KNCB Moore
A Special Census for Aspen, in 1978, found the population count way below the number used by the BOCC. The count in a second home resort is difficult and it was in the BOCC's interests to exagerate it to justify growth controls. Last week, a news report told of plans to try to count the numbers of second homes in the valley. Years ago, the Financial Advisory Board discovered that the Pitkin County Treasurer's Office bulk-mailed the annual tax notices by Zip Code. The BOCC did not have any interest in this information. Perhaps this ignorance serves a purpose. The fact is that the second home owners own most of the real estate, pay most of the taxes, create most of the jobs and contribute the most to local charities. The truth may be that the resort that resents trophy homes is dependent upon them for sustaining the great growth in public sector spending.