In support of ballot question 1A

Editor:

As someone who cares deeply about protecting the lands, water, and wildlife of Gunnison County, I believe conservation and stewardship requires us to think carefully about how we manage the infrastructure that connects our communities to this extraordinary landscape - which is why I’m voting yes on ballot question 1A, the proposed sales tax for Gunnison County roads and bridges.

At first glance, roads and conservation might seem like competing priorities. Roads fragment wildlife habitat, alter watersheds, and contribute to pressures on public lands. Those impacts are real and deserve our attention. But this measure isn’t to expand our footprint into undeveloped landscapes; it’s to responsibly maintain the infrastructure we already have.

Gunnison County maintains 419 miles of roads and 48 bridges. These are public assets that provide access to recreation and public lands and serve essential functions for emergency response, public water infrastructure, and wildfire mitigation. There are real conservation outcomes that come with road maintenance – fixing erosion problems and improving stormwater management will result in reduced downstream turbidity protecting fish, birds, and amphibians.

Today, Gunnison County faces approximately $38 million in deferred road and bridge maintenance. The County’s budget is constricted by the state so that existing property taxes are not allowed to be used for road and bridge maintenance, and existing funding sources are increasingly inadequate to meet rising costs. This is not a sustainable trajectory.

Like our natural resources, infrastructure requires ongoing stewardship. When roads deteriorate or bridges require major reconstruction, the financial and environmental consequences are often more costly and consequential.

Our community’s economic vitality, quality of life, and environmental health are deeply interconnected. Responsible maintenance of existing roads is not a substitute for protecting wildlife habitat, managing recreation impacts, or safeguarding our watersheds, but it is a component of our broader commitment to caring for this place.

I support 1A because I believe we can protect our natural landscapes while responsibly maintaining the infrastructure already woven into them.