Here is one more elephant in the living room (ignored by elected leadership and town paid staff – our “professionals”) that we need to contemplate.
Second home owners and the effect they have on our economy.
Are second home owners an asset to the town or are they a parasite on those that call this valley their full time home?
How well do they understand the needs of the community as a year around community of people? The people that cook that steak for you when you are here in the summer how does he/she feed their family for the next nine months until you come back demanding excellent service?
Do they support the local economy (tourism) or do they come here for the humming birds only?
Our research shows that second home resident will contribute approximately $1500- $2000 per annum to the local cash flow. A full time resident will contribute approximately $10,000 – $12,000 per annum.
If a second home owner is speculating on the real estate and sell the investment for the profits do those profits stay in Estes Park or does the speculative venture just drive up costs for everyone local as the equity goes to Omaha?
Do second home owners vote to support the local schools, do they contribute students?
What demand do the second home owners place on our infrastructure in the form of additional police, fire protection, water treatment, electric service peak demands, over all utility costs? If the community is maintaining capacity for the second home owner’s part time use doesn’t this drive the costs up for everyone? We must pay employees full time year around, finance and construct the additional capacities of facilities but electricity and water is not being consumed by the taps sold to second home owners a majority of the year, this is a loss of revenue. Same number of employees, capacities available - selling less product - not very productive.
The second home owner – parasite – or – contributor to our quality of life?
