Mike Lemmer: Ballot Measure 2-A for residents of Rifle is asking that the city’s lodging tax be increased from the current 2-point-5-percent up to 5-point-5-percent. The same measure was narrowly defeated by voters last year but the city opted to ask the question of voters again. The proceeds from the lodging tax go to GRIT - the Greater Rifle Improvement Team - an all-volunteer organization which uses the funding for special events, city beautification, historic preservation, visitor attractions and promoting the city. Grit Board Member Helen Rogers says there is always more that needs to be done in these areas.
Helen Rogers: We have several non-profits that come to us to ask for help with funding whatever their event is, so that has been one of our focuses. We’d also like to promote more historic preservation. We just finished a historic walking tour in the downtown area in conjunction with DDA and GRIT and the Heritage Museum. Future projects, we have a historic bridge on the Colorado River built in 1908 that we’d certainly like to do something with to make it accessible, that’s a really exciting project, and we also have an island out there that we’d like to build a bridge to.
ML: A lodging tax is a fee on hotel room stays of less than 30 days. At its current rate Rifle’s lodging tax is well below the majority of communities in the area, with both Glenwood Springs and Aspen currently at over 11-percent. Only Carbondale is lower with a 2-percent lodging tax rate. Rogers says the biggest issue with getting the Rifle increase approved by voters is seeing the word Tax on the ballot.
HR: I know people hate the word tax, if we could call it something else we would, a fee perhaps, or funding source. But it’s for our community, that’s the best way we can put it and we hope that people understand when they look at their ballots. Because of TABOR we have to call it a tax but if they read farther down they’ll see and understand what it is being used for.
ML: Rogers says that without the lodging tax many of the events that Rifle residents enjoy would not happen.
HR: Well, we would not have Hometown Holidays, we would not have Third Thursday, we would not have been able to fund the RAMBO Grand Hogback Trail System…
ML: The Rifle lodging tax was also responsible for the recent restoration of the Ute Theater and other historic preservation projects in the community. The current rate was established by Rifle voters in 2007, which also created Grit to utilize the funds. Stay tuned to KDNK for updates on this and other ballot measures this election season.
You can learn more about the proposed lodging tax increase by visiting the City of Rifle’s website at Rifle.org.
