Saguache County Ballot 1A:  CREATION OF A SPECIFIC ONE AND ONE-HALF PERCENT (1.5%)

COUNTYWIDE SALES TAX INCREASE.

Why YOU should vote NO on 1A.

PLEASE FULLY READ THE WHOLE RESOLUTION NO:  2018-5, which has been filed and revised Three (3) times 06-02-2018, 08-08-2018 and 09-04-2018.

All Three (3) of the filings state: “A ONE AND ONE-HALF OF ONE PERCENT (1.5%) SALES TAX” NOT THE BALLOT TITLE “ONE AND ONE-HALF PERCENT (1.5%)”.

Read Section 12 b) This is a “DEBT SERVICE OF THE CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION”.

The Saguache County Board of Commissioners FULLY funded the Saguache County Sheriff’s submitted budget in 2017 which was approved for $588,955 plus jail budget of $450,784 for a total budget of $1,039,739.  The 2018 budget was also submitted and approved for $609,348 plus jail budget of $470,193 for a total budget of $1,079,541.  Also in 2018 the sheriff’s department was given an additional amount of $103,000.

The “SALES TAX” would increase the budget by an estimated $450,000 for a 2019 budget of $1,529,541, a WHOOPING 41.68% INCREASE.

Why hasn’t the sheriff asked for an increase in his budget instead of imposing this tax increase on the citizens of Saguache County? The current budget process is now underway. Has the sheriff submitted a budget INCREASE which would eliminate the need for this TAX?

The ballot issue does not clarify who will be responsible for the budgeting and administration of these funds.

The ballot issue does not include a budget which clearly shows how the additional tax money will be spent.

Citizens of some municipalities are already paying taxes for local law enforcement, as well as paying taxes to Saguache County for the Sheriff’s Department. So this is a double tax on the residents of those municipalities.

This is NOT a TAX that will be paid for by tourists. Saguache County is not a “Tourist Stop”, but a pass thru, which means that tourists will not be paying a large part of the tax.

By your approving this TAX issue you are opening the door to each Elected Official wanting an additional “sales tax” above their budget amount. This TAX ISSUE should have been written for the benefit of ALL

DEPARTMENTS OF SAGUACHE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, NOT JUST THE SHEFIFF’S DEPARTMENT.

Charles W McClure

Center