A proposal to raise the lodger’s tax from 2% to 5.25% will increase funding the creative district and encourage “shoulder-season” tourism. Written by Hannah Robertson
Transcript
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Summer, winter,
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now spring and fall,
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Durango aims to become a year
round visitor destination
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for more than just wildflower hikes
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and snowy ski slopes.
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You’re watching the Local
News Network brought
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to you by Edgemont Timbers
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and Durango Party Rental.
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I’m Wendy Graham Settle.
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In 1980,
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the Durango lodging
community came together
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to impose a 2% tax on lodging to fund
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a tourism marketing program for Durango.
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Now, 40 years later,
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the program may get a boost
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from a ballot proposal
that will more than double
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the lodger’s tax.
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Is that overall reaching goal
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of making sure
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that we can get visitors to Durango,
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heads in our beds,
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to make sure that the tax that is remitted
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to the city is as robust
as it possibly can.
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The new revenues will be used to fund arts
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and culture programs,
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transportation and a sustainable
tourism marketing plan
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that will advertise Durango
outside of peak summer
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and winter tourist seasons.
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It means that we don’t necessarily want
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to say come in this timeframe,
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May through October.
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We’re really busy here already,
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and so there’s no need to
really necessarily promote that.
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I think what we’re talking about here is
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those off peak seasons
the shoulder seasons.
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So mid-October through you know May.
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45% of the Lodger’s Tax goes
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to public uses of which transit is getting
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the money they need to keep
the transit system going,
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along with the arts and culture funds,
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which will help that sector
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of our economy get back on
its feet and grow and evolve.
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The funds raised for arts
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and culture will assist
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in upkeep of public art as well
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as concerts and events in and around town.
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So the Durango Creative District acts
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as an umbrella organization for the arts
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and culture organizations,
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facilities and events.
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And those events really add to
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the fabric of the community.
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That’s, not only does
it increase the quality
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of life for our residents
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but it gives us a reason
for people to come here,
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especially in the off
seasons when we need it.
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So things like Taste of Durango,
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the Film Fest,
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the poetry gathering all
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the Music In The Mountains events,
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all the events that go
on at The Powerhouse.
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Like the arts center hosted pre COVID,
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like 140 different organizations
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in that theater over the course of a year.
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Voters will see the tax increase measure
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on the April 6th city ballot.
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You can learn more at
durango.org/lodgers tax.
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Thanks for watching this edition
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of the Local News Network
I’m Wendy Graham Settle.
