Front Range Passenger Rail District 7A – Tax for Rail Service

Issue 7A imposes a 0.333% sales tax in perpetuity to construct, operate and maintain the Colorado Connector (CoCo), a passenger rail service between Fort Collins and Pueblo serving 12 different communities.

A “starter service” between Fort Collins and Denver is already funded and is scheduled to run 3 times a day beginning in 2029 whether or not 7A passes. Issue 7A allows the rail district to take on debt to fund the section south of Denver. The full corridor is expected to be running in 2032. By 2045 enough funding is expected to run 10 trips each day from Fort Collins and Denver and 8 trips each day from Denver to Pueblo.

Some of the starter service is funded by RTD’s FasTracks money, but Amtrak will run CoCo, not RTD. The maximum train speed is 79 mph. High-speed rail requires laying new track which is prohibitively expensive so CoCo will use existing track.

Extra service on game days will offer Front Range fans rail service to see six teams play at home: (NFL) Denver Broncos, (NBA) Denver Nuggets, (NHL) Colorado Avalanche, (MLB) Colorado Rockies, (NWSL) Summit FC and (NLL) Colorado Mammoth.

Recommendation: Tax

This measure got extra attention when 600,000 voters who don’t live in the Front Range Passenger Rail District got ballots which included 7A. Those ballots in the affected three counties will have to be separated from the other ballots in the county so that 7A is not counted.

Opponents are skeptical that the project is well planned. They point to the failed promises of FasTracks to extend light rail to Longmont.

Website for the Yes Side – Coloradans for CoCo
https://www.coloradansforcoco.com/

Website for the No Side – Let’s Go Colorado
https://www.letsgocolorado.co/#ballot-issue-7a


Approved Ballot Language
Front Range Passenger Rail District
Ballot Issue 7A

SHALL FRONT RANGE PASSENGER RAIL DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED $295,000,000 ANNUALLY AND BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS ARE RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, AND SHALL FRONT RANGE PASSENGER RAIL DISTRICT DEBT BE INCREASED $580,000,000, WITH A REPAYMENT COST OF $785,000,000;
TO CONSTRUCT, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN COLORADO CONNECTOR (COCO) PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE ON COLORADO'S FRONT RANGE AND CONNECT COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING PUEBLO, COLORADO SPRINGS, STERLING RANCH, LITTLETON, DENVER, WESTMINSTER, BROOMFIELD, LOUISVILLE, BOULDER, LONGMONT, LOVELAND, AND FORT COLLINS; IN ORDER TO:
· REMOVE VEHICLES FROM HIGHWAYS AND INCREASE TRAVEL CAPACITY;
· CONNECT TRAVELERS TO EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, COLLEGES, SPORTS ARENAS, AND ENTERTAINMENT HUBS ALONG THE FRONT RANGE; AND
· INVEST IN STATION AREA IMPROVEMENTS AND LOCAL CONNECTIONS TO RAIL STATIONS;
BY ESTABLISHING A 0.333% SALES AND USE TAX (EQUAL TO ONE THIRD OF A PENNY ON A $1 PURCHASE), WITH EXEMPTIONS PROVIDED UNDER COLORADO LAW, INCLUDING THOSE FOR GASOLINE, FOOD, RESIDENTIAL ELECTRICITY AND GAS, PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES;
AND TO RETAIN ALL SUCH REVENUES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CONTRIBUTIONS, AND ANY INVESTMENT INCOME ON REVENUES AND DEBT PROCEEDS, AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE UNDER SECTION 20 OF ARTICLE X OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION;
AND REQUIRING THAT ALL SUCH DEDICATED REVENUES BE REVIEWED ANNUALLY BY AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR AND A ROTATING GROUP OF CITIZEN TAXPAYERS WHO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT?

YES/FOR ___
NO/AGAINST ___

SB26-172 to refer Issue 7A to the voters
https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-172