Revenue-surplus-for-roads idea gets strong opposition Tuesday at El Paso County public hearing

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- It was a week ago that the bad condition of county roads was revealed, and Commissioner Stan VanderWerf described resolving the problem Tuesday as "costing hundreds of millions of dollars."

During the commissioners' regular meeting Tuesday, a public hearing was held on a proposed ballot question this fall that would ask voters to allow the county to keep an expected revenue surplus of $15 million, instead of refunding it to taxpayers as required under the TABOR Amendment.

Commissioners said Tuesday that $13 million would be allocated to 17 road projects (see list below).

The remaining $2 million would be spent on improvements in Bear Creek Park and at five other county parks (see list below); work would include capital projects, trail preservation, and wildfire mitigation.

Only one citizen -- Ron Pace -- showed up at Tuesday's hearing, and he strongly opposes the county retaining the money.

"The county needs to learn how to live within its means, just as the rest of us do," he told commissioners. "There's money in the budget to fix roads. If the people in charge aren't doing what they should, then find other people. We deserve a refund. Every little bit helps those who are struggling to get by."

The amount of a refund would be around $17 per resident.

Commissioners Carrie Geitner and Longinos Gonzalez also oppose the ballot proposal.

"Now is the absolute wrong time to take this to our voters," Geitner said. "Government keeping more of your money is a tax increase and no legalese changes that."

Gonzalez said that he doesn't support the proposal because at least one road project in his district that was part of a previous TABOR retention vote, still hasn't started.

"I can't see my constituents supporting this request when they still have an unfinished roundabout request in their neighborhood," he said.

VanderWerf supports the ballot proposal, saying that current funding options and technologies are inadequate to significantly resolve the road condition crisis.

Under the proposal, the county would also re-set its TABOR limit, allowing the county to keep more surplus revenue without a refund to voters or a ballot request to retain the money for other needs.

"The TABOR Amendment is based on property taxes but the growth in our revenue is largely from sales taxes," VanderWerf said. "TABOR has no way to account for that, and I'm concerned about it."

Two residents who didn't attend the hearing and learned of the ballot proposal said that they're in favor of it.

"In my opinion, the money is being refunded to the people, in the way of better roads" said Tammy Bullock (on left, above). "We'd still benefit from it. It's just not going directly in our pocket."

The county will hold a second public hearing at meeting next week, before voting on the issue.