The healthy economy and county growth have apparently helped the sales tax revenue accruing for the Chaffee Common Ground efforts exceed projections. Projections for Chaffee Common Ground revenues for the 2019 fiscal year have been raised from a healthy $900,000 to a projected $970,000.
According to Chaffee County Finance Director Dan Short , the increase is in line with overall strong county sales tax collections, up12.5 percent over 2018.
“We are definitely in a growth cycle, not only locally but at the state level,” Short said. “Long growth cycles eventually slow down, stressing the need for a conservative approach to future-year grant commitments.”
Prescribed burns, both on public and private lands protect against wildfires. Courtesy photo.
Representatives for the Chaffee Common Ground program say they strive to leverage revenues to achieve the highest impact. Grants awarded just this year during the first grant cycle gained traction with matching funds that brought a total of $7.1 million to the community to address the goals of the Common Ground effort.
Those funds will help the county address landscape challenges for the community. The program goal is to award grants to local projects and programs that strengthen forest health and reduce wildfire danger, support local agriculture and preserve rural landscapes, and manage the impacts of growth in recreation. Revenues are generated by a quarter-percent sales tax increase approved by voters in 2018.
Applications are vetted by the Common Ground Citizens Advisory Committee, and final funding decisions are made by county commissioners. The next grant cycle is expected to open in March, 2020. Those organizations matching the program participation criteria are invited to sign up to receive grant cycle information via email, at chaffeecommonground.org.
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