Durango Fire & Rescue Authority is asking voters, again, to consolidate the hodgepodge of a district.
Since 2002, a consolidated fire and rescue department has served Durango and surrounding areas from the New Mexico state line to the northern boundary of La Plata County, including Durango Mountain Resort.
This latest proposal sidesteps the no-new-taxes controversy, allowing city residents to continue to pay for services with sales-tax revenue while lowering or maintaining property taxes for Animas and Hermosa Cliff residents.
Because of the efficiencies that were gained in 2002, Durango Fire & Rescue Authority has been lauded for improvements in service. But there has been ongoing controversy about its financing. City voters objected to new property taxes, and political infighting occurred between the boards of member districts that provide the funding for the department.
Animas Fire Protection District, for example, has threatened in the past to leave the consolidated district.
Q: Haven’t I voted on this before? Hasn’t this issue gone down in flames?
A: To settle the funding issue, the fire and rescue authority created from three different fire departments was supposed to evolve into a special district with its own property tax.
Voters in 2006 approved the Durango Fire Protection District but refused in a separate ballot question to approve a new property tax. A do-over vote for the property tax failed in 2011.
The result has been a shell organization still having to rely on its member districts – Animas, Hermosa and the city of Durango – for its revenue.
Q: Why should I vote for this?
A: A “yes” vote would resolve the long-standing issue of funding while streamlining government, proponents say.
The $140,000 that pays the lawyers, administrators and auditors currently serving the member districts could be reallocated toward firefighting and rescue services.
If the Nov. 5 vote is approved, it will leave just the Durango Fire Protection District, governed by one board with seven members. Animas and Hermosa Cliff residents will be asked to formally dissolve their districts, probably in January.
If city residents vote “yes” but county residents vote “no,” the district will remain the same, with multiple boards and possibly a year-by-year contract from the city.
If the city says “no” and county residents say “yes,” the district could consolidate, and the city could be on a year-by-year contract. Fire officials want a 15-year commitment from the city so they can make strategic and long-term budgeting decisions.
Q: Who is behind this?
A: Durango Fire Protection District, the city of Durango and the Animas and Hermosa Cliff districts have passed resolutions of support. An issue committee called “No New Taxes, Vote Yes on 4B” has raised $167.85 according to a September filing with the Colorado Secretary of State.
Q: What are the cons?
A: As a consequence of not being in the district, city residents cannot vote in future board elections or become candidates for its governing board unless they also own property outside the city that’s also in the fire district.
Instead of a property tax, voters in the city will be asked to approve a 15-year contract for the fire district. Supporters say it is a very detailed contract to protect the interests of the city, assuring the city that it will get a new fire station, for example.
The city already has received court approval to leave the Durango Fire Protection District – a legality required before putting this issue to the voters.
“We’ve done all our legal work to bring it to the voters,” said Animas board member Kathy Morris.
Supporters also said city interests would be protected by the contract, and the board would be represented by noncity residents who own property or do business in Durango.
Q: Who is fighting this?
A: There is no organized opposition, just the haze of confusion over this complex issue.
Q: How will this affect my pocketbook if it passes?
A: If you live in Durango, you won’t have to pay a new property tax. Durango would continue to contribute its equivalent share of funding from its general fund, which derives its revenue from the city sales tax.
A single new property-tax rate of 5.7 mills would replace the two different property tax rates for Animas and Hermosa Cliff.
The new rate is based on a 10-year average for Animas and is slightly lower than the current rate for Hermosa Cliff.
Based on 5.7 mills, the owner of a $300,000 house in Animas/Hermosa Cliff would pay about $136 in property taxes next year.
Because Durango Fire Protection District would be raising its own revenue for the first time, the ballot question for Animas and Hermosa Cliff describes it as a tax increase, but proponents argue that it’s a “replacement tax” because it replaces property taxes for fire protection in Animas and Hermosa Cliff.
jhaug@durangoherald.com. Assistant City Editor Shane Benjamin contributed to this report.
This article has been changed from its original version to clarify some technicalities of the “yes” versus “no” vote scenarios.
How and when to vote
Election Day is Nov. 5. Registered voters will receive ballots by mail, which were sent starting Tuesday. If registered voters don’t receive a ballot by Monday, they should call 382-6296.
Ballots must be received at an official location no later than 7 p.m. Nov. 5. Postmarks will not count.
The La Plata County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 98 Everett St., Suite C, will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday through Oct. 25 (in addition to the hours listed below).
These polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 28-31 and Nov. 1 and 4; from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 2; and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 5 (election day):
Clerk and Recorder’s Office, 98 Everett St.
The county clerk’s office at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 28-31.
Bayfield Town Hall, 1199 Bayfield Parkway in Bayfield,
Several ballot drop-off locations will be throughout the county.
For more information, visit www.laplatacountyclerk.org and click “elections” on the left side.
Herald Staff
