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Jim Boyne: 2A offers personal benefits

I am writing to lend support to Referendum 2A and to encourage our community to vote “yes” in supporting the .20 percent sales tax to fund increased air service to Yampa Valley Regional Airport in Hayden.

There has been much said about the economic benefits to our local economy associated with supporting nonstop air service into Steamboat. I support and agree with that rationale based on much information that has already been presented.

Additionally, Steamboat Ski Resort has committed to be the first to contribute to this initiative to the tune of $1.6 million, and I think that is only fair, given the benefits of the air program to the ski business. The lodging community will pay the next $1.6 million, with visitors and locals roughly splitting the remaining $1.3 million. This is a good deal, as the plan is projected to result in less than 17 percent of the cost of the air program being borne by local residents.

I have been bringing my family to Steamboat for more than 20 years, and we are now full-time residents and members of this great community. Before we moved here, we found that flying into Hayden was not always the deciding factor to come to Steamboat, but it made it a lot easier and more pleasant to get here and significantly improved our experience and safety during the winter months.

Now that we live here, more flights and nonstop markets are very important to our family and our extended family and friends across the country, not just for convenience or recreational purposes, but for important and necessary reasons such as supporting and staying connected to family and friends, being there for long-distance celebrations, crises and tragedies.

My family has experienced each of these personally over the past five years, and I can tell you that having the ability to quickly get on a flight to be there for these matters has been very important and meaningful to us.

While the economic benefits of the program alone are compelling to me, the substantial personal benefits discussed above drive me to believe that this is a small price to pay for what I think is a core service for many of our local residents. Twenty cents for every $100 in spending … sign me up.

Please join me in voting “yes” for Referendum 2A.

Jim Boyne

Steamboat Springs


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