The City of Trinidad will be conducting a general election on November 05 to ask registered voters to select (2) Councilmembers to fill 4-year terms, and to consider extending the .75% add-on Sales Tax for 4-years.
SALES TAX EXTENSION: In April, 2004, the City of Trinidad voters approved a ballot measure to impose a 1% transactions and use tax (sales tax) for a period of four years, which took effect on January 01, 2005 and ended on December 31, 2008.
In 2008, the voters approved a .75% sales tax, effective April 01, 2009 for four years. Collection of this additional tax was scheduled to end on March 31, 2013, but was put before the voters again in November 2012, and approved for four more years. In 2016 the voters approved by a 63% majority to extend the tax another four years, and then again with 73% approval in 2020.
The additional tax has generated an average of approximately $200,000 per year, representing roughly 22% of the total General Fund revenue budget, and supplements (significantly) the core services that City government provides; Police, Fire, Public Works, park & trail maintenance, and public facilities such as the Library, Park, and Town Hall.
In order to continue the .75% tax add-on, the voters must approve the measure included on the November 2024 ballot. There would be no preparatory costs assessed by the Board of Equalization in the event the current tax add-on is continued. If the tax add-on lapsed and was subsequently approved at a later date, the Board of Equalization will assess an implementation cost of approximately $22,000.
Information booklets are prepared in advance of the election to provide supplemental data and analysis to the voters. The City Attorney will be preparing an impartial analysis. Representatives of the City Council are preparing the Argument In Favor of the measure. Any member of the public is eligible to submit arguments against, or rebuttals to arguments for/against this measure. The City Clerk will determine which argument/rebuttal will be selected.
Deadlines and submission requirements are included below in the attached public notices.
CITY COUNCIL SEATS (2): The candidate nomination period for eligible residents of Trinidad voting precinct 5-T1 opens July 15 and closes August 09. The deadline is extended to August 14 if no incumbents file.
Candidate nomination packet is available in the file list below for review. Anyone considering running for Council should schedule a time to meet with the City Clerk to discuss the required paperwork and timeline for submittal.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 09 UPDATE: Neither incumbent (Steve Ladwig and Jack West) filed nomination papers by the August 09 deadline, therefore the filing deadline has been extended to August 13.
State Government Election Code requires the Council Seat Election to proceed when a Measure is included on the ballot. Since Measure L (Sales Tax Continuation) will be on the ballot, even if only one candidate completes the nomination process uncontested, that candidate must appear on the ballot. That too will be the case if a second candidate completes nomination papers. Both will run uncontested. If any vacancies exist following the close of the nomination period (August 13), the Council will be able to fill the remaining vacant position by appointment at any time.
A public notice will be published and provided to the Council at their regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, outlining these facts as they relate to the candidate nomination status at the end of the day Tuesday.
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 14 UPDATE: Nomination papers from residents Bryce Kenny and Carrie Varela were received in time to have signatures verified by County Elections. Therefore, these two candidates will run uncontested in November, but their names will appear on the ballot with Trinidad voters being asked to vote for two.
DECEMBER 10, 2024 UPDATE, FINAL REPORT: New Councilmembers Kenny and Varela were sworn into office and began their 4-year term. The Sales Tax Increase Extension, Measure L, was approved by the voters. Election certification results were accepted by City Council Resolution 2024-18.