S T E A M B O AT
TODAY
FRIDAY JUNE 21, 2013
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
®
Vol. 25, No. 148 SteamboatToday.com
RO U T T
C O U N T Y ’ S
DA I LY
N E W S PA P E R
INSIDE: Find arts and entertainment events and stories in the Explore Steamboat section • page 15
‘Leaving money on the table’
W
hile crawling along Yampa Street trying to obey the new 15 mph speed limit, take the time — you’ll have plenty of it — to think about whether you want the Steamboat Springs City Council to begin the process of saddling The View city resifrom Here dents with ROB DOUGLAS new taxes. What’s that? You didn’t know there’s a quiet discussion underway about searching for a new tax revenue stream because a contingent inside and outside of the City Council thinks the council is “leaving money on the table,” as council member Sonja Macys unartfully phrased it this week? On Tuesday evening, City Director of Financial Services Kim Weber gave a presentation to the council indicating the city plans to budget for a 3 percent increase in sales tax revenue for 2014. After Weber’s presentation, Macys cast daylight on meetings that have been taking place between council members and proponents of changing the city’s tax structure. “Some of us met with some folks from the Tax Policy Advisory Board and had a substantive discussion about the way that we’re doing our budgeting and doing our business,” Macys said. See Douglas, page 2
■ INDEX Briefs . . . . . . . . .10 Classifieds . . . . .43 Comics . . . . . . . .37 Directory. . . . . . .41 Happenings . . . . .6 Lotto. . . . . . . . . .40
Movies . . . . . . . .18 Outdoors . . . . . .33 The Record. . . . . .5 Scoreboard. . . . .40 Sports. . . . . . . . .35 ViewPoints . . . . . .8
JOHN F. RUSSELL/STAFF
The city of Steamboat Springs placed a machine on Yampa Street on Thursday to let motorists know the speed limit has been changed to 15 mph. The reduced speed limit is part of an effort to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists who use the route.
Traffic slows on Yampa
Speed limit on downtown street lowered to improve pedestrian safety Scott Franz
STEAMBOAT TODAY
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS
If you go What: Yampa Live When: Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday Where: Yampa Street
Traffic on Yampa Street moved a little slower Thursday thanks to a reduced speed limit. The change from 25 to 15 mph was made by the city to improve pedestrian safety, and the slower traffic was welcomed by cyclists and walkers, including Erin Vargas. “I think it’s going to be a
good thing,” she said as she washed the dirt off her cruiser bike in front of the Wheels Bike Shop on Yampa. “It’s safer.” In addition to the new speed limit, fresh striping for bike lanes and pedestrian crossings also are in place on Yampa as Steamboat
■ WEATHER
■ RIVER REPORT
Sunny. High of 84.
Page 38
Yampa River flow Thursday Noon 595 cfs 10 p.m. 568 cfs Average for this date 1,540 cfs Highest for this date 5,280 cfs, 1917 Lowest for this date 66 cfs, 1934 Streamflow reported in cubic feet per second at the Fifth Street Bridge as provided by the U.S. Geological Survey.
ushers in its busy summer tourism season and sees more traffic on the street. On Sunday, the street also will celebrate its inaugural Yampa Live event from noon to 3 p.m., when residents and visitors can enjoy reggae music, refreshments, beach volleyball, kiddie pools and sandcastles, among other attractions. “We thought this would be a good time to roll out the changes,” Public Works Director Chuck
Anderson said. Making Yampa more pedestrian friendly long has been a discussion at Steamboat Springs City Council meetings and among business owners on the street. Anderson added that the city also is looking into making some changes to the parking areas on Yampa with the goal of better defining pedestrian walkways. See Yampa Street, page 3 See details on Page 4
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