Montezuma County commissioners this week approved the ballot language for two measures that will be put forth to voters during the Nov. 3 general election.
The first asks voters whether to eliminate term limits for four elected positions: the Montezuma County assessor, clerk and recorder, surveyor and treasurer.
If approved, the measure would allow those in office to be reelected an unlimited number of consecutive times.
Article 18 of the Colorado Constitution limits those positions to two consecutive terms but also authorizes voters the decision to extend, shorten or altogether get rid of term limits. As it stands, the assessor, clerk, and treasurer positions are allowed to serve three consecutive terms per a 2007 approval from local voters.
A second ballot question relates to the county’s lodging tax. The current rate has been set at 2% since 1988, and the question asked of voters is whether to raise it to 5%. If approved, it would become effective January 2027.
The board believes the tax on booking a short-term rental outside of Cortez is primarily paid by tourists.
House Bill 25-1247 expanded the allowed maximum tax rate for counties to 6%, though, the Montezuma Lodgers Tax Committee was in favor of a 5% adjustment, said commissioner Jim Candelaria during a regular meeting.
The raise would be used for investing in tourism marketing, outdoor recreation, visitor-related infrastructure improvements, destination projects and other enhancements to visitor experiences.
According to ballot language in County Resolution 10, lodging tax revenue could also be used for tourism resiliency, emergency response or recovery efforts following events that may affect visitation, and the administration, oversight and implementation of lodging tax programs.
County attorney Stephen Tarnowski said the county’s lodging tax applies everywhere in the county except where municipalities have implemented a lodging tax.
Cortez is the only municipality with its own, at 2%, and therefore the county’s does not apply. Cortez is separately posing the question Nov. 3 to voters on an increase to a 6% lodgers tax.
Mancos and Dolores are two of the higher-funded sources out of the lodging tax fund, Candelaria said.
In a June 8 presentation to the board, the lodger’s tax committee said it believes an increase to 5% could generate about $652,000 annually, based on existing sales.
awatson@the-journal.com
