Breckenridge, Vail battling over proposed lift ticket tax
By Jason Blevins, Denver Post
Breckenridge voters will decide on a lift-ticket tax to cover for parking and transit upgrades after the town and Vail Resorts failed to reach an agreement on funding.
Town leaders wanted the resort operator to support a town-wide transit plan that includes a parking garage, pedestrian access, road improvements and employee parking lots. That plan carries an annual operating budget of $4 million to $6 million. Vail Resorts said it was only willing to cover the majority of the cost of a new parking structure — either on its own land near the gondola or at the downtown F-Lot.
The impasse led Breckenridge to say on Monday that it will ask voters to approve an “admissions tax” — similar to the 4 percent parking and transit tax the Town of Vail charges on lift ticket sales — to fund the transit plan.
It’s probably only a matter of time before they put a parking structure at the California base and start charging to park. I’m sure they don’t make enough on lift tickets and food.
I remember when lift tickets at Heavenly were $14, too bad the city and county didn’t join with them on the spectacularly bountiful ride to the top of the rate card to where it is now, to more fairly allocate the costs of providing the local infrastructure that Heavenly’s skiers require.
I remember when Tickets were $2.50 for an all day ticket. The good old day’s.