Editor:
The high school construction bond debate is justly drawing attention. The proposed tax increase is not significant but every family is cautious about managing their dollars and its easy to draw a line on any extras. Cortez is an amazing small town that offers unusual amenities: parks, pools, rec center, hospital, an expanded sewage treatment facility, a Four Corners location with access to McPhee Reservoir and its river activities, the Anasazi Heritage Center, the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Crow Canyon Archaeology Center, Mesa Verde National Park, and the back country of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. What a place for families to thrive!
We retired here in 1990 to enjoy the backcountry with our llamas and now in a small RV. The economy thrived in the 1980s and early 90s. Main Street was alive, construction was active, the city rec facilities expanded, new subdivisions were developed, etc. From the late 90s onward, business slowed, large chain stores closed Main Street, and new housing and property sales diminished. Many in our community are unemployed and barely hanging on. Any tax increase is in question.
We want to remind everyone that their residential property may be their best investment for their retirement, and values will only increase if we can offer a strong community package to attract young, well-educated families and older adults who might otherwise consider Durango. The high school project is critical if we want to energize an expanded community base that supports our environment. This small tax can only protect your investment here. Dont let our community down.
Pete and Jean Peterson
Cortez
