Aspen voters in November will decide the fate of a proposal to extend and double the city’s 0.3% sales tax dedicated to the Aspen School District.
After weeks of discussion, the Aspen City Council agreed during a Monday work session to let voters decide whether to levy a 0.6% sales tax for schools in Aspen. The increased revenue from the sales tax would help pay for staff raises and other operational costs at the district.
Council members discussed the question over several work sessions and weighed whether the city’s sales tax contribution to the school district was a fair reflection of the district’s student population. The 0.3% Aspen Public Education Fund sales tax brings in about $4 million to the district annually, and has brought in $31 million to the district since it was first levied in 2013. Nearly 60% of the district’s students live in Aspen or the surrounding area within the 81611 zip code.
Councilwoman Christine Benedetti and councilmen Bill Guth and John Doyle supported leaving the tax increase up to the voters, despite concerns about the city’s aggregate sales tax increasing above 10% if the school tax and two other sales tax questions pass in November.
“I think we’re not necessarily agreeing to a sales tax increase for our community, we’re letting our voters decide that, and I think that's our job up here, to let our community weigh in on these sorts of decisions,” Benedetti said. “The school district is aware of the risk of putting this as a lump sum on the ballot, and I think is willing to take that.”
The city council was considering asking voters to extend the current 0.3% sales tax for schools, or to pose the request as two separate ballot questions, one to extend the sales tax and another to double the tax, contingent upon if the extension is approved.
Mayor Rachel Richards was concerned about increasing the sales tax because of the extra burden it would place on taxpayers, especially if the city needs to consider sales tax measures in the future for projects it is working on. But she agreed to align with the council majority and move the 0.6% sales tax question forward.
“I said it from the very beginning, I want to see the school district have the money it needs, and I will go along with Christine and John and Bill to support the single question,” she said. “It does give me concerns, because … it’s very hard for anyone to have opposition to the school district, but there can be some very subtle things out there that people realize.”
Councilman Sam Rose was not present at Monday’s work session. He has recused himself from previous conversations about the school district’s tax proposal because he is an ASD employee.
The city council will formally approve the language for the ballot question during its regular meeting today. The sales-tax increase is one of four ballot questions the school district is pursuing for the November ballot as it grapples with state funding changes that will negatively impact finances. The ASD also is trying to rebuild low reserves.
The district also is asking the Snowmass Village Town Council to extend and double a $500,000 Snowmass Village Public Education Fund property tax dedicated to the school district. In addition, ASD also will ask voters to approve a bond measure for major capital projects and support a mill levy override that is meant to supplement funding the district anticipates it will lose from the state by 2031.
“I think that this is going to be transformational for how we’re going to be able to offer educational services for children going forward, and it’s really a step in the right direction,” ASD Superintendent Tharyn Mulberry told the Aspen Daily News. “Clearly we have an election to win, so there’s much more to go, but I do like the fact that the city council is supporting what we’re trying to do and making up for the shortfall that we’re having from the state.”
While the city council agreed to ask voters to extend the sales tax to 2031, Richards urged school district leaders to consider a special tax district or other measures that would impact more than just city taxpayers. She also encouraged the district to work with the state legislature for higher-level changes to the state’s funding mechanism for schools.
Mulberry said the district is open to both suggestions, and said the district could explore ways to look for other funding sources in the next five years if voters approve the sales tax in November.
In previous meetings, school district leaders said without doubling the sales tax, teachers and other staff would likely not see adequate raises. While council members wanted to see taxes collected more equitably across the school district boundaries in the future, they agreed it was necessary to help fund the district for now.
“I do agree that taxes should be collected in a more equitable manner, ideally in countywide property taxes … and I hope we can get the ball rolling on that,” Doyle said. “But right now, our schools are in crisis and just passing the 0.3% (tax) is just going to keep our school district from sinking and it’s not really good enough for me.”
City manager search
The city council also reviewed next steps for the city manager search during its work session on Monday.
Interim City Manager Pete Strecker is the only applicant for the job. The council previously limited its search to municipal employees. Strecker was appointed interim city manager in March after former city manager Sara Ott resigned at the end of February. He previously served as the city’s finance director.
Council members directed department heads to gather input from city staff about what they would like to see in a new city manager and how a new manager could improve their jobs. They also agreed to hold a community meet-and-greet with Strecker. The event was not scheduled during the work session.
