FOUNTAIN — The City of Fountain is one step closer to securing millions of dollars for road improvements.
During a Fountain City Council meeting on Tuesday night, council members voted 7-0 to let voters decide in November if they want the city to join the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA).
PPRTA works to improve and maintain roads and is funded by a 1% sales tax from participating governments, including Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, unincorporated El Paso County, Green Mountain Falls, Ramah, and Calhan.
Todd Evans, Fountain's Deputy City Manager, said the city uses every cent of the $750,000 budgeted for road repairs each year. He said joining PPRTA would bring in more than $5 million extra to fund road improvements in the city.
However, some citizens said they are not on board with a tax increase at a time when prices are high and many families are struggling.
"I think right now is just not the right time to be asking for a tax increase. People are struggling and I think city council needs to realize that," said Fran Carrick, who has lived in Fountain for over 50 years.
If PPRTA is approved by voters, the total sales tax in the City of Fountain would increase to 8.53%, which is 0.33% higher than the current sales tax in Colorado Springs. Carrick said that is unacceptable.
"Government continues to grow and my pocketbook doesn't. That's the bottom line," she said.
Last year voters approved a public safety tax to provide more funding for the police department and fire department, increasing property taxes by $1.7 million annually.
Penny Cimino, a Fountain resident, said it is too soon to ask voters to approve another tax increase.
"We're already paying so much and now they just want more," she said. "There's no reason for us to have a higher sales tax than Colorado Springs."
Mayor Sharon Thompson said the city already gives up $1.2 million to PPRTA without getting anything in return because some Fountain commercial areas are within the boundaries of PPRTA.
Council members said they want voters to have the final say, which is the main reason they voted to send the question to voters during November's general election.
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