We’re rounding the corner on another City of Durango election and The Durango Herald’s editorial board first wishes to thank Melissa Youssef, two-time mayor, two-term and term-limited city councilor, for her public and community service.
Elected officials are people, too, and putting oneself ‘out there’ over and again to run for and serve in office is not easy. We would also like to thank Jessika Buell, Olivier Bosmans, Chris Elias, Shirley Gonzales and Kip Koso for their interest in serving our community and citizenry.
To review, after numerous community forums – more than ever before, thank you organizers, though we wish they started in February – and in-person meetings, the editorial board encouraged a “FOR” vote on Ballot Issue 2A, the City of Durango’s referred measure asking voters to reauthorize and extend for 30 years the city’s one half of 1% sales and use tax.
We also decried the blatant misinformation in the April 1, 2025, Municipal Election Information Booklet (Herald, Mar. 9). The tax renewal does not allow spending on any project, is not a “blank check,” there is no “hidden agenda,” cannot be spent on Next Steps, nor for operations.
The editorial board’s support of Ballot Issue 2A rests in the facts. This is not a new tax, rather a renewal of the existing 2005 sales and use tax. It perpetuates Durango as a visionary community and asks city and county residents, and visitors, in thirds, to continue to invest 50 cents of every $100 spent on taxable goods and services.
If renewed, 50% of the tax receipts will continue to fund recreational and natural assets including Durango Mesa Park, the SMART 160 trail to Three Springs, the Animas River and Animas River Trail, and much more over 30 years.
The other 50% would finance a $61 million bond to redevelop the former 9-R Administration and former Big Picture High School buildings for a new city hall civic center campus and a new state of the art police station with underground parking (freeing up street level residential parking).
The development would consolidate essential city operations under one roof and construct a public bathroom at Buckley Park. The half-cent sales tax raised $6 million in 2023.
The Herald’s editorial board continues to believe that due to the scale and duration of the tax a new citizen advisory board is warranted to oversee the open space, parks and trails portion.
Ours is the moral obligation to invest in Durango’s historic, natural and physical community assets. Vote FOR Ballot Issue 2A.
Three council seats are being contested in Durango’s April 1 municipal election. To join Gilda Yazzie and Dave Woodruff, The Durango Herald’s editorial board recommends Chris Elias, Shirley Gonzales and Kip Koso. The board believes it is time for fresh representation by people with different backgrounds and experiences, who will communicate and collaborate in new ways (Herald, Mar. 14)
Elias loves Durango and wishes to build a community that young people can live in. He provides representation and access to the underrepresented voices of lift operators, raft guides, servers, bartenders and cooks. Elias has tasted the bigger world and brings a fresh perspective in his return to Durango. On Next Steps, Elias favors a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly downtown but wants more specifics.
Gonzales, with eight years of San Antonio city council experience behind her, knows representative government. Durango will benefit from her prior experience as a city councilor, in developing affordable housing, as a small-business owner, parent of small children, and as an advocate for multimodal transportation. Regarding Next Steps, Gonzales supports the current proposal calling it ‘modest.’
Koso has proven his dedication to the community’s well-being through his career and volunteerism. His leadership, communication and relationship-building skills, health and wellness, economic and youth development background, will serve the city council and Durango well. Small business, too. Koso knows the Southern Ute tribe. Koso is also pedestrian- and bike-friendly, but wants assurances that businesses affected by Next Steps’ construction will receive marketing and/or financial support.
Our city will be better served by this election, candidates and citizens bringing problems to light, noting concerns, and presenting possible solutions. In some cases, we wish sooner than now, but aired no less and in the public square.
Durango is an active and engaged citizenry, and ours is a better community for it. Durango gives democracy an especially good name.
Ballots must be returned by Tuesday, April 1 at 7 p.m. See https://bit.ly/4l2kuWJ for 24/7 ballot drop off locations.
