Dear Editor,

Given the ongoing issue of school property tax differentials between the Gilpin School district and the BVSD in Gilpin County, successive District 3 Gilpin County Commissioners conferred with State and local elected officials and the Gilpin School Superintendent to see if it could be clarified.

Ultimately the County Attorney, Brad Benning, researched the question and wrote a white paper explaining the options available to address the issue. None of the options involve the County Commissioners, all involve the two school boards. I recommend you read the entire white paper by Attorney Benning. Go to the Gilpin County website at Community Services -> Schools and Library. Choose “Read More” under Schools.

If the effort to detach the Gilpin County portion of the BVSD and add it to the Gilpin County School district made it to the ballot (a complicated process), a majority of the voters in the entire BVSD would need to vote to give up the Gilpin County tax base, which is unlikely.

Again, if you want to understand all the options related to this issue, please read the white paper.

Sincerely,

Eric Douglas

Chair, Gilpin County Democrats