We strongly oppose Grand County Ballot Issue 6A. It advocates a permanent new tax on a large number of Grand County residents and businesses and would only benefit a select few individuals.

As a property owner and resident since 1987, I recognize the urgent need to address housing issues in Grand County (which are prevalent throughout our country) and applaud the Fraser River Valley Housing Partnership’s mission, but their plans appear to be preliminary, vague, and pose many critical but unanswered questions.

• Who and how will receipts of subsidies be determined?
• What is the definition of a full-time resident? A person that shows up in Grand last week and is applying for a job?
• How do you distinguish between a person who is working one or two jobs, 50-plus hours a week, and a low-income individual who has chosen to work part-time so that they can enjoy our lifestyle?
• If financial assistance is provided, and an individual leaves the county, will assistance be paid back?

Presently Grand has the highest sales tax of any county in Colorado at 11.2%. Aspen is 9.3%, Vail 8.4%, Steamboat 8.4%. The recently added 2% sales tax, for The Lift, was a 21% sales tax increase.

Our property tax has increased 72% since 2018. Where is this money going?

Grand County has a projected 2022 net position (cash) reserves of $49 million. With multiple one-time planned capital expenditures, Grand County projects cash reserves in 2026 at $40 million. Certainly, this is enough to fund the partnership until a more detailed plan is presented for full taxpayer review.

Ballot initiative 6A is a great idea, but with inflation ravaging everyone’s budgets and sky-high sales and property taxes, another permanent tax is neither prudent nor justified.

Jim and Mary Kay Bael, Fraser