Board Remains Divided Over Ballot Prospects for 2026 Election
Rick Langenberg
Green Mountain Falls residents and business operators could soon learn if the town government may ambitiously pursue its first major tax hike in several decades.
In a detailed and complex discussion, and one lacking a clear consensus, the GMF Board of Trustees last week debated a slew of potential ballot issues for the 2026 election. Many of the possibilities focus on a small, proposed sales tax increase, with the goal of giving the town more money for capital improvement projects and more of a financial cushion, in case a major disaster strikes, similar in nature to the internal building fire last summer that shut down several businesses for an extended period. In addition, residents could vote on the style of government it wants, running the gamut from its current town managerial setup to a strong mayoral style or the more traditional trustee liaison format.
With no definite conclusions looming, the board gave Mayor Todd Dixon the go-ahead to compile a list of more definite ballot proposals to pursue, and possible language, for its first meeting in April.
The April meeting could determine which direction the town may go this November, when it comes to ballot questions. The possibility also exists that no ballot proposals get submitted, period, as the board currently appears divided on a few of these issues
Leading the ballot pack is a possible 1 percent sales tax, or a more moderate, .05 percent increase. Town Manager Caleb Patterson gave a detailed report of the town’s current needs. “I see the big bill,” said Patterson. The GMF manager described a hefty list of projects the town needs to undertake, including major infrastructure work, park and road enhancements, a rehab of the old marshal’s office, sewage treatment needs and much more.
As a result, he said the town was pursuing revenue-generating ideas, such as selling town property, using state-of-the art traffic cameras to generate more speeding ticket-related monies, and improving its short-term rental fee collection system. Still, Patterson stated these efforts aren’t enough to fill the gap. “Nobody likes tax increases,” said the town manager.
But he noted, “We are a tourist town.” Moreover, the GMF town manager indicated, as previous officials have stated in the past, that GMF is a small town with big city pursuits. At last week’s meeting, Patterson proposed a variety of sales tax increases, and especially favored a more moderate .05 percent increase, with the revenues initially being used to rehab the old marshal’s office. GMF has already received some grant funds for this project.
If successful, Patterson has visions of this old historic building being used to secure another business operator for GMF, with the town leasing out this facility. “It is a rotating effect,” said the town manager, who sees this project serving as a model for what could be done to spruce up businesses in the downtown core.
Patterson also maintained that its lack of a sewage treatment facility, or any type of central system serving the sewer needs of the downtown area, is probably the biggest detractor against further commercial growth.
And in doing initial research, Patterson noted that if the town pursues a sales tax, it will become the first new sales tax increase since 2004. The town manager stressed that is a fairly lengthy time for any local government to go before considering another tax hike.
As for possible tax prospects, the GMF manager definitely favored a sales tax increase, instead of a mill levy or property tax increase.
Cutting Off The Hand That Feeds You
The trustees agree that GMF faces big needs but aren’t quite sold on the idea of a sales tax. “I do have concerns about choking the businesses out,” said Mayor Todd Dixon. Plus, the mayor expressed concerns about presenting a probable sales increase ballot proposal with so little community engagement. An earlier town workshop on the issue only generated a handful of local residents. “I get a little concerned about locking ourselves in,” added Dixon.
The mayor also noted that if a 1 percent sales tax increase occurs, GMF would become one of the highest taxed areas in the region, almost rivaling Manitou Springs.
Other trustees, meanwhile, raised red flags over not letting voters have a say over the sale of significant portions of town property; and once again, the issue of rendering a verdict over the style of government citizens really wanted were discussed. “We have moved away from this (the subject of whether GMF needs a town manager),” said Trustee John Bell, when inquiring about the fate of this particular question that commanded much attention several years ago. “It is still a matter of public choice.”
The idea of resolving the lingering question of a town manager has been expressed by veteran trustee Sunde King on several occasions. The town has a current contract with Patterson that expires at the end of 2027.
In its first meeting in April, many of these questions could get discussed again. Only this time, the trustees will probably face ballot D-Day, in that they must decide which course they are pursuing in the form of ballot questions or abandon this pursuit altogether for 2026.
The clock is ticking, as official ballot language must be submitted to the county clerks in Teller and El Paso counties by early August.
