Wednesday May 13, 2009
Controversy is brewing over a plan by the Aspen Chamber Resort Association to increase lodging taxes as a way to get more money to market the resort.
Voters this November will be asked to approve a 1.5 percent lodging tax to raise about one million dollars to spread the word about how great aspen is by next ski season. The current rate is .5 percent tax on lodging—that money goes to market for summer events.
Independence Pass is on track to open on schedule—Next Thursday, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend.
Roger Marolt, professional accountant and part time critic of local government, in his weekly Aspen Times Column, is spending time with KUUR and our sister station TV Aspen this week. We’ve been out with the cameras and recorders downtown, interviewing business owners, locals and visitors, to try and get a gauge on how we’re doing during the recession—-According to Marolt—-signs of recovery are still very weak; no green shoots here.
We’ll have a full report on the off season business picture in News of the Future this week—-News of the Future on TV aspen airs at 10:30 a.m. Friday morning, and then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 10:00 p.m.—-on Comcast Cable Channel 19——Resort Sports Network—don’t miss it! And we’d like to get your opinion: how will our economy do this summer? Send an email to news@aspenglenwood.com