Gunnison's strength Is who we already are

Through June, City of Gunnison sales tax collections were up 5.35% year to date. But that number needs context. City Finance Director Ben Cowan noted that collections from the City's top 20 established vendors were essentially flat through May, down less than a tenth of a percent. Much of the overall growth appears to be coming from the expanded filing base under State collection, including remote sellers, online marketplaces, subscription services, and out-of-state retailers, rather than growth among established local businesses.

The County's July report adds another layer. Countywide taxable sales were down 2.4% from July 2025, while the Gunnison jurisdiction was down 18.9%. Several major local business categories also declined. The City's detailed July report isn't yet available, so it is too early to draw broad conclusions, but the numbers are worth being clear-eyed about.

That brings us to a larger question about identity.

Gunnison is the county seat, a university town, and the valley's year-round service and commercial center. It is where people come for education, groceries, healthcare, government services, trades, professional services, and the everyday things that keep life in the valley moving. Our restaurants, retailers, cafes, bars, arts organizations, and locally owned businesses are also a major part of what makes Gunnison a place people want to live, work, and spend time.

We also have access that is easy to take for granted. Trails wind through the sage from the edges of town. The higher alpine is within reach, but Gunnison offers a quieter backyard, open space, remarkable sunrises and sunsets, and recreation that is part of everyday life.

Gunnison has spent time thinking about how to attract more visitors, and tourism will continue to be part of our economy. But our geography and our role in the valley are different from the Crested Butte area. Our opportunity may be less about replicating a model we were never built for, and more about strengthening what we already are: a university town, regional hub, recreation community, and year-round home with strong local businesses and a genuine sense of place.

I was having dinner at a local restaurant over the weekend and was chatting with the owner. Labor Day weekend had been their busiest weekend of the season. I asked who was coming in.

Locals, mostly.

That is not a footnote to the economic story. That is the story.

The businesses that serve this community work every day to offer the best product, service, or experience they can, whether they are serving a longtime resident, a student, someone coming in from another part of the valley, or a visitor passing through. And it shows.

Our identity is not the obstacle to economic growth. It may be the strategy.