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November 7, 2001 Herald Staff Report Voters in La Plata County soundly defeated a 2 percent use tax to support open space and conservation easement purchases and to foster affordable housing. The vote was 6,764 to 2,278, or 3 to 1, with 29 of 31 precincts reporting. The tax would have applied to vehicles and construction materials purchased out of the county, and gas-field equipment. The tax would have been equal to the sales tax currently paid on in-county purchases. County commissioners estimated the tax would have raised about $1.5 million in 2002. Seventy percent of the funds would have been used for open-space acquisition, and 30 percent to provide affordable housing. Supporters argued that protecting more open space would reduce sprawl and maintain the county’s attractiveness, and that landowners deserved compensation. Critics said that with state and federal lands the county had sufficent open space, and opposed paying the tax. The tax would have put La Plata County’s auto dealers on the same footing as dealers in Farmington; without the use tax, purchasing an auto in Farmington saves 2 percent. Agricultural groups opposed the tax for numerous reasons, apparently fearing it would lead to an increased demand for open space. TERM LIMITS TO STAY Voters also refused to give La Plata County commissioners a third four-year term in office. The ballot initiative that passed in 1994 mandating term limits allows local voters to override state law , and in 1999 La Plata County voters ended term limits for the six other elected county officers. An earlier attempt at ending term limits that included the commissioners, failed. The vote was 5,126 to 3,685 or 58 percent to 42 percent with 29 of 31 precincts reporting. The vote means that Frank "Josh" Joswick will continue to be term-limited in 2004. He is in his third term, having been first elected in 1992 prior to term limits being imposed. Fred Klatt, who was elected in 1992, has said he will not run again. La Plata County’s third commisioner, Bob Lieb, first ran in 2000 after being appointed to fill a vacancy. WATER DISTRICT DE-BRUCES La Plata Conservancy District members will be able to proceed with the planning for a small reservoir on the New Mexico state line as a result of approving the district’s "de-Brucing" question. A feasibility study indicated a dam would improve irrigation water management and better regulate water due New Mexico. "De-Brucing" allows the district, which operates on about a $5,000 annual budget, to accept a $440,000 planning grant. The vote was 334 to 99, or more than 3 to 1. The reservoir would be constucted on the La Plata River at Long Hollow if the study shows it is merited. It would be funded by an estimated $15 million from the state Water & Power Development Authority. A reservoir on the La Plata River was part of the original Animas-La Plata Project, but non-Indian irrigation water was eliminated when the project was reduced in cost to win approval in Washington. STREET BONDING FAILS Durango voters turned down bonding $13 million for street construction, 2,118 to 851. VOTERS REJECT STATE QUESTIONS La Plata County voters voted 3 to 1 against the state spending $50 million to study the feasibility of constructing a monorail along Interstate 70, and narrowly opposed giving GOCO the ability to bond $115 million for land purchases. |
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Copyright © 2001 the Cortez
Journal. All rights reserved. |
