COUNTY QUESTION 1A: 1 percent tax increase fails; big cuts planned

With 99.5% of precincts reporting,

67,240 (41.09%) voted YES

96, 402 (58.91%) voted NO

El Paso County's 1 percent sales tax increase was trounced Tuesday night, and its supporters began making plans for major budget cuts.

Failure of the measure will force the county to cut spending or find other ways to fund a new jail, sheriff's satellite offices, emergency operations center, work release facility, the Health Department and child protection efforts.

"My first thought is the tax was destined to fail because the economy was so poor right now, and people vote with their pocketbooks," Commissioner Jim Bensberg said.

He said he's ready to resubmit a sales tax measure next year for a half-percent, if other commissioners agree. Bensberg opposed placing the 1 percent measure on the ballot this year, citing the slumping economy.

Commissioner Wayne Williams also blamed the defeat on the economy and said commissioners should heed the voters' message.

"What we do now is, we follow the will of the voters," he said. "We implement the budget that has significant cuts in the sheriff's office, the District Attorney's Office, Health Department, and we make the cuts the folks have asked us to make by that vote."
He didn't dismiss a subsequent tax question but said it should be proposed "in a different economic situation" and with "modifications that make it more palatable."

Sheriff Terry Maketa said he respects the voters' decision.

"We'll start planning for how we're going to make these cuts that are fair and equitable and still be a premier agency around the state," he said. "You move on."

The 1 percent tax would have added $75 million annually to county coffers, with a sizeable percentage shared with cities and towns. Colorado Springs, for example, would have received $12 million next year.

The county faces cuts in virtually every area of county government, including reduced parks maintenance, fewer patrol deputies and less monitoring for infectious diseases.

The county has seen similar defeats at the polls. It won approval of a 1 percent sales tax in 1987, but its three measures proposed in 1995 - to build a new jail, hire jailers and increase street patrols - were routed.

In 2002, voters rejected a property-tax hike and debt measure to build and staff a new jail. The county later built the jail using Certificates of Participation, a borrowing tool the courts have deemed legal although the state Constitution requires voter approval of debt.

Three years ago, voters approved the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority sales tax, which includes a share for the county.
Also in early returns three incumbent commissioners - Republicans Sallie Clark, Dennis Hisey and Amy Lathen - had decisive leads over their Democratic challengers.
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Contact the writer: 636-0238 or pam.zubeck@gazette.com

Without the tax increase, the county will face cuts in virtually every area of county government, including the Sheriff's Office, clerk and recorder, coroner, administration, security, environmental services, parks and the District Attorney's Office.

Specifically, county officials say:

-- Parks will receive nominal maintenance and park restrooms will close half of the year. Parks and nature centers will have reduced operational hours.

-- The Sheriff's Office will lose $1 million, causing a 10 percent reduction of deputies for the Law Enforcement Bureau and patrol. Six to 12 positions in the jail will be cut, resulting in the closure of two jail wards, which would allow early release of criminals.

-- The Health Department will eliminate health inspections for 78 schools and reduce monitoring for West Nile virus and other infectious diseases.

The apparent drubbing isn't anything new to the county.

Although it won approval of a 1-percent sales tax in 1987, three law enforcement measures proposed in 1995 -- to build a new jail, hire jailers and increase street patrols -- were soundly routed. The most popular, adding patrol deputies, went down 3-1.

In 2002, by nearly a 2-1 margin voters rejected a property tax increase and debt measure to build and staff a new jail. Shortly after the defeat, the county built the jail using Certificates of Participation, a borrowing tool the courts have deemed legal although the state constitution requires voter approval of debt.

More recently, in 2005 voters approved the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority sales tax, which is shared among local agencies, including the county.

Also, early returns showed the three incumbent commissioners -- Sallie Clark, Dennis Hisey and Amy Lathen -- with decisive leads. All three are Republicans.

In El Paso County, 46,960 (40.91%) voted "yes" on 1A and 67,817 (59.09%) voted "no"