The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Turnout similar to 2018
By Mark Reaman and Kendra Walker
Gunnison County voters overwhelmingly chose to send Laura Puckett Daniels to the board of county commissioners while the primary tax issue on the ballot, a $95 million property tax increase proposal for the RE-1J school district, was a closer call but still squeaked by.
Democrat Puckett Daniels garnered 5,888 votes, or almost 66%, over Republican Rich Evans who tallied 3,049 votes. Ballot issue 5A, the bond issue proposal for the Gunnison Watershed School District meant to pay primarily for expansion work and safety upgrades to district facilities, passed by just 125 votes or just over 50%. The Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District request for a mill levy to fund North Valley recreation needs (6B) passed handily 1,981 votes 1,264. Almost 70% of county voters agreed to use some Local Marketing District revenue for things other than marketing tourism including helping to fund workforce housing and childcare. That ballot question 6A was approved 5,994 to 2,753.
In other local ballot issues, starting in 2024 Mt. Crested Butte voters will go to the polls in November instead of the spring. The town councilmembers that would have been running in April of 2023 will be granted an additional seven months on the council. Mt. CB voters overwhelmingly liked the change voting for it 479 to 66. Meanwhile, Gunnison city voters rejected a proposal to increase the sales tax to pay for street maintenance by a 56% to 44% margin.
For more details and official reaction to the election, see Thursday’s edition of the Crested Butte News…
