Support for 6E
- A task force of 37 total members met for 2 hours, once a week for 6 weeks to gain support of the Lodging Tax Extension. This included 2 administrative members, 13 advisory members, 16 voting members, and a community consultation committee of six. This task force was made up of members representing a variety areas of our community including lodging and hospitality, economic development, the Town of Estes Park, the Visit Estes Park Board, Real Estate, nonprofit organizations such as EVICS and more.
- All three Larimer County Commissioners, as well as every member of the Town of Estes Park Board of Trustees also supported 6E.
- Visit Estes Park ran a campaign asking members of the community to pledge to vote in support of 6E. Visit Estes Park gathered 527 pledges to vote.
- From the EDC: 56 companies and 560 individuals were listed in support of the Lodging Tax Extension. These numbers don't include some businesses who were in support, but did not wish to be listed-- so support from businesses was even greater than this number.
Dean Runyan Numbers Statement
Tourism dollars are the driving economic factor in the Estes Valley. Generating a visitor share of 83.5-percent of the locals sales tax, continued support of visitation is crucial. On top of that, tourism in Estes Park generated 3,100 jobs in 2021. The passage of ballot measure 6E means an improved quality-of-life for those employees whom we need to live and work in Estes Park. The Lodging Tax Extension allows us to properly support the workforce necessary to fuel the robust visitation in Estes Park which is crucial to the financial well-being of our businesses and residents.
Newspaper Ads and Guest Editorials
59 Total Articles published in the Trail Gazette, this includes:
28 articles ranging from the start of the task force with weekly updates.
5 editorials in the early stages, with the last editorial endorsing the measure
14 guest editorials endorsing the initiative
5 testimonial articles
7 guest editorials from EVSTRA (Estes Valley Short-Term Rental Alliance)
Timeline
Testimonials
"The benefits of the tax are wide-reaching, going beyond providing affordable housing and added childcare options. By having these vital resources available, we can ensure staffing for essential services all year round. Estes Park has plenty of seasonal workers but showing the workforce that it is a place they can work and live will lead to a more sustainable future for the town." - Gary Hall, Chief Information and Operating Officer for Estes Park Health.
"When I ran for Larimer County Commissioner, I promised to focus on pressing issues impacting Larimer County residents, and childcare and attainable housing were two of them. Through volunteer work with nonprofits, I’ve seen how great a need there is for affordable homes and having a safe place for your children to stay and thrive while you work. The lodging tax extension addresses these issues directly, but it will also allow us to focus our attention on another tenet: mindful growth."- Jody Shadduck-McNally, Larimer County Commissioner, District 3
"Through the state legislature, we have been offered the opportunity to reverse or curtail this destructive direction by raising funding for affordable housing and childcare through visitor lodging taxes (HB22-1117). This allows us to generate funds needed to address critical needs from the very tourism industry that generates much of the demand for a sustainable workforce." -Deborah Gibson, Co-Founder, Co-Owner, and General Manager of Ramshorn Resort, Chair of the Visit Estes Park Board of Directors.
