Question: Is the proposed sales tax a new tax or a tax increase?

Response:  The April 2025 Ballot Issue 2A is neither a new tax nor a tax increase, but rather a continuation of the one-half cent sales tax approved by voters in 2005 for 20 years.  The ballot measure extends the existing sales tax for an additional 30 years.  

Question: Why should we extend the one-half cent sales tax?

Response:  Funding from the one-half cent sales tax will help promote public safety, facilitate city governance, and enhance our quality of life with parks, open space, and trails.   Our existing City Hall and Police facility are at the end of their functional life and beyond their capacity.  Developing a new City Hall and Police facility at the former Durango School District 9R administrative building would be impossible without supplementing the City’s budget.  Furthermore, Durango has an extensive collection of parks, open space, and trails (POST) requiring ongoing maintenance.  This tax funds ongoing maintenance efforts for the next 30 years and provides funds for future POST enhancements such as establishing a Community Park in Three Springs, developing Durango Mesa Park, enhancing the Animas River, and extending the Animas River Trail and SMART 160 Trail.

Question: What differentiates the proposed sales tax from the existing sales tax?

Response:  The ballot measure is identical to the existing dedicated tax in allocating one-half of the tax proceeds to Parks, Open Space, and Trails (POST) objectives, with all associated project expenditures being first submitted to a citizen advisory board for a recommendation to the City Council.  The ballot measure differs from the existing sales tax in allocating the other half to construct a new City Hall and Police facility, whereas the existing tax was dedicated to construct the Durango Public Library  and redeveloping Florida Road. 

Question: What has the current sales tax accomplished since 2005?

Response:  The existing one-half-cent sales and use tax funded the development of the following initiatives:

• Half of this dedicated tax financed the construction of the Durango Public Library and redeveloped Florida Road to include bikeways and center islands.
• The other half of the tax proceeds funded multiple Parks, Open Space, and Trails (POST) objectives with a long list of accomplishments including: Preserving over 2,500 acres of open space including Horse Gulch, Dalla Mountain Park, and Oxbow Park and Preserve; Improving our natural surface trail system with over 100 miles of trails in town; Purchasing Buckley Park; Enhancing and stabilizing the Whitewater Park including Smelter Rapids enabling a permanent water right on the Animas River for boating; Recreation at Lake Nighthorse was opened to the public with necessary improvements; Developing Smith Sports Complex, tennis courts, and an updated softball complex at Fort Lewis College; and developing the SMART 160 Trail was initiated and connections to the Animas River Trail.
• Tax proceeds dedicated to POST were also key to securing $15 million in public grants that helped fund several local projects.  Lastly these tax proceeds have paid for the maintenance of the new parks, open space, and trails acquired since the tax was approved by voters, thereby alleviating the financial burden on the city

Question: Does the city need this dedicated sales tax?

Response:  This ballot measure provides funding to make life better in Durango by promoting public safety, effective city governance, and creating healthy lifestyles.  We need these tax proceeds to invest in modern headquarters to host city administration and police and to continue enhancing our quality of life by preserving our natural environment with parks, open space, and trails.  If we pass this ballot measure, the city can accomplish more of the goals established in our Parks, Open Space, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan.  Without this dedicated funding, necessary maintenance and desirable projects may never be funded.

City residents supported a complementary ballot measure in 2015 (initially approved in 1999) to continue dedicated tax funding for parks and recreation purposes.  Whereas the 2015 dedicated tax is focused more on our recreational facilities, this ballot measure is focused more on preservation and enhancements to our outdoor spaces. 

Question: How much money does the one-half cent sales tax generate annually?

Response:  Sales tax proceeds in 2023 were $6,021,223 with proceeds typically increasing between 4-6% annually. 

Question: Who pays the City of Durango sales tax?

Response:  Past tax proceeds have been paid 1/3 by visitors, 1/3 by city residents, and 1/3 by La Plata County (non-city of Durango) residents.

Question: How much would I pay with the one-half cent sales tax?

Response:  The proposed tax measure amounts to 50 cents on a $100 taxable purchase.  Groceries purchased by low-income families and individuals with food stamps are exempt.

Question: Have the Durango Public Library and Florida Road been fully paid? 

