By Ann Schimke | Chalkbeat Colorado
Three western Colorado communities hope to raise new dollars for child care through taxes paid by out-of-town visitors who stay in hotels or short-term rental housing.
La Plata and Grand counties and the City of Montrose all have lodging tax measures on the November ballot, with at least some of the proceeds intended to help make child care easier for local residents to find and pay for.
The three communities are the latest in a string of mostly mountain resort areas to ask voters for permission to spend lodging tax dollars on housing and child care. The idea is that local workers power the tourism industry, so visitors should contribute to efforts supporting a stable workforce.