Two thirds of Aspenites don’t take advantage of a fifty dollar refund available from the city.
The 45-year old rebate program was put in place to ease the burden of a sales tax that went into effect in 1970. To receive the 50 dollar refund from the city, you must be a registered voter living in Aspen year-round.
Liz Woods, who works in the city’s finance department, says the municipal government builds the refund into the budget based on previous years.
“The amounts have been really consistent the last three years, prior to that it’s been kind of steadily increasing as far back as we have data basically,” said Woods
Just over six thousand people qualify for the refund but only fifteen hundred checks were sent out last year. Woods estimates that means about two thousand people benefitted from the refund, because only one claim is allowed per household. About five hundred seniors also collected an additional fifty dollars last year.
The two point four percent sales tax in Aspen is spent primarily on Parks and Open Space. Remaining funds go to transportation, housing, and child development. Woods says if this year, the remaining four-thousand residents collect their refund, the city budget could handle the added expense
Residents must fill out an application in person, on line, or by mail to receive their check.
Applications must be received before April 15th.