4 Ballot Measures Withdrawn

As the state’s Sept 6 deadline for finalizing ballot measures approaches, two state and two local ballot measures that qualified for the ballot are being withdrawn.

Initiative 50 “Statewide Limit on Property Tax Revenue Growth” and Initiative 108 “Property Tax Assessment Rates” scared many county and local governments, such as school boards and fire districts. They worried that voters would pass the initiatives, reducing needed operating revenue. They came out in opposition to the initiatives and asked Gov Polis to call a special session, which he did.

The proponents of Initiatives 50 and 108 agreed to withdraw their initiatives if the special session passed an acceptable level of property tax relief. The 4-day special session wrapped up on Aug 30 with the passage of HB24B-1001 which also provides some level of fiscal protection for local government services.

Meanwhile, the city of Boulder sued the Federal Aviation Administration, challenging the FAA’s claim that the city must operate its airport “in perpetuity.” Two tandem local ballot initiatives were set to ask voters to decommission the airport and convert it into “mixed-use neighborhoods, with at least 50% of on-site housing units designated as permanently affordable…” Those measures have been withdrawn while awaiting resolution of the lawsuit.

House Bill 24B-1001
https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb24b-1001

Airport Neighborhood Campaign website
https://www.airportneighborhoodcampaign.org/