The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Sales tax setting records
Sales tax is booming in Crested Butte during the summer. That means business should have been good the last several months. According to Lois Rozman, town finance director, June, July, August and September of 2012 tallied record sales figures. May was huge in terms of sales tax revenue as well but did not set a record. “September was up 8.1 percent and for the year we are up 4.4 percent,” Rozman informed the council. “That is very good news.”
“I am shocked to see that September is better than March,” stated longtime council member Jim Schmidt. “Things have certainly changed since [fellow councilperson] Roland Mason was born. Ski season used to be the biggest months.”
Mayor Aaron Huckstep reported that at a recent gathering of ski area town officials, Telluride reported that for the first time, their summer revenues topped winter. “We are all facing similar situations out there,” said Huckstep.
Trash might end up moving newspapers
You may see some movement of inanimate objects in front of the Crested Butte post office. The new Waste Management trash and recycling bins take up more space than the old receptacles, so in order to accommodate the regular raffle ticket sellers and non-profit boosters that congregate in front of the P.O., some newspaper racks might have to move. Town Parks and Recreation director Jake Jones asked the council to look at the situation and provide him some input on possible changes. They promised to do so.
RETT exemptions?
The council wanted more information before clarifying its Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT) code. The council looked over a proposed ordinance from town attorney John Belkin but had several questions about the ramifications of granting exemptions during certain foreclosure proceedings and imposing certain conditions. Several people spoke against the proposal and the council agreed to forward questions to Belkin. He promised to provide answers to those questions by the next meeting.
Letters of support
The town will write letters of support for a proposed “Gravity Ranch” to perhaps be located just south of the Crested Butte South turnoff on Highway 135. They will also write a letter of support for a bridge to be located on the Deadman’s Gulch trail up Cement Creek.
