Dear Editor:
I am writing in support of Chaffee County ballot measure 1A. After having lived on the Front Range for 31 years and having watched the farmlands disappear along the I-25 corridor from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs and fill with residential and commercial development, I believe the same will happen here in Chaffee County along Highway 285 and Highway 24, if something is not done NOW.
When I moved up here over two years ago, I was amazed that we had no form of an open space tax countywide to help preserve and conserve our open lands along the valley floor. Sure, we have 80-something percent public lands surrounding the valley, but that doesn’t prevent losing your valley as you know it, if you don’t do something, soon.
1A might not be absolutely perfect (is any law?) to some, and I’m sure there will be some fine tuning as we go along, but it’s desperately needed if we want to keep this valley beautiful. The tax is minimal and yet has the potential of bringing in a large amount of matching funds due to the show of community commitment.
I’m certainly willing to pay $40 a year to help keep our forests healthy, the agricultural lands agricultural rather than getting developed, and to maintain our outdoor recreational trails and spaces in the best way possible. How about you?
Truly,
Susan Nies
Buena Vista
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