City of Boulder 2C - Repeal City Charter’s Library Provisions

If Ballot Issue 6C to fund a library district passes, then passage of Question 2C would repeal the charter’s provisions about the city library. The approved name for 2C – see Approved Ballot Language below – is quite misleading. This ballot issue does NOT repeal the 1/3 mill property tax dedicated to the city library. Instead, 2C would dissolve the Library Fund and stop appropriating the property tax revenue into the no-longer-active Library Fund.

In 1917 Boulder adopted its city charter. Since then, the Boulder Public Library (BPL) has been funded and run by the city and overseen by the (advisory) Library Commission. Complaints of underfunding over the years have led to placing Issue 6C on the ballot to fund a library district. If voters fund a library district, the city wants to clean up its charter, removing the provisions about the municipal library (section 69), the Library Commission (sections 132 and 133) and the Library Fund (section 134).

In 2015 Boulder voters overwhelmingly approved Question 2Q to amend the charter’s provisions about the library. Seven years later, voters are being asked to delete the provisions if they become obsolete.

Recommendation: For the measure

Removing obsolete parts of the charter is reasonable and responsible. Giving this ballot measure a misleading name is not an example of responsible behavior.

Website for the Yes side
No known website – Info on a proponents’ website appreciated.

Website for the No side
No known website – Info on an opponents’ website appreciated.


Approved Ballot Language
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2C
Repeal of Library Commission and Tax if Library District Created

If the voters approve the initiative to create a library district that is on the ballot of Boulder County at the November 8, 2022 election, shall Sections 65, 102 and 130 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be amended and Sections 69, 132, 133, and 134 be repealed from the Boulder Home Rule Charter and any remaining funds in the Library Fund used all as set forth in Ordinance 8539?

For the Measure ____
Against the Measure ____

Ordinance 8539 to refer Question 2C to the voters
https://documents.bouldercolorado.gov/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=179897&dbid=0&_ga=2.249930755.404892481.1665453032-181246305.1661276300&cr=1