Dear Editor,

I have issues with the two ballot proposals that the current three Gilpin County Commissioners have just approved to have on our 2020 ballot, to offset the impacts of Covid-19 on some county operations.

Today Commissioners approved a ballot measure for an increase of 2.570 mills to cover the annual operating budget for the Gilpin Parks & Rec Department, and an additional 2.27 mills to cover the operating budget of the Gilpin Sheriff’s Department, and they approved these ballot measures having a three year sunset. This means, if passed, Gilpin residents and businesses will continue to pay these additional taxes for three full years ending the end of 2023, regardless of any received casino revenues. It’s astounding that our County Manager was initially proposing a 20 year tax increase… Really?!!!

The County reported that they received approximately $6.5 million in casino revenue in August. They had anticipated receiving $9 million in casino revenue toward a budget of $11.6 million. That means in actuality the county lost less than $1 million for each of the three months the casinos were forced into shut down. Granted it may take some additional time for casino revenue to rebound, but it will.

If these mill levy increases pass, they will fund 100% of the operating budgets for the Sheriff’s office and Parks & Rec for the next three years as if there will be no casino revenue coming into these departments!!!  I believe this to be a far overreach by the County Commissioners. Ultimately, they expect to still receive the increasing casino revenue, and in addition expect the Gilpin taxpayers to fully fund these departments operating budgets for three full YEARS! I fully support our Sheriff’s office and the work they do, but the way the County is approaching this shortfall seems mis-directed.

If any tax increase is warranted, they should have only put forward proposals for mill levy increases to cover the $3 million dollar casino revenue shortfall, and for a two year or less timeframe. This way we could all better assess the actual revenue impacts as the casinos gear back up, but the County Commissioners chose otherwise.

The County will try to sell this to voters as the only way to reclaim the Covid-19 losses by pointing to the previously low tax rate we have enjoyed here in Gilpin as compared to other counties in the State, and will also try and tug on our heart strings that the Sheriff’s office and Community Center facilities/services can only be reinstated to pre-COVID-19 levels if they get these tax increases.

In my opinion, the Commissioners and County Management are “sticking it to us the people” to allow them to try and reverse the poor money management they and their predecessors have allowed to happen. In addition, there should be an effective and concerted sustained effort by these same County officials to get our State’s Governor to allow full casino operations immediately, so Gilpin County can faster repair the past three months Governor-forced casino closure impacts. Table games are open and functioning appropriately in other States that allow gaming, so why should Gilpin County casinos be restricted differently?

  Based on this assessment, I suggest we all vote “NO” to these and any other expected ballot measures that increase our Gilpin County taxes.

 A Very Concerned Gilpin Citizen,

Jan Doell
Gilpin County