It could soon cost more to ski at Red Lodge Mountain, if voters in Carbon County decide to raise the mountain's resort tax.
The people who will be voting on the increase live in the district right below the resort.
Residents in the district will consider the increase in the resort tax that has helped pay to maintain some of the roads.
So it helps the residents as well as the people trying to get up to the ski area.
Brent Voorhees rides his bike along West Fork Road, one of the streets the county maintains with a 2% tax on Red Lodge Mountain ski lift tickets and other goods and services bought at the resort.
"I get out and ride my bike and jog up here," Voorhees said. "And it's good to have a nice shoulder on the road and the speed limit maintained, 35. That's good too."
Voters living in the area below the resort approved a 2% tax on sales that started 15 years ago and expires in 2024.
Carbon County commissioners will ask voters to renew the Red Lodge Mountain Resort tax and increase it to 3% in six years.
"To renew the tax and then raise lift ticket collections by 1% from two to 3%," said Jeff Schmidt, Red Lodge Mountain general manager.
The $40,000 to $60,000 collected from ski visitors each year have helped the county maintain West Fork Road, Ski Run Road and Palisades Campground Road.
"It's been a game changer the improvement of the West Fork Road, which benefits everybody whether they ski or not, has been excellent. And that maintaining Ski Run Road for the safety of our 100,000 visitors a year has been key," Schmidt said.
The tax at Red Lodge Mountain is separate from the city ofRed lodge resort tax collected by businesses in town
"The resort district that the ski area is in, only people that patronize Red Lodge Mountain pay the tax," Schmidt said.
"I can see benefits from it sure," Voorhees said.
Vorhees has not decided how he will vote.
Mail-in ballots for the tax renewal go out in August and are due back on September 12.
