Summit County residents approve lodging tax to help with housing, child care

Uncertified election results from the Colorado Secretary of State's Office show that Measure 1A has passed in Summit County this week with a resounding 73% in favor, 27% against.

The Colorado legislature passed a bill allowing counties in Colorado to direct tax dollars collected by a lodging tax to more specific issues, instead of explicitly towards marking and tourism projects. Summit County had identified affordable housing and child care as major projects that needed funding in the county, and the passage of 1A will allow them to adjust the collected tax revenue from a 2% excise lodging tax in unincorporated Summit County to those missions instead. That tacks on additional cost to short term rentals and hotel stays.

The official verbiage of the measure goes as follows: "The measure asked voters to approve a 12-year property tax levy, first approved by voters in 2008 and effective in January 2010, maintaining a funding mechanism for affordable housing projects and other county needs like open space preservation and wildfire prevention.

Summit County Commissioner Elisabeth Lawrence has been a strong supporter of this issue, saying it will give the county more power to fix its issues and focus on making Summit County a great place to live and visit.