Many people ask me what a typical day is like as the mayor of Ketchum. It's fairly ordinary - although the natural beauty and friendly people make even ordinary tasks more fun here.

Like many others, I start my day with a dog walk. Arby and I go along the river, throw the Frisbee, check for fish, look for the moose and the bald-eagle, and exchange pleasantries with the neighbors.

Then it's back home for a strong intake of caffeine and a check of my schedule. If I have morning meetings, I head to City Hall. If it's afternoon meetings, I take advantage of the window and get some exercise - a hike, ski or the gym - before I head to my office
 
Once at City Hall I return phone calls, have meetings with citizens or staff and endeavor to complete emails. I usually get about 80 emails a day, and I try my best to respond to all of them. The topics that come up each day are incredibly diverse, complex and enjoyable, with discussions yesterday about the Boulder-White Clouds, downtown parking ordinances, the new hotel going up on Main Street, and the upcoming climate change seminar.

It's rewarding to help find working compromises between parties, express our interests to local, regional and state representatives, and work with city staff on initiatives and policies to be proposed to council.  We have an adept city staff and wonderful members of the community, and it is a privilege to work with them. 

Being mayor means having two jobs - although the "part-time" mayor's position usually takes 30-40 hours a week. So late afternoon I head across town to Rickshaw to manage daily operations at the restaurant I own with my husband, the restaurant's chef. Some evenings I take a break from the restaurant for a town event or a community celebration.

Then it's back to work at Rickshaw before walking a few blocks home to get ready for the next day at City Hall. If I lived anywhere else, it would be much harder to find time to enjoy the beauty of nature and walk along riverbanks with my dog. This access to the outdoors and the friendly, small-town atmosphere are key reasons that I, like almost everybody else, live here.

1. Municipal transportation
2. Open space acquisition and recreation
3. Capital improvements: roads, water, sewer, parking, Ore Wagon Museum
4. Emergency services: police, fire, ambulance
5. City promotion, visitor information and special events
6. Property tax relief
7. Direct costs to collect and enforce the tax
8. Maintain and increase commercial air service

The impetus of the tax, first approved by the required 60 percent of voters in 1978, was the need to fund a bus to help visitors reach shops and restaurants. Other ski resort communities were doing the same, as well as using LOT to improve emergency services and market their communities. (Learn more on the history of the LOT in an article by retired Idaho state Rep. Wendy Jaquet.)  

Citizens have reinforced their support of the services provided by the tax by passing several subsequent amendments renewing or extending the duration of the collection period. 

Recent funding has gone to Mountain Rides for bus service, the Ketchum Parks and Recreation Department, streets and sidewalk repair, dispatch services for police, fire and ambulance, Visit Sun Valley, Fly Sun Valley Alliance, events and promotions. As the tax revenue has increased over the past 25+ years, so have the benefits to our visitors and ultimately to our community. Below are some statistics on estimated revenues and budget allocations since the LOT first became effective.