On the same night voters rejected 114 recreational pot stores in Colorado Springs, nearly 80% of voters throughout the region chose to invest in the metro area’s bright future. They voted “no” on pot and associated taxes, and “yes” on the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority sales tax extension. It showcases the wisdom and values of the Pikes Peak region.

Voters said ‘no’ to a destructive proposal and ‘yes’ to one that protects our stature as Olympic City USA, the country’s best host of military operations and veterans, a city of prestigious colleges and universities and America’s “most desirable” city in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey.

Approval of the modest tax nearly guarantees completion of a detailed list of specified projects between now and Dec. 31, 2035. The tax was scheduled to sunset on Dec. 31, 2024. The transportation authority has delivered on promises made in the past, so voters had good reason to trust it.

Fifty-five percent of revenues from the 1-cent tax will pay for one-time capital projects, 35% for maintenance and the remaining 10% goes to transit. The Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority will distribute the funds to six governments in the region, with most going to Colorado Springs and El Paso County. The tax will also fund projects in Manitou Springs, Green Mountain Falls, Ramah and Calhan.

As reported in an Oct. 19 Gazette news article, the Colorado Springs City Council endorsed more than 160 projects for the ballot measure. A few examples:

? Midland Trail improvements

? Citywide traffic signal improvements

? Bikeway improvements

? Pikes Peak Greenway improvements

? Patty Jewett Trail construction – Cache la Poudre to Patty Jewett Golf Course

? Bridge improvements

Tax hikes and extensions can bog economies. Tax decreases generally stimulate economies and leave consumers more in control of their hard-earned money. That’s why The Gazette’s editorial board supported a decrease in the state income tax, a measure passed by nearly 65% statewide and 74% in El Paso County.

There’s a reason why voters throughout the Pikes Peak region overwhelmingly supported the income tax reduction while simultaneously supporting a tax extension by nearly 80%. Not all taxes are the same.

The state income tax pays for all assortment of programs without much input from those who pay the tab.

It’s like demanding capital from a group of investors without explaining what they get in return. Politicians trade in the revenues to win votes from special-interest constituencies. Only politicians and those who control state offices and agencies decide where the money goes.

Taxing income penalizes work, which only exacerbates labor shortages and dependency by those who think work doesn’t pay enough. Gov. Jared Polis and his Republican former challenger, Heidi Ganahl, each understand the pitfalls of the income taxes and support reducing it to zero.

The measure to legalize recreational pot stores came paired with one to tax their sales. Fifty-two percent of Springs voters said “no” to the tax, knowing most of the revenues would pay for regulation of the industry and the problems it would cause. It was not likely to boost the economy or our quality of life.

The transportation sales tax – unlike the taxes voters rejected or lowered – makes good sense. It affects only voluntary purchases – and not by much. It pays only for projects promised to voters, in writing, before the election. The taxpayers (investors) know what they will get.

The tax extension will enhance the economy by funding thousands of jobs for employees who will spend throughout the community and fund all conceivable economic activities.

Project payrolls will leave the region with structural assets. The roads, bridges and transportation services will make the country’s most desirable city increasingly attractive to businesses, the military, visitors, state-of-the-art medicine, athletic ventures and more.

Unlike pot taxes and the income tax, logical and fair taxes with pre-determined outcomes ignite economic growth.

Last week, high-minded voters chose a healthy, safe, family-friendly future for Colorado Springs and the surrounding region. They exemplified why the rest of the world loves our city.

As the fruits of our local election become manifest, let’s hope they set examples for the rest of the country.

Colorado Springs Gazette Editorial Board