- The benefits of pumped-up recreation would be many, but to truly harvest them, Montezuma County may need a sales tax.
The benefits of pumped-up recreation would be many, but to truly harvest them, Montezuma County may need a sales tax. That was one conclusion reached by the county Planning and Zoning Commission at a workshop Thursday. After hearing early ideas regarding a proposed Cortez-to-Mancos recreational trail and learning that a rough estimate of its cost is $25 million, the planners asked what the county would get back from such an investment. They noted that only a portion of that cost would likely be paid by grants and the county would be responsible for ongoing maintenance and upkeep as well. Montezuma is one of just a few Colorado counties with no sales tax, and the planners said even a small one would allow it to benefit from increased visitors lured by the trail. P&Z has been asked by the county commissioners to come up with ideas for diversifying the economy beyond carbon-dioxide extraction. Thursday, the board suggested promoting motorcycle loops on county roads and creating new ATV and horse trails. They supported the idea of the county assuming management of two recreation sites at McPhee Reservoir. For a different type of economic opportunity, they suggested growing industrial hemp. The group’s new chair, Kelly Belt, also said he will add two new elements to future meetings: a moment of silence and a time for public comment.