Response:  The Durango Public Library will be fully paid for in 2025 with the final payment of $1,183,664.  Florida Road will be fully paid for in 2028 with a final payment of $1,259,152.  Since the debt for Florida Road extends beyond the expiration of the existing sales tax in 2026, the city intends to use road impact fees to fund the final payments necessary to retire this debt service.  

Question: What if more than the projected budget of $61 million to build the City Hall and Police Department facility is needed? 

Response:  Because of its existing financial obligations, the maximum amount the City of Durango can bond to build a City Hall and Police Department facility is $61 million.  If the renovation costs more than $61 million and is not covered by projected revenue from the ballot measure, the city will need to obligate other city funds towards paying the debt service. 

Question: Why is building a new City Hall and Police Department facility necessary instead of remodeling existing structures?

Response:  The existing City Hall and Police Department facility are both aging structures well beyond their occupant capacity.  Staff in these facilities can better serve the growing City of Durango with enough space to operate effectively and modern equipment.  A new City Hall will deliver more effective service to residents by consolidating departments previously at separate locations. 

A new Police Department facility will enable police to more effectively deliver public safety. Remodeling these existing structures cannot solve the fundamental limitations of their inadequate size and design nor the need for more modern and secure facilities to accommodate future demands. 

• The current Police Station is overcrowded and grossly inadequate for current city needs. The current police building was originally designed to accommodate 20 police personnel serving a smaller city population. It now accommodates over 70 personnel, and several closely associated functions have had to migrate off-site due to lack of space, such as: CORE (co-responders), internet crimes detectives, narcotics detectives, and Homeland Security Initiative. 
• In addition to being too small to handle its capacity needs, the existing police building needs more essential features for a police department. The facility does not satisfy the necessary standards for protecting property, evidence, or personnel.
• There is no secure parking. No secure controlled entryway. There are no secure areas for evidence and records. Inadequate holding facilities pose risks to both the public and staff.
• The public lobby offers no privacy to residents seeking assistance. Supervisors’ offices are inadequately soundproofed to hold confidential conversations. Fingerprinting is performed on a hallway table where anyone can interfere. 
• Staff work from spaces, such as converted closets and storage rooms, not designed to handle modern police functions.

Question: How do residents benefit from a new City Hall? 

Response:  The new City Hall will be a single campus adjacent to Buckley Park that absorbs city operations previously in two separate buildings (City Hall and River City Hall).  The benefits of a new city hall include easier community access and the fact that many city services have become “one-stop shops.”  Accessible public restrooms.  Adequate on-site parking for both residents and staff.  Inviting space for public participation in well-designed council chambers with better audio.  Preserving the historic façade of the former School District 9R building and keeping this iconic structure in the public sector. Better communications and efficiency between departments.  Simpler handling of community events at Buckley Park. 

Question: How do residents benefit from a new Police Facility?

Response: The development of a new Police Station will bring significant improvements that improve public safety services to residents.  Key upgrades include:

• Community Engagement: A community room where officers can conduct training, meet with community groups, and partner with the public to strategize and prevent crime.  A community room within the Police Department will invest in community policing that meets local culture and expectations.
• Sufficient Modern Space: The proposed new building will be nearly three times the size of the current Police Department building and comfortably house all the current staff and provide room for growth.  The facility will be energy-efficient, use sustainable materials, and be ADA compliant.
• Functional Workspaces: Purpose-built offices, training rooms, interview rooms, enabling the department to conduct its operations efficiently and professionally.
• Secure and Centralized Centers for Information Control: A real-time crime center allowing center officers to monitor evolving situations and provide guidance and feedback to officers on the ground. 
• Modern Amenities: Functional locker rooms, fitness rooms, secure armory, and digital forensics labs help ensure officers are well-supported to perform their day-to-day duties effectively. 
• Security Enhancements: Secure parking and maintenance area for the fleet of police vehicles, controlled entryway to safely handle the transfer of detainees, secure holding area for detainees, areas dedicated to evidence storage and secure records, secure perimeter.

Question: What happens to the existing City Hall and Police Department buildings?

Response:  These older properties present sites whereby the city may be able to accomplish other strategic goals.  At present, the city intends to sell these buildings to help defray the cost of reconstructing a new City Hall and Police facility.