El Paso County leaders officially start campaign to gain voter support for extending PPTRA tax for transportation needs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Busy Marksheffel Road parallels the west side of the growing Banning Lewis Ranch subdivision on the city's northeastern corner, and served as an appropriate place for a press conference Wednesday by city and county leaders.

With a $70 million widening project planned for Marksheffel, officials kicked off their campaign to gather public support for extending the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority's one-cent sales tax for local transportation projects; the question will be on the November ballot.

Officials emphasize that the request is not a tax increase; just a continuation of the 55% of the tax that funds capital improvements.

Voters in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Manitou Springs, Green Mountain Falls and Ramah approved the initial tax request in 2004 and extended it by an overwhelming margin in 2014; Calhan residents voted to join the PPRTA last fall.

If the measure passes this fall, it will extend the tax from 2025-2034.

Officials said that the area's continued growth creates the need for more road improvements such as the Marksheffel widening, and connecting the north terminus of Powers Boulevard with Voyager Parkway and Interstate 25.

The tax has funded numerous projects, such as the new interchange at Interstate 25 and Cimarron Street; overpasses at the Austin Bluffs Parkway/Union Boulevard and Academy Boulevard/Woodmen Road intersections; and also paid for part of the I-25 "Gap" widening between Monument and Castle Rock.

"We have established a record of success with the tax," said Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers. "We don't have a backup plan if voters reject extending it. Obviously, we'd scramble and do what we can in terms of city and and county investment. But frankly, these projects are such big-ticket items, the money is just not there to do them without PPRTA. That's the historical reality."

Suthers said that among projects on the priority list, is improving traffic flow and safety on busy Powers Boulevard.

"We're gong to have to return to the original plan for Powers, and build overpasses at every major intersection. That will make Powers the expressway it was intended to be."

Officials are seeking the tax extension at a time when many residents are still coping with the COVID-19 pandemic -- which has resulted in many lost jobs or lower incomes, rising inflation and fears of an economic recession.

However, with the request, officials said that they are prioritizing safer and better roads, less congestion and a better infrastructure that will attract more businesses and allow the area to keep up with continued growth.

The campaign has even convinced Carrie Geitner, a county commissioner who describes herself as a low-tax conservative opposed to any new taxes.

"Though I believe very strongly that you work hard for your money and you should be able to keep as much of it as possible, it's also true that government has an obligation to fulfill core functions such as building and maintaining our roads," she said.

Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, head of the local Chamber of Commerce, said that the tax is critical to the business community.

"We can't grow jobs, employers can't get their employees to work in a timely fashion, and we can't move infrastructure, logistics, distribution without good roads, bridges and overall infrastructure in our community," she said.

Suthers said that a longtime lack of adequate state and federal funding is largely responsible for the area falling behind in transportation projects.

"But we are getting money from the federal infrastructure bill passed by Congress earlier this year," he revealed. "We don't know when, or how much yet. Details of that are still being worked out."

Suthers also said that he plans to elaborate on the tax extension during his final State of the City address next month.