Steamboat Springs, Colorado — In response to a struggle to grow revenue from sales taxes, Steamboat Springs is considering adding a tax to a pricey item in the town.
Over the past month, the Steamboat Pilot & Today and the Yampa Valley Bugle have been reporting on a plan by the Steamboat Springs City Council to introduce a ballot measure that would ask whether a tax should be added to lift tickets at Steamboat Resort. Negotiations have begun with Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., with the goal of finalizing the language for the ballot measure by August 2025. The plan is for the two sides to meet with an independent third party to try to hash out a lift tax plan. Steamboat Resort and the City Council may also negotiate a deal to grow sales tax revenue without the need for a November ballot measure.
The reasoning for the decision is that sales tax revenue for Steamboat Springs is currently in a bind. January sales tax revenue saw a 3.6% drop compared to January 2024. Sales tax revenue in 2024 was up 2% compared to 2023, which was considered to be underwhelming. The ultimate goal is to create a more thorough funding method that could help finance projects, like creating a more comprehensive regional transit system.
Some residents feel like Steamboat Resort isn’t paying its fair share. Loryn Duke, who’s the communications director for the ski resort, disputed this, while issuing their support for a lift ticket tax to the City Council:
“We do support a lift ticket tax, as long as it’s equitable and it goes specifically to transportation, with an emphasis on [a regional transportation authority] right now. We’ve always had an issue with a lift ticket tax going to the general fund but quote, unquote earmarked for transportation because there is room for it to be placed elsewhere…We just want to continue to reiterate our commitment to the community and our commitment to transportation. We are annually contributing $500,000 to transportation in Steamboat.””
Another measure that’s being considered is a vacancy tax. These taxes, which have become more popular in resort towns in recent years, target homes not used enough by residents or second homeowners.
If formally approved by the City Council, Steamboat Springs’ voters would officially decide in November 2025 whether these two ballot measures will become law.
Image/Video Credits: Steamboat Resort
