On Sept. 4, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to place a measure on the November ballot proposing to extend the expiration date of the Public Safety Sales and Use Tax.According to the countyís website, voters approved an increase of .23 percent in county sales and use tax in 2012. The revenue generated from that measure was dedicated to public safety purposes within the EPC sheriffís office to be used as follows: ìTo hire additional patrol and detention deputies, crime investigators and civilian support staff needed to address safety, security and maintenance needs at the county jail, support patrol operations, purchase additional wildland firefighting apparatus and upgrade emergency operations facilities and equipment.îAccording to the resolution, the EPCSO has experienced a 57 percent increase in calls for service, a 24 percent increase in the average daily inmate population at the EPC jail and the tripling of wildland fire responses since the tax increase was passed in 2012.If approved, the ballot measure would continue the Public Safety Sales and Use Tax until Jan. 1, 2029, rather than allowing it to expire on Jan. 1, 2021 ó its current expiration date.
