The Trinidad City Council clown show of representing homes and their families with spinning balls was made worse with Mayor Ladwig barking out “winners” and “losers.” This grotesque lottery for local business licenses is as distasteful as it is unfair.
Set aside our Mayor’s usual unprofessional behavior, wearing hoodies and flip-flops and munching nuts while leading our City meetings, he owns one of these businesses — a short-term rental, STR. His hosting stupid power-ball lotteries while supporting caps and years long waitlists for competing STR homes seems conflicted. It is wrong on many levels.
Reportedly, some homeowners have been waiting 5 years, just to apply for their short-term rental property license.
In a recession with decades-high inflation, what help does our City Council offer our residents and businesses struggling with higher and higher costs of living — this clown show, increasing taxes, and bigger spending budgets!? Acknowledging the highest inflation in decades, the Mayor writes, “that means the city needs more revenue...” No, it means the city needs to tighten its belt and cut spending like the rest of us.
I have a better solution that would actually help right now — stop with the games! Take immediate action, give all 5 STR license requests a fast track. Let these honorable businesses get going. Not only will this help these owners and managers, it will also help our community and our City get through this worsening economy and on to a more fiscally responsible future.
Reality is, you can’t tax your way to growth. Choosing to close, cap and restrict the same STR homes you’re raising taxes on isn’t just a bunch of unfortunate choices — it shows incompetence. The Council’s ability to realize its incompetence should be concerning to everyone.
Trinidad needs budget cuts. It needs less political STR home taxes and restrictions. This would lead to more business, more jobs and more City income. The fiscally responsible way forward is to choose exactly the opposite way this Council has chosen.