Would imposing a 9% Lodgers Tax on STRs and “Village at Wolf Creek” be a “Good Idea” — if that were the only step taken to address the problem?
Imposing a 9% Lodgers Tax in Archuleta County — as Steamboat Springs is now doing — does not address the “crowding-out effect” that STRs have on homes traditionally owned by single-family residents who work in town, and raise their families in town.
I don’t understand the argument that any limit on STRs within Pagosa Springs or Archuleta County is a “bad idea” simply because of the net positive economic value of money spent (by Tourists), and jobs created (by STRs). To simply conclude that the tax revenue from, for example, a 9% Lodgers Tax — a “Tourism Tax” which voters must approve — is a fair and equitable solution, completely overlooks that community neighborhoods should not be replaced by “Mini Hotels”, any more than wildlife should be crowded-out by wealthy visitors (contributing tax revenue) while occupying the ‘Village at Wolf Creek’.
Further, to suggest the ‘No STR Caps’ approach should be followed — allowing the conversion of all single-family residential homes — and to fund Servitas (Dallas-based) to build bigger and bigger workforce housing complexes, makes about as much sense as allowing Red McCombs (San Antonio-based) to build a Ski Tourism City adjacent to the Wolf Creek Ski Area to generate tax revenue to build additional workforce housing complexes.
Indentured Servitude is a form of Labor where an individual is forced to contribute a substantial portion of their take-home earnings to repay a Loan within a certain time frame.
Serfdom is a condition in which a Tenant must live within the will of the Landlord.
Hank Lydick
Pagosa Springs
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