The current city sales and use tax is 3.56% or $3.56 on a $100 purchase. With the state portion (2.9%), the county portion (0.8%), RTD (1%) and the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (0.1%), the total sales and use tax for Boulder purchases is 8.21%.
This ballot issue is proposing a 3-year temporary sales and use tax increase from 3.56% to 3.86% with the total tax that you see at the register going to 8.36% (or 8.545% if 1A passes). The revenues from this city tax increase would be spent up to the following amounts on the areas indicated below:
$8.7M Civic Area
$5.125M Boulder Creek Path from 3rd to 17th Streets
$4.0M Museum of Boulder
$3.85M Dairy Center for the Arts
$3.27M University Hill Commercial District
$1.5M Chautauqua Park
$0.6M public art
...any remaining funds toward Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects
The city of Boulder owns the Dairy Center and Chautauqua Park although they are operated by non-profit organizations. The Boulder Historical Society currently operates the Boulder History Museum which will be replaced by the Museum of Boulder. The funds for the Museum of Boulder are dollar-for-dollar matching funds, dependent on the Museum of Boulder raising $4 million. Several Front Range communities either operate their local history museums or provide major financial support.
Recommendation: for
The money raised from successful passage of this ballot issue would be felt in the heart of Boulder, possibly making this issue a tough sell for residents who don’t spend much time in the targeted areas. Tourists and CU students do spend a lot of time in these areas so improvements would, one hopes, have an overall positive effect on the city’s image.
My primary reservation about this ballot issue is increasing sales tax which adversely affects the poorest consumers the most. I appreciate that these are one-time projects and that the tax increase to pay for them is only for 3 years.
Website for the Yes side (Yes on 2A for Boulder)
http://2aforboulder.org/
Website for the No side
No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated.
Approved Ballot Language
CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT ISSUE NO. 2A
TEMPORARY TAX INCREASE FOR COMMUNITY, CULTURE, AND SAFETY
SHALL CITY OF BOULDER TAXES BE INCREASED ($9,200,000 FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR INCREASE) ANNUALLY BY INCREASING THE SALES AND USE TAX BY 0.3 CENTS FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 1, 2015 TO DECEMBER 31, 2017;
AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,
SHALL ALL OF THE REVENUES COLLECTED BE USED TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL INCLUDE WITHOUT LIMITATION THE FOLLOWING:
- UP TO $ 8,700,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE BOULDER CIVIC AREA GENERALLY BOUNDED BY CANYON BLVD, ARAPAHOE AVE, 9TH STREET AND 13TH STREET TO CREATE A VIBRANT AND ACTIVE URBAN PARK AND CIVIC AREA INCLUDING RECREATION AMENITIES, COMMUNITY SPACES, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, AND CONNECTIONS AND ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO AND THROUGH THE CIVIC AREA,
- UP TO $ 3,270,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY HILL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AREAS INCLUDING LIGHTING, IRRIGATION AND TO IMPROVE PUBLIC STREETS,
- UP TO $ 5,125,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BOULDER CREEK PATH AND ITS ENVIRONS GENERALLY BETWEEN 3RD AND 17TH STREETS, INCLUDING LIGHTING AND PATH IMPROVEMENTS TO INCREASE SAFETY,
- UP TO $ 600,000 FOR PUBLIC ART AND TO PRESERVE OR RESTORE THE EXISTING ART COLLECTION,
- UP TO $ 3,850,000 TO IMPROVE THE DAIRY CENTER FOR THE ARTS PROPERTY,
- UP TO $ 1,500,000 FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO CHAUTAUQUA PARK AND ITS ENVIRONS FOR ACCESS, PEDESTRIAN, SAFETY, AND LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS,
- UP TO $ 4,000,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE MUSEUM OF BOULDER PROVIDED THAT THE MUSEUM OF BOULDER HAS FIRST RAISED AND DEDICATED AN EQUAL AMOUNT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND TIMING APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND
- ANY REMAINING FUNDS TO BE APPROPRIATED BY THE BOULDER CITY COUNCIL TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECTS;
AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,
SHALL THE FULL PROCEEDS OF SUCH TAXES AT SUCH RATES AND ANY EARNINGS THEREON BE COLLECTED, RETAINED, AND SPENT, AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE WITHOUT LIMITATION OR CONDITION, AND WITHOUT LIMITING THE COLLECTION, RETENTION, OR SPENDING OF ANY OTHER REVENUES OR FUNDS BY THE CITY OF BOULDER UNDER ARTICLE X SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?
