D&SNG is crucial to city, says Executive Director of the Durango Business Improvement District

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Doing the math, this produces a conservative total spend of nearly $32 million. Furthermore, the sales tax on this conservative total spend figure is just under $830,000. That sales tax pays for police, roads and other city services we all need.

When looking at economic impact, typically, you would add to the figure above the jobs created by the railroad, as their employees buy goods from local businesses. You would also add the impact of the railroad buying services and goods it needs from local businesses, which creates more jobs. In turn, those employees spend money on their own needs.

You would also add the charitable donations by the railroad, which is about $350,000 annually. The $32 million is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the railroad’s impact to our local economy. I have seen studies that show a total economic impact from the railroad of nearly $200 million.