Basalt council deserves praise, not attacks

Did you know that the Basalt parks, open space and trails 1 percent sales tax, which was passed in 2007 by Basalt voters, is a restricted Basalt sales tax that is to be used only for parks, open space and trails? That the money cannot be used for anything else?

The sales tax currently produces about $1.6 million in annual revenue that needs to be exclusively invested in parks, open space and trails.

Basalt could buy the entire Roaring Fork Development Corp. parcel for $2.9 million to best manage town assets without raising property taxes.

Basalt Town Council is trying to represent the public’s interest, spearheaded by Bernie Grauer, Jennifer Riffle, Jacque Whitsitt and a few others just as they had been elected to do. They are now being viciously attacked by some of the Lowe Enterprise and/or big-development supporters. The attackers say that council is not representing the will of the people for considering giving the public a spectacular river park without raising taxes. Yes, you heard that correctly. How dare they give the town a spectacular river park without raising taxes!

Let council know you support them for standing up to the attacks that instead should be praises of gratitude.

Mark Kwiecienski

Basalt