The Partnership board of governors works to support a business friendly environment in Eagle County and Colorado through good public policy. The following are ballot initiatives that Vail Valley Partnership’s board has taken a position on:

2018 Ballot Initiatives:

• Initiative 7D (Colorado Mountain College de-Gallagher)
• Partnership Positon: SUPPORT
  
• Rationale: Colorado Mountain College is increasingly a valuable partner to VVP’s workforce development efforts such as CareerWise, and in maintaining/offering low-cost college opportunities and workforce programs for skilled professionals in high need positions. Gallagher has an impact on special districts around Colorado and especially impacts rural Colorado; we recognize that continued property tax decline compounds year-over-year with reassessment rates impacting CMC approximately $2.8 million in 2016 and estimated to be $3.8 million more in 2018 with no end in sight without Gallagher reset. Commercial properties limited to 29% property tax assessment and business benefits through workforce programs. Additionally, workforce is highlighted as a VVP strategic priority.
• See Colorado Mountain College for more details.

• Amendments Y & Z (Fair Maps Colorado):
• Partnership Positon: SUPPORT
• Rationale: This depoliticizes the redistricting process and is a result of the Building a Better Colorado process supported by VVP. Y&Z offer a clear criteria for map-drawing and prohibitions on gerrymandering. The Partnership has a long track record of supporting measures that provide better governance.
  • See FairMaps.co for more information.

• Initiative 109 (“Fix our Damn Roads”)
• Partnership Postion: OPPOSE
• Rationale: There is no local benefit (funding projects) included in this proposal, and it does not raise enough funding to mitigate Colorado’s transportation system. It is an unfunded mandate likely to cause negative impacts on education, health care, and other general fund areas.

• Initiative 110 (Let’s Go, Colorado)
• Partnership Position: SUPPORT
• Rationale: This is a state-wide solution with I-70 corridor projects included on the list, in addition to county and town funding support for non-state projects (20% of revenue raised rebated to counties, and 20% rebated to cities for localized project needs). 20 year sunset clause ensures this is not a blank check, and significant statewide support exists including numerous chambers, Eagle County, and I-70 Coalition. Transportation is a VVP priority and 110 offers the best chance to meaningfully address the I-70 corridor.
  • See Let’s Go Colorado for more details.

• Amendment 73 (Education Funding)
• Partnership Position: OPPOSE
• Rationale: Graduated income tax between 5 percent and 8.25 percent for earnings of $150,000 and above; increases the corporate tax rate from 4.63 percent to 6 percent; reduces the residential property tax rate from 7.2 percent to 7 percent; and reduces the commercial property tax rate from 29 percent to 24 percent to support K-12 public education. VVP has historically supported education and desires to support education efforts in the future, but we believe this places the burden of funding on the backs of small business owners and C corps (90% of Eagle County businesses have less than 20 employees and 80% of Eagle County businesses have 10 or less employees), and locks that burden by adding yet another amendment to Colorado’s constitution, likely to cause more challenges such as Gallagher, TABOR, and Amendment 23.