FOR THE ISSUE ____
AGAINST THE ISSUE ____
Ordinance 7983 to refer 2A to the voters
https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/weblink8/0/doc/126013/Page1.aspx
This ballot issue is proposing a 3-year temporary sales and use tax increase from 3.56% to 3.86% with the total tax that you see at the register going to 8.36% (or 8.545% if 1A passes). The revenues from this city tax increase would be spent up to the following amounts on the areas indicated below:
$8.7M Civic Area
$5.125M Boulder Creek Path from 3rd to 17th Streets
$4.0M Museum of Boulder
$3.85M Dairy Center for the Arts
$3.27M University Hill Commercial District
$1.5M Chautauqua Park
$0.6M public art
...any remaining funds toward Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects
The city of Boulder owns the Dairy Center and Chautauqua Park although they are operated by non-profit organizations. The Boulder Historical Society currently operates the Boulder History Museum which will be replaced by the Museum of Boulder. The funds for the Museum of Boulder are dollar-for-dollar matching funds, dependent on the Museum of Boulder raising $4 million. Several Front Range communities either operate their local history museums or provide major financial support.
Recommendation: for
The money raised from successful passage of this ballot issue would be felt in the heart of Boulder, possibly making this issue a tough sell for residents who don’t spend much time in the targeted areas. Tourists and CU students do spend a lot of time in these areas so improvements would, one hopes, have an overall positive effect on the city’s image.
My primary reservation about this ballot issue is increasing sales tax which adversely affects the poorest consumers the most. I appreciate that these are one-time projects and that the tax increase to pay for them is only for 3 years.
Website for the Yes side (Yes on 2A for Boulder)
http://2aforboulder.org/
Website for the No side
No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated.
Approved Ballot Language
CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT ISSUE NO. 2A
TEMPORARY TAX INCREASE FOR COMMUNITY, CULTURE, AND SAFETY
SHALL CITY OF BOULDER TAXES BE INCREASED ($9,200,000 FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR INCREASE) ANNUALLY BY INCREASING THE SALES AND USE TAX BY 0.3 CENTS FOR THE PERIOD OF JANUARY 1, 2015 TO DECEMBER 31, 2017;
AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,
SHALL ALL OF THE REVENUES COLLECTED BE USED TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WILL INCLUDE WITHOUT LIMITATION THE FOLLOWING:
- UP TO $ 8,700,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE BOULDER CIVIC AREA GENERALLY BOUNDED BY CANYON BLVD, ARAPAHOE AVE, 9TH STREET AND 13TH STREET TO CREATE A VIBRANT AND ACTIVE URBAN PARK AND CIVIC AREA INCLUDING RECREATION AMENITIES, COMMUNITY SPACES, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, AND CONNECTIONS AND ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS TO AND THROUGH THE CIVIC AREA,
- UP TO $ 3,270,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UNIVERSITY HILL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AREAS INCLUDING LIGHTING, IRRIGATION AND TO IMPROVE PUBLIC STREETS,
- UP TO $ 5,125,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BOULDER CREEK PATH AND ITS ENVIRONS GENERALLY BETWEEN 3RD AND 17TH STREETS, INCLUDING LIGHTING AND PATH IMPROVEMENTS TO INCREASE SAFETY,
- UP TO $ 600,000 FOR PUBLIC ART AND TO PRESERVE OR RESTORE THE EXISTING ART COLLECTION,
- UP TO $ 3,850,000 TO IMPROVE THE DAIRY CENTER FOR THE ARTS PROPERTY,
- UP TO $ 1,500,000 FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO CHAUTAUQUA PARK AND ITS ENVIRONS FOR ACCESS, PEDESTRIAN, SAFETY, AND LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS,
- UP TO $ 4,000,000 FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE MUSEUM OF BOULDER PROVIDED THAT THE MUSEUM OF BOULDER HAS FIRST RAISED AND DEDICATED AN EQUAL AMOUNT AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND TIMING APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND
- ANY REMAINING FUNDS TO BE APPROPRIATED BY THE BOULDER CITY COUNCIL TO FUND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PROJECTS;
AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,
SHALL THE FULL PROCEEDS OF SUCH TAXES AT SUCH RATES AND ANY EARNINGS THEREON BE COLLECTED, RETAINED, AND SPENT, AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE WITHOUT LIMITATION OR CONDITION, AND WITHOUT LIMITING THE COLLECTION, RETENTION, OR SPENDING OF ANY OTHER REVENUES OR FUNDS BY THE CITY OF BOULDER UNDER ARTICLE X SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?
FOR THE ISSUE ____
AGAINST THE ISSUE ____
Ordinance 7983 to refer 2A to the voters
https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/weblink8/0/doc/126013/Page1.aspx
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