Voters in the Ridgway Fire Protection District, the largest and busiest in Ouray County, approved the district’s first tax increase since 2000 by a nearly three to one margin in November, more than doubling the total mill.

The proposal for the tax hike, which raised the total fire district mill from 3.591 to 7.591, came together at the last minute before the election. But that didn’t stop over 72% of voters from supporting the measure, which proponents said was intended to allow the district ...