to struggling working families to have greater affordability and access are also huge.”

Early childhood care students are better prepared for kindergarten, learn to read earlier, live healthier lives, earn higher wages, and are more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, according to the coalition.

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But the average cost per child of childcare between Aspen and Parachute is $17,000 per year, according to the coalition.

Apart from the financial difficulty for families, the area suffers from a dramatic shortage of childcare facility capacity. The 77 licensed childcare providers have space to care for 2,272 of the 5,100 children aged five or under from Aspen to Parachute, leaving 44% of kids without a space, according to the coalition.  

Given the high cost of living in the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys, many parents struggle to make ends meet while caring for young children, according to Stein.

“A huge percentage of our families are two parents working,” he said. “It’s just a requirement of the economy.”

The coalition estimates the tax would provide roughly $10 million of funding per year to childcare. It would be used for family tuition assistance, to improve the capacity and quality of care programs, to decrease the price of care facilities, for education and outreach, and for administration and evaluation to ensure the programs function well. 

Food for home consumption, medicine and medical equipment, as well as diapers and feminine hygiene supplies would all be exempt from the tax.

“If we can help families in this way and alleviate this financial burden around childcare, then that hopefully helps them free up some money for their housing and their groceries and their other expenses,” said Valerie Carlin, chief impact officer of Aspen Community Foundation, the sponsoring organization for the coalition.

Carlin said they hope to get the three counties’ approval by the end of March.

With approval, the potential sales tax increase would be on a ballot question either this November or in 2026.

Skyler Stark-Ragsdale can be reached at 970-429-9152 or email him at sstark-ragsdale@aspentimes.com.