For Immediate Release | October 29, 2019
 

Avon Town Council Endorses Eagle County
Ballot Issue 1A

Avon, CO – The Avon Town Council recently approved a resolution supporting and endorsing Eagle County Ballot Issue 1A. Ballot Issue 1A appears of the Composite Ballot for Eagle County’s Coordinated Election on November 5^th and asks for approval to increase taxes on cigarettes and tobacco and nicotine products.
 
In August, the Eagle County Board of Commissioners decided to follow the lead of Aspen, Avon and Basalt when they approved a resolution that raised the minimum age for purchasing cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21 and established a licensing program to regulate the sales of cigarettes, tobacco products and nicotine products. The Commissioners also approved a resolution referring a ballot question to Eagle County voters, asking for approval to impose a County tax of $4.00 per pack of cigarettes and a County tax of 40% on all other tobacco products.
 
In November 2018, Avon voters overwhelmingly approved a tax of $3.00 per pack of cigarettes and a 40% tax on all other tobacco and nicotine products, and the new taxes took effect on January 1, 2019. Approval of Eagle County Ballot Issue 1A would not reduce, replace or supersede Avon’s cigarette and tobacco tax. In Avon, it would generate $1.00 per pack of cigarettes for Eagle County and Avon would keep the full $3.00 per pack of cigarettes and the full 40% sales tax on other tobacco products.
 
The Avon Town Council felt that it would be in the best interests of the Town of Avon, its residents, and Avon tobacco retailers to support Eagle County Ballot Issue 1A to help promote equity among tobacco retailers in Eagle County and to enhance comprehensive tobacco prevention and control efforts to reduce youth and adult tobacco use rates. In addition, the Town Council felt that Avon’s raised minimum age, its licensing program, and its taxes on cigarettes and all other tobacco and nicotine products have little impact without County-wide adoption.
 
For questions or more information about the Town Council’s endorsement of Eagle County Ballot Issue 1A, please contact Preston Neill, Deputy Town Manager, at pneill@avon.org or 970-748-4404. For questions or more information about the upcoming election or Eagle County Ballot Issue 1A – Funding to Support Public Health Programs and Education through the Taxation of Tobacco and Nicotine Products, please visit https://www.eaglecounty.us/Clerk/.

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