Lodger’s Tax Increase to Boost Tourism

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Summer, winter,

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now spring and fall,

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Durango aims to become a year

round visitor destination

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for more than just wildflower hikes

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and snowy ski slopes.

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You're watching the Local

News Network brought

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to you by Edgemont Timbers

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and Durango Party Rental.

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I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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In 1980,

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the Durango lodging

community came together

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to impose a 2% tax on lodging to fund

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a tourism marketing program for Durango.

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Now, 40 years later,

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the program may get a boost

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from a ballot proposal

that will more than double

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the lodger's tax.

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Is that overall reaching goal

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of making sure

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that we can get visitors to Durango,

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heads in our beds,

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to make sure that the tax that is remitted

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to the city is as robust

as it possibly can.

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The new revenues will be used to fund arts

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and culture programs,

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transportation and a sustainable

tourism marketing plan

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that will advertise Durango

outside of peak summer

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and winter tourist seasons.

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It means that we don't necessarily want

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to say come in this timeframe,

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May through October.

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We're really busy here already,

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and so there's no need to

really necessarily promote that.

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I think what we're talking about here is

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those off peak seasons

the shoulder seasons.

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So mid-October through you know May.

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45% of the Lodger's Tax goes

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to public uses of which transit is getting

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the money they need to keep

the transit system going,

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along with the arts and culture funds,

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which will help that sector

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of our economy get back on

its feet and grow and evolve.

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The funds raised for arts

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and culture will assist

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in upkeep of public art as well

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as concerts and events in and around town.

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So the Durango Creative District acts

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as an umbrella organization for the arts

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and culture organizations,

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facilities and events.

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And those events really add to

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the fabric of the community.

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That's, not only does

it increase the quality

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of life for our residents

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but it gives us a reason

for people to come here,

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especially in the off

seasons when we need it.

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So things like Taste of Durango,

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the Film Fest,

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the poetry gathering all

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the Music In The Mountains events,

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all the events that go

on at The Powerhouse.

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Like the arts center hosted pre COVID,

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like 140 different organizations

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in that theater over the course of a year.

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Voters will see the tax increase measure

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on the April 6th city ballot.

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You can learn more at

durango.org/lodgers tax.

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Thanks for watching this edition

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of the Local News Network

I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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