taxes

As the Cortez City Council prepares to ask voters for an increase in the lodgers’ tax, one member wants to use some of the resulting revenues for water infrastructure.

Montezuma County Assessor Leslie Bugg gave a grim report to the county commissioners Monday about revenues.

Hundreds of Montezuma County residents took advantage of the county’s free clean-up days at the landfill Friday and Saturday, dropping off old appliances, furniture, electronics, and tires without paying a fee.

Three Republican candidates seeking a seat on the Montezuma County commission largely agreed on many issues at a forum Monday night, but expressed some key differences.

If it passes, voters would see the question on the November ballot.

Over-collected revenues from a sales tax for the Cortez Recreation Center cannot legally be used to fund parks in the city of Cortez. Officials explained that several times during Tuesday’s meeting of the city council.

Sponsors of industry-backed data center bill say they are amending it in ways that will change the fiscal projections.

The $95 million a year voters approved when they passed Proposition MM in November is expected to generate enough to fund the Health School Meals for All program. But it might still go back to the ballot.

Each year the cycle continues, state lawmakers will have fewer ways to address the gap without cutting state programs and services. Skyrocketing Medicaid costs are primarily to blame.

One reason is that the state is paying out more to lower-income residents through targeted tax credits.