An uptick in real estate sales in Aspen also means additional sales taxes are going to the Wheeler Opera House, and there is talk of spending that money in other ways.
Well ahead of it’s 2020 sunset, the Aspen city council and the wheeler board of directors have been kicking around options for the future of the Wheeler RETT, but according to City Manager Steve Barwick, the public meetings and brainstorming sessions will temporarily be “pulled back”
“The city council is talking about possibly repurposing a portion of that revenue because its generating more money than the Wheeler needs just for its operations and its capital renovation”
While council has discussed presenting voters with a proposed new use for some of the funds, the Wheeler board of directors has been pushing to separate those two questions. Brian O’Neil is the chairperson of the board, he doesn’t want the re-upping of the tax to get muddied by whatever the new use is determined to be.
“Why don’t we do it safely and take this first step,” said O’Neil
Money goes into the fund when property is sold which means it a volatile income stream. Some years it’s two million dollars, in the boom of 2006, $6 million dollars were raised. One half of one percent of the sale is placed aside for the Wheeler and the Arts. O’Neil says that any changes to the use of the funds would still be within those parameters. Voters will ultimately be able to approve of any use beyond what is currently dictated.
Council will discuss whether to separate the ballot questions next month. O'Neil encourages voters to attend meetings in the future to ensure their voices are heard.
"There are not many Aspenites that don't say anything,” he said.
