A 1-cent tax on a $10 purchase for the Science and Cultural Facilities District was first approved in 1988 and then extended by voters in 1994 and again in 2004. Ballot issue 4B is requesting an extension for 12 more years from 2018 to 2030.
Voters in 7 counties – Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Broomfield and Boulder – vote on this tax which supports the arts, sciences and history. About 300 organizations receive funding from the tax revenue, much of it going toward GOS or General Operating Support.
SCFD distributes about $54M in funds according to 3 tiers:
Tier 1 gets 65.5%
Tier 2 gets 21%
Tier 3 gets 13.5%
Under this year's proposal, the allocations would change as follows:
Tier 1 --> 64% for the first $38M then 57% above $38M
Tier 2 --> 22% for the first $38M then 26% above $38M
Tier 3 --> 14% for the first $38M then 17% above $38M
Tier 1 consists of the Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and the Denver Zoo. Tier 2 funds go to about 30 mid-size organizations according to revenue and attendance. Tier 3 funds go to about 270 organizations. These smaller organizations apply to County Cultural Councils for funding.
Recommendation: yes/for
Sales taxes are regressive taxes, but supporting science, history and the arts is a worthy goal. The tax does fund free (sometimes crowded) days at museums and the zoo. This year the SCFD board also created special grants to be funded starting in 2018 for organizations that target underserved communities.
Website for the Yes Side (Citizens for Arts to Zoo)
http://www.yesonscfd.com/
Website for the No Side
No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated.
Approved Ballot Language
The Denver Metropolitan Scientific and Cultural Facilities District ("SCFD") Ballot Issue 4B
Shall there be an extension until June 30, 2030, of the aggregate 0.1 percent sales and use taxes currently levied and collected by the Denver Metropolitan Scientific and Cultural Facilities District that are scheduled to expire on June 30, 2018, for assisting scientific and cultural facilities within the district, while authorizing the district to continue to collect, retain, and spend all revenue generated by such tax in excess of the limitation provided in Article X of Section 20 of the Colorado constitution and while modifying the rates of the three individual sales and use taxes collected by the district as follows: for total annual revenues collected by the district up to thirty-eight million dollars, decreasing the .0655 percent sales and use tax to .064 percent; increasing the .021 percent sales and use tax to .022 percent; and increasing the .0135 percent sales and use tax to .014 percent; and, for total annual revenues collected by the district that exceed thirty-eight million dollars, decreasing the .064 percent sales and use tax to .057 percent; increasing the .022 percent sales and use tax to .026 percent; and increasing the .014 percent sales and use tax to .017 percent?
YES/FOR _______
NO/AGAINST _________
Voters in 7 counties – Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Jefferson, Broomfield and Boulder – vote on this tax which supports the arts, sciences and history. About 300 organizations receive funding from the tax revenue, much of it going toward GOS or General Operating Support.
SCFD distributes about $54M in funds according to 3 tiers:
Tier 1 gets 65.5%
Tier 2 gets 21%
Tier 3 gets 13.5%
Under this year's proposal, the allocations would change as follows:
Tier 1 --> 64% for the first $38M then 57% above $38M
Tier 2 --> 22% for the first $38M then 26% above $38M
Tier 3 --> 14% for the first $38M then 17% above $38M
Tier 1 consists of the Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and the Denver Zoo. Tier 2 funds go to about 30 mid-size organizations according to revenue and attendance. Tier 3 funds go to about 270 organizations. These smaller organizations apply to County Cultural Councils for funding.
Recommendation: yes/for
Sales taxes are regressive taxes, but supporting science, history and the arts is a worthy goal. The tax does fund free (sometimes crowded) days at museums and the zoo. This year the SCFD board also created special grants to be funded starting in 2018 for organizations that target underserved communities.
Website for the Yes Side (Citizens for Arts to Zoo)
http://www.yesonscfd.com/
Website for the No Side
No known website – Info on an opposition website appreciated.
Approved Ballot Language
The Denver Metropolitan Scientific and Cultural Facilities District ("SCFD") Ballot Issue 4B
Shall there be an extension until June 30, 2030, of the aggregate 0.1 percent sales and use taxes currently levied and collected by the Denver Metropolitan Scientific and Cultural Facilities District that are scheduled to expire on June 30, 2018, for assisting scientific and cultural facilities within the district, while authorizing the district to continue to collect, retain, and spend all revenue generated by such tax in excess of the limitation provided in Article X of Section 20 of the Colorado constitution and while modifying the rates of the three individual sales and use taxes collected by the district as follows: for total annual revenues collected by the district up to thirty-eight million dollars, decreasing the .0655 percent sales and use tax to .064 percent; increasing the .021 percent sales and use tax to .022 percent; and increasing the .0135 percent sales and use tax to .014 percent; and, for total annual revenues collected by the district that exceed thirty-eight million dollars, decreasing the .064 percent sales and use tax to .057 percent; increasing the .022 percent sales and use tax to .026 percent; and increasing the .014 percent sales and use tax to .017 percent?
YES/FOR _______
NO/AGAINST _________
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