Vote YES for
La Plata County
Ballot Issue 1A
Child Care for La Plata County is a registered Small Issue Committee in support of Lodger’s Tax Reallocation
About the Committee
The committee was formed by residents of La Plata County, Colorado to advocate for the reallocation of Lodger’s Tax.
HB 22-1117 allows counties, with voter approval, to reallocate up to 90% of the lodging tax revenue collected for:
- Housing and childcare for the tourism-related workforce, including seasonal workers, and for other workers in the community
- Facilitating and enhancing visitor experiences
- Capital expenditures related to these new purposes
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lodger's Tax?
Counties in Colorado are permitted to collect a two percent tax on hotel rooms, short-term rentals and other lodging accommodations and La Plata County has collected lodging tax since 1987. Per the 1987 statute, counties could only use lodging tax funds for tourism marketing and advertising. La Plata County collected $892,339 in lodging tax in 2022 and approximately $1 million in 2023..
Will this raise my taxes?
No, the La Plata County lodging taxes are the tax locals don’t pay. Guests at hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts and vacation rentals pay this tax.
Why is the Board of County Commissioners considering a ballot initiative to reallocate Lodger's Tax revenue?
In 2022, the Colorado Legislature passed HB22-1117, which expanded the allowable uses of revenue for a county’s lodging tax, with voter approval. The bill allows for reallocation of up to 90% of lodging tax to be used for housing and childcare for the tourism-related workforce as well as facilitating and enhancing visitor experiences. Since the bill was enacted, eight Colorado counties and one marketing district have asked voters to either reallocate their lodging tax or collect a new lodging tax under the new allocation law and voters approved eight of the nine measures.
How could the Lodger’s Tax reallocation impact childcare in La Plata County?
A reallocation of 70% of the Lodger’s Tax could generate almost $700,000 per year to support childcare and affordable housing in La Plata County. An investment of that could help to address affordability of care for families, increase capacity of child care facilities and support recruitment and compensation of the early childhood workforce.
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Address Affordability
The Opportunity:
Create a county-wide, income-based tuition assistance program that would increase affordability of childcare in La Plata County for children who currently can not access Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), Head Start or Colorado Universal Preschool.
The Challenge:
Childcare for a La Plata County family with 2 children without access to subsidized childcare costs an average of 29% of their household income. The Department of Health and Human Services defines “affordable” childcare as 7% or less.
Increase Capacity and Access
The Opportunity:
Establish a Capital Improvement Fund by retaining a portion of tax revenue each year. This fund could be leveraged as matching dollars for childcare programs seeking loans or grants to expand facilities or acquire new facilities to serve as licensed child care centers.
The Challenge:
Local licensed providers have capacity for less than 40% of children 5 and under in La Plata County. Only 80 licensed child care slots exist to serve infants under 12 months. Licensed programs are closing or reducing their capacity at a faster rate than spots are being created.
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Support Early Childhood Workforce
The Opportunity:
Recruit and train new early childhood educators to ensure that programs serving children under 3 years of age are operating at full licensed capacity. Supplement the wages of local teachers working with children under 3 years of age, so they can continue working with our youngest learners.
The Challenge:
La Plata County early childhood educators, especially those working with infants and toddlers are making below a livable wage, earning an average of $31,000 per year and licensed programs are seeing a 42% annual turnover rate.
News and Endorsements
Durango Herald - September 7, 2024
ENDORSEMENT: Our view: ‘Yes’ to allocating lodgers tax to child care, housing
The editorial board recommends a “yes” vote on the November ballot to applying 70% of the county’s lodgers tax to child care and to housing.
Durango Herald - August 27, 2024
Lodgers tax reallocation makes La Plata County ballot
La Plata County voters will decide in November whether to redirect 70% of the revenue from the county’s lodgers tax toward affordable housing and child care.
Durango Herald - August 12, 2024
La Plata County likely to propose 70% reallocation of lodgers tax to housing, child care
La Plata County commissioners are likely to ask voters to reallocate 70% of the lodgers tax revenue away from tourism marketing and management, and instead redirect the money toward workforce housing
Get in touch!
Paid for by Child Care for La Plata County, Small Issue Committee. Registered Agent
