Voters rejected all 3 of the 2021 revenue and spending state ballot measures.
All the referred city measures (2I through 2M) easily passed. The Fur-Free measure (Question 302) also passed, but with only 51% of the vote.
More people – 33,052 of us – voted on the Bedrooms measure (Question 301) than on any of the other city ballot measures; it failed to pass, garnering 47.7% of the vote. However, most of the new city council members are supporters of the Bedrooms measure and with the Marshall Fire putting more pressure on housing stock, the council got the city manager on record saying that the city is not enforcing its occupancy limits. Does this mean that local elections actually don’t have consequences?
Voter Approval of CU South Annexation Agreement