Local Voices on 3A
Setting the record straight about 3A
Dear Editor,
I am writing to express my disappointment that my previous letter pertaining to the Gondola misinformation, submitted on Oct.15, 2024, was not published. In that letter, I urged voters to oppose Measure 3A and highlighted two significant concerns: the lack of a binding agreement with Telluride Ski & Golf (Telski) and the absence of a cap or sunset provision on the funding.
First, while the Daily Planet cited a press release from Oct.11, 2024 that suggested an agreement existed, it is important to clarify that this was not a legally binding agreement. In the Planet article dated March 22, 2025, the paper quoted the Executive Director of SMART, David Averill, who said, “It would be a permanent agreement, and it would be transferable if the ski area ever sold,” Averill said at a ballot issue forum weeks before last November’s election. Five months later, Telski pulled out of this agreement as it was never binding as we were told throughout the vote. My original statement remains accurate — Telski had not signed a formal agreement, despite claims to the contrary.
Without a signed, enforceable agreement, taxpayers lacked the assurances they deserved. Both town councils, the county commissioners and the newspaper share responsibility in not disclosing all the facts accurately. What is being proposed today is another user fee, and frankly, a band aid to a flawed initiative. It was and remains quite clear that the people want the ski area to contribute.
Second, Measure 3A includes no cap or sunset clause. The language of the measure reads: “The new revenue raised annually pursuant to this question being used for the purpose of funding gondola capital improvements and paying for the operation and maintenance of the gondola and with the remaining new revenue being used by SMART for purposes consistent with its mission.”
This means taxpayers could continue to pay long after the gondola’s capital or operational needs are met. Proponents of 3A acknowledge that once the initial funding is raised, supplemented by potential federal grants, much of the ongoing funding will cover a bond. Telski’s $1.5 million annual contribution was supposed to reduce taxpayer obligations further. However, that never happened, and with no defined cap or sunset, taxpayers may contribute far beyond what is necessary for the gondola long into the future. Telluride continues to be one of the most expensive places in the world to ski, and another skier tax will perpetuate this.
3A was based on misleading information, and would never have passed without Telski’s 1.5MM. The voters deserve better. I call upon SMART to replace 3A in fall of 2025. Let's get this right!
Sincerely,
Doug Sanders
Telluride
To my fellow citizens of San Miguel county
Submitted to the Daily Planet March 2025 but never published
For those of you who don’t know me, I moved to Telluride 52 years ago in 1973. And 35 years ago, developers brought a plan to the San Miguel County Commissioners for a development to transform forest and agricultural land into billions of dollars of real estate that would ultimately be called “Mountain Village”. A unique requirement of the approval by the county was that the developers would be required to build and operate a gondola for 30 years. It was a necessary part of the new community’s infrastructure in place of massive road improvements that would be needed otherwise.
We just had an election 4 months ago, and I am stunned, baffled, and outraged. With the help of the Friends of the Gondola (who I like to call the FOG), our local governments and SMART (the transportation district) blindsided the voters. The FOG obscured the history and bamboozled us into voting to tax the greater county for infrastructure necessary for the development of Mountain Village and the ski area! Why shouldn’t Mountain Village keep on paying for this infrastructure which is essential to their existence?
Funded by $120,000 from the 4 Seasons and Mountain Village entities, the messaging put forth by the FOG was confusing and misleading. The ballot doesn’t mention replacing the gondola, but there were new gondola cars exhibited in Telluride and Moutain Village. There was language used that implied that it must be replaced. There was langiuage that implied that it might go away. There were slick advertisements and mailers (and paid phone banking!) urging a YES vote. And...
There was ZERO information put forth educating the voters who had arrived in the region more recently than 1996, obscuring the fact that Mountain Village did not exist prior to 1990. This is absolutely a deliberate omission, a whitewashing of the history of the gondola and who is responsible for it.
This vote needs to be tossed out. The financing for this election is suspect, and I hope those that filed court case 3 months ago succeed in negating this election that (surprise) only passed in the precinct of Mountain Village.
Michael Zivian
To the citizens of the SMART district
Dear Editor,
I have lived in the greater Telluride area for 30 years since 1994. I have been the owner of the area's only moving company since 2005. I have raised two children that have graduated from Telluride high school. I'm writing this letter out of frustration and concern.
The overall cost-of-living in Telluride has steadily risen. At the forefront, property taxes, which are passed on to rental properties, have become astronomical. Our family was forced out of an eight year lease in 2020 due to a second homeowner relocating back during the Covid era. We were fortunate enough to find a sublet to allow our daughter to finish her senior year at Telluride high school. Immediately afterwards, we were forced to move to Montrose and commute every day.
As owner of the area's only moving company, I witness firsthand the exodus of old guard locals having to move to Ridgway and Montrose due to affordability issues. Property taxes have doubled in a handful of years as special service districts ask the voters for more and more.
This is not sustainable. Now, in a fear-based election to "save the gondola," SMART introduced a ballot question to the public to raise sales, lodging and property taxes only two months before the election. Without being able to really explore the ramifications, my friends and former neighbors were fooled to tax themselves. Only the new clients of Jo Mama's Movers, the millionaires and billionaires, can weather these increases.
As these taxes are now being collected, Telluride will continue to have a "free" gondola. Telluride will become even more unaffordable, and more of you will be moving to Montrose. I guess the silver-lining is, I'll get to see more of you living here.
Sincerely,
Michael Gomberg
The gondola is not going away anytime soon
Dear Editor,
A few facts/thoughts for our fellow SMART transportation district voters.
The Four Seasons project entities (Fort Partners developers and Shaw Construction) have given $70,000 to the campaign that is urging a ‘yes’ vote on the ballot question 3A for the Gondola. (This information is available from the Colorado Secretary of State website.) Their expensive and slick campaign is meant to sway voters to vote yes.
Neighbors: We ALL LOVE the gondola, but the additional taxes solution that is proposed is not equitable and makes it harder for locals to live here. What we are being sold on the ballot is deceiving, fear-based, and is not a SMART solution. The gondola is NOT going away anytime soon.
And why wasn’t Ballot Issue 3A made public in our blue state ballot information book? Was this rushed and the deadline missed? This ballot issue is unfair for local residents and a better plan needs to be created, and we don’t need to rush. We have three more years of funded gondola operation to work together to come up with a better solution for everyone.
The Executive Director of SMART said at the Progressive Women’s Caucus one week ago that if this fails, a new proposal can be brought forward as a ballot issue in the next election.
Please vote ‘NO’ to get a SMARTER, more equitable, funding solution
Chris Myers and Erin Ries
Telluride