Is Archuleta County experiencing some serious economic problems? It’s pretty well recognized that we are…
Author: Bill Hudson
Bill Hudson began sharing his opinions in the Pagosa Daily Post in 2004 and can't seem to break the habit. He claims that, in Pagosa Springs, opinions are like pickup trucks: everybody has one.
EDITORIAL: Town, County Discuss Impacts from Vacation Rentals, Part Two
“There’s movement to classify short-term rental property as ‘commercial’ for property tax purposes. The [Colorado Assessors Association] is kind of pushing that….”
EDITORIAL: Town, County Discuss Impacts from Vacation Rentals, Part One
If Ms. DeMarco and her fellow elected officials really want to consider ‘capping’ the total number of STRs at 20 percent of the available homes… well, that bus may have already left the station…
EDITORIAL: The Wonders of Economic Development, Part Eight
When a government overextends itself — as both the Town and County governments have done, here in Archuleta County — the obvious ‘fix’ is to promote economic growth…
EDITORIAL: The Wonders of Economic Development, Part Seven
“One thing I want the public to know is, we don’t want to give incentives to duplicate an existing business — somebody who has already been paying their taxes, and is a known entity…”
EDITORIAL: An Uncomfortable Dispatch Center Meeting
“When we did this 10 years ago, it cost us $500,000 to open the center that we have right now,” he said. “So, we’re not talking about something that’s cheap…”
EDITORIAL: The Wonders of Economic Development, Part Six
An example of ‘rational government’? A government process, wherein leaders and ordinary citizens freely exchanged arguments and assertions — and where people truly listened to one another…
EDITORIAL: The Wonders of Economic Development, Part Four
Generally speaking, Archuleta County taxpayers begin to have questions and concerns when infrastructure proposals get up into the $5 million range… or higher. We witnessed that kind of citizen concern back in 2013…
EDITORIAL: The Wonders of Economic Development, Part Three
Not traditional bankruptcy, of course… few cities and towns in the US are facing legal bankruptcy, because they are still growing their populations… and are currently seeing increased property values…
EDITORIAL: The Wonders of Economic Development, Part Two
In 2008, just as the Recession was slamming the local construction industry and sales tax collections were headed downward, the Pagosa Springs Town Council made a fascinating decision….
EDITORIAL: The Wonders of Economic Development, Part One
At the end of eight hours, Ms. Wilcox asked the Council members to choose their three top priorities from among the 55 possible goals posted around the room…
EDITORIAL: Believe It or Not, Colorado Will Soon Become a Waterless Desert… Part Eleven
Back in 2009, PAWSD was collaborating closely with the San Juan Water Conservancy District on a plan to build a $357 million reservoir complex…
EDITORIAL: Believe It or Not, Colorado Will Soon Become a Waterless Desert… Part Ten
Those water rights have made a few farmers and ranchers extremely wealthy, but in many cases, farming and ranching in America has created conditions of poverty…
Colorado’s Full-day Kindergarten Facing $40 million Funding Shortfall?
Governor Polis had lobbied heavily for the funding during his first 100 days in office, visiting elementary schools around the state to speak about the proposal…
EDITORIAL: Believe It or Not, Colorado Will Soon Become a Waterless Desert… Part Nine
“Abatti’s lawsuit has caused an uproar in Imperial County, an agricultural area in California’s far southeastern corner that produces much of America’s winter vegetables….”
EDITORIAL: Believe It or Not, Colorado Will Soon Become a Waterless Desert… Part Eight
But the largest single user of Colorado River water — the Imperial Irrigation District — is not playing nice…
EDITORIAL: Believe It or Not, Colorado Will Soon Become a Waterless Desert… Part Seven
No doubt that Colorado’s key rivers seemed like a limitless supply in the 1860s, when ranchers and farmers began applying for water rights to irrigate their crops and pasturelands…
EDITORIAL: Believe It or Not, Colorado Will Soon Become a Waterless Desert… Part Six
“What the plan doesn’t say – what nobody will say out loud – is that some of the conservation burden is going to have to fall on agriculture…”
EDITORIAL: Believe It or Not, Colorado Will Soon Become a Waterless Desert… Part Five
The US Department of Agriculture counted 372 farms and ranches in Archuleta County in 2012, generating about $14.2 million worth of livestock sales, and about $1.3 million in crop sales…