This fall, Eagle County commissioners may ask voters to renew a property tax to fund the county’s open space program, but first, they want input.
The Eagle County Open Space program is currently funded through 2025; commissioners are considering asking voters this year to extend that an additional 15 years, through 2040.
An initiative to reauthorize the program failed in 2016; in that election, the ballot question also asked to dedicate some of that funding to the Eagle Valley Trail. This year, officials are hoping to get voter input through a survey before finalizing the ballot language.
“We want to hear from the public and see if there’s an interest right now in moving forward,” said Diane Mauriello, Eagle County’s open space manager.
A property tax brings in about $4.5 million per year for the open space program; if a question appears on November’s ballot, officials say it would ask to extend that same tax.
The survey is open through Aug. 22.
