Dear Partners,
Visit Estes Park is seeking members for the new Lodging Tax Exploration Task Force, created in response to the passage of HB22-1117 on March 31, 2022. HB22-1117 allows Visit Estes Park, in collaboration with Larimer County and the Town of Estes Park, to expand the use of local lodging tax revenue to address gaps in the need for workforce housing and childcare that exist in the Estes Valley.
Given that the State of Colorado has provided opportunity for a consistent and meaningfully-sized funding mechanism for these issues, Larimer County, the Town of Estes Park and Visit Estes Park are working together to help ensure that community members have access to affordable workforce housing and childcare options.
For the legislation to be applicable to our community, there must be a ballot initiative where voters in the local marketing district decide whether or not to authorize the use of new or existing lodging tax revenue for investments in workforce housing and childcare. This is where the task force comes in.
The Lodging Tax Exploration Task Force will:
Provide an organizational framework to ensure effective communication and coordination among representatives of Larimer County, the Town of Estes Park, Visit Estes Park, lodging partners, workforce housing and childcare advocates and other local leaders in the district.
Serve as a vehicle for the collection and exchange of information and expertise to represent the interests of the residents and businesses inside the Estes Park Local Marketing District boundaries.
Provide a forum to identify, discuss, study and collectively endorse solutions to regional workforce housing and childcare initiatives for consideration by the Board of County Commissioners, Town of Estes Park Board of Trustees and Visit Estes Park Board of Directors.
Present recommendations to Visit Estes Park Board members, Town of Estes Park Board of Trustees and the Board of County Commissioners for consideration.
The task force will be composed of members from the town and county as follows:
1 large hotel/motel owner
1 small hotel/motel owner
2 vacation home rental owner industry reps/RV/campground owners
2 workforce housing proponents
2 childcare proponents
3 “at-large” community seats for those experiencing the need (either childcare or housing). There is no residency requirement for at-large members.
