Steamboat Springs is a great place to live and visit for a number of big and small reasons.

There has been talk of eliminating some of the small benefits like free busing, free parking downtown and removal of free parking on the mountain. Why? We are a good situation with a healthy economy and tax revenues well above the city’s budget, so why the push to remove services? The only reason I have heard is to prepare for future growth.

I am arguing that those who will benefit from the growth, like Steamboat Resort and developers, should bear the burden of new infrastructure. I would ask our city leaders and community to consider the unintended consequences of these changes.

Let’s say that a new parking garage is built, and there are parking fees on the mountain. How many people are going to start parking at Safeway, City Market or other local businesses to take the free bus? I’d guess a fair number, which will negatively impacting those businesses.

A final point, don’t push the burden of the cost of the parking shuttles from the resort to the city (city buses). Growth is fine, but make those who will financially benefit pay for all of the costs associated with that growth.

Christopher French

Steamboat Springs