Before you mark your ballot for trustee please considers these facts.
In the past four years:
Your electric bills went up 15.3%
Your water bills went up 16.8%
Your taxes went up to fund fire protection, to lower a fee outside of Estes Park for Larimer County residents. Fire protection costs you more money with no corresponding increase in service. We didn’t gain firemen, better fire fighting equipment, lower insurance - you gained nothing except higher taxes.
If you own a lodging business your rates went up 2% (lodging tax) and your business is down.
We were told if we passed the “Marketing District” the town would have more money to spend on capital improvement, and that didn’t happen.
If you own a retail business your business is down considerably, as the cost of goods continue to climb the margin of profit and cost of doing business is increasingly untenable in Estes Park.
Urban renewal is- gone.
The Chamber of Commerce is- gone.
The Jaycees are- gone.
The school campus is shrinking.
Chamber law suit, trustees lost - twice.
Lot four law suit and election- trustees lost.
EPURA law suit and election- trustees lost.
Free tourist bus rides that cost the tax payer $7.00 per ride, free for tourists not so free for Estesparkians, nobody rides those buses.
Town staff grew.
The LOWEST five year average for RMNP visitation over the past twenty years.
Diminished competitive position in the Colorado tourist market.
Escalating business turn over.
Fewer leads for motels at a higher price per lead.
More empty retail space.
Lower motel room occupancy rates.
What else can we afford to loose?
Now go ahead and vote…choose wisely.
