Ballot Issue 1A would ask lodging guests to pay an additional 2% lodging tax, equivalent to approximately $11 for a $500 per-night stay, to raise up to approximately $4 million in critical funds to help close funding gaps for wildfire and childcare needs in Eagle County.

• This tax would not be paid by locals who are struggling with affordability.

• 10% of these funds (about $400,000) will be awarded to marketing local tourism efforts, benefiting the local lodging industry.

Wildfire mitigation needs:

Wildfire risk is trending upward steeply. Wildfire mitigation techniques are proven to work, but the wildland/urban interface (WUI) areas in Eagle County are vast in acreage. Per each additional $1 million in wildfire funding, the Eagle County area could achieve:

• 2,000 to 3,000 acres of wildfire mitigation, or

• Mitigate 750 to 1,000 and fund 5 additional wildfire firefighters.

The cost of mitigation is much lower than the cost of a fire disaster, with national cost ratios ranging from 1:4 to as high as 1:800. 

Childcare needs:

Without the workforce, the tourism industry is unsustainable, and Eagle County’s workforce is shrinking primarily because of cost-of-living issues. Viewed another way: a healthier workforce leads to a stronger business environment and higher quality of life. Therefore, using tourism-related revenue to sustain the local workforce through childcare subsidies is a logical and reasonable investment to support local economies.

• Businesses benefit from having a larger workforce pool.

• Quality of service increases due to a happier workforce that feels comfortable that their children, and their co-workers, are benefiting from quality childcare.

• K-12 schools and the community at large benefit from having academically and emotionally prepared children entering schools. 

Eagle County’s existing lodging tax:

• In 2022 Eagle County voters approved a 2% lodging tax in unincorporated Eagle County and Gypsum (other municipalities within Eagle County already have lodging taxes). Commissioners have the option to apply these dollars to housing or childcare, and in recent years have elected to use the money to increase childcare capacity, provide teacher pay subsidies, and support capital investments in childcare.

• These dollars have had a measurable positive impact on the community. One dollar spent on childcare provides approximately $7 in positive economic impact. 

• The positive impacts of raising the lodging tax another 2%, to a total of 4%, would help close funding gaps in childcare and wildfire mitigation, and would have multiple, cascading positive impacts for everyone who is part of our community.

• The compromise solution of a 2% increase, rather than the statutorily allowed 4% increase, will allow lodging businesses to remain competitive in a competitive tourism marketplace.