Steamboat Springs voters appear ready to support a new tax on vacant homes but are more divided on a proposed lift ticket tax, according to results of a recent ballot feasibility survey presented to City Council at a Tuesday work session.

The survey, conducted by public affairs firm WR Communications, sought to gauge public opinion on two potential ballot measures that could appear before voters in November: a vacancy tax aimed at properties left unoccupied for more than half the year, and a lift tax that would apply to ski resort visitors — both of which are being considered for the explicit purpose of generating additional revenue for the city to offset its rising expenditures.

In parallel with drafting ballot language for the lift tax, the city has also been in negotiation meetings with Steamboat Resort to attempt to reach an agreement. The final negotiation meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 12.

The firm contacted 287 Steamboat voters May 17-23, explained WR Communications Principal Bill Ray, using a mix of live telephone interviews and online responses. The survey was designed to reflect the city’s likely 2025 electorate, with a margin of error of 5.7% and a 95% confidence interval. 

The survey revealed that affordable housing remains the top concern for Steamboat voters, with 27.2% identifying it as the most pressing issue facing the community. Preserving the character of Steamboat came in as the second most important issue at 15.5%, followed by local roads and traffic at nearly 12%.

Initial support for the vacancy tax was strong, with 60.5% of respondents indicating they would vote ‘Yes’ if the measure appeared on the ballot. That number edged up slightly to 63% after respondents were provided with more information about the proposal. 

Ray noted that the intensity of support for the vacancy tax was notable, with a significant portion of voters expressing a definite intent to vote ‘Yes’. Statements that emphasized fairness and the need for vacant property owners to contribute to the local tax base resonated with approximately half of respondents, a threshold that Ray said demonstrated the strength of the messaging.

In contrast, support for the lift tax was more tepid and appeared to be more susceptible to public debate and education efforts. The lift tax, which would primarily be paid by Steamboat Resort visitors, started with 51% support and rose to 61% after additional information was provided. 

Ray cautioned that the intensity of support for the lift tax was far lower, however, with fewer respondents saying they would “definitely” vote ‘Yes’. 

Many voters expressed concerns about how the tax might impact local residents, particularly regarding the cost of access to the resort and Howelsen Hill. Nearly 45% said they were “very concerned” about the potential for the tax to increase costs for locals, and another 32.5% were “somewhat concerned.”

The survey also gave participants the opportunity to give open-ended responses to allow for more depth and nuance in the results.

Many comments reflected a desire to see tourists and second-home owners contribute more to the city’s finances, but others called for a broader overhaul of the city’s tax structure, including introduction of a general property tax. Some respondents voiced skepticism about the enforceability of the vacancy tax and warned of potential legal challenges. Others worried that additional taxes could make Steamboat less attractive to visitors, especially as the cost of skiing continues to rise nationwide.

“Pass a general property tax and stop soaking the visitors. Your math about the cost of vacant homes is unsupportable, and that proposal will cost the city money in litigation. You will waste more years and resources like you did pursuing Brown Ranch,” said a 30- to 44-year-old respondent who identified as a male Democrat. “The lift ticket tax is also silly. Why not charge per ride for the bus or implement a monthly pass system at a discount for locals? Why is free public transport an expectation?” 

“We are just putting a Band-Aid on the issue,” said a 55- to 64-year-old respondent who identified as a female Democrat. “We need a proper replacement for relying solely on tourism for our economy. We need to address a property tax.”

“Steamboat Springs Transit is awesome and the ski area has been getting a free ride for too long,” said a 55- to 64-year-old respondent who identified as a male Republican, referring to the lift tax. “They should pay their fair share!”

Following Ray’s presentation, Councilor Joella West praised the thoroughness of the survey, calling it “brilliant,” and asked Ray to identify any red flags in the data.

“I think the primary one, I would say, would be the lift tax,” Ray answered. “Folks have not totally made up their mind and they need to understand how it works, why it’s needed, and it could be susceptible to pushback as well from the community because folks would need that education to understand how it would impact them, but also how it could benefit them and the city.” 

“I think that’s maybe not a red flag, but a concern I see in the data from that ballot question,” Ray continued. “And then I just think, especially in all the comments … there’s just work to be done to build confidence with the voters in the decision making and direction and leadership that comes from the city.”

Council President Gail Garey asked whether the 35% council approval rating, up from 27% in the last community survey conducted in July 2024, was tied to the ongoing debate over the Brown Ranch housing development. 

Ray responded that while general aversion to new taxes was the most common theme from the data — and usually is in these types of surveys — Brown Ranch was indeed the most frequently mentioned topic in the survey’s open comments, and with the “most passion,” indicating that it remains a divisive issue within the community.

As the city considers whether to move forward with either or both potential ballot measures, officials will use the survey data to refine ballot language and develop outreach strategies. The city has until August to finalize any measures for the November 2025 ballot. 

“Just remember, surveys capture folks’ opinion in a moment of time,” said Ray. “It’s a really good tool for understanding community pulse, feedback, concerns, but it’s not the only tool, right? Public comments, meetings with key stakeholders, that all goes into building all the understanding around these kinds of ballot questions.”