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Letter to the Editor: Snowmass’ tax disparity

The proposed use of $2.2 million of Real Estate Transfer Tax and other funds from Base Village at the Snowmass Village Town Council meeting April 1 got my attention. It is sourced from Base Village but spent on roads outside of Base Village. I question why the town appears to be making no investments in Base Village Transit Center or other public transit infrastructure in Base Village.

Recall that residential and commercial Base Village owners carry tax burden of another 50 or so mills through GID, Base Village Metro No. 1 and No. 2, to support the money losing town-mandated Transit Center and Conference Center, and expenses of Carriage Way snowmelt and Sky Cab tourism operations plus the mandated public spaces for community events and ice rink. While Limelight was expected to bring business to the Base Village Conference Center, the conference center forecasts less income now than 2018 with utilization under 10 percent.

Phase 2 owners also carry the Common Area Maintenance fees for The Collective for the next 14 years.



With the present actions, the town-at-large benefits and the developer benefits. I am willing to fund a fair share of Base Village, town, county and community expenses. I object to continuing to fund a disproportionate share of community expenses through GID taxes, Base Village Metro No. 1 and No. 2 taxes and Base Village Co. developer-levied assessments, which are facilitated by privately negotiated agreements with the town.

As a Base Village, town of Snowmass Village and Pitkin County taxpayer, I encourage the General Improvement District Tax Board, which is Town Council, which taxes only Base Village owners and town council, to recognize and correct the disparity of tax fund sources and uses allocations.




Base Village owners are taxed to operate Sky Cab/Skittles for summer and evenings but it benefits the entire community through reduction is vehicle traffic etc.

When a study of Sky Cab was proposed, it was to be funded again, only by Base Village owners and developers.

In contrast, the study of the mall transit center is to be funded by Elected Officials Transportation Committee.

Three suggestions:

1. The GID be entirely dissolved. Future funding from all who benefit from Carriage Way snowmelt and Sky Cab operations, including Aspen Skiing Co. for its summer bike lift ticket income and all other tourism activities.

2. The town of Snowmass Village and/or Snowmass Tourism provide substantial funding for the Base Village Transit Center and Base Village Conference Center losses.

3. Snowmass Tourism pay for use of Base Village Co.-funded facilities and venues.

Thank you for considering the above input.

Pat Keefer

Snowmass Village and Texas

Snowmass


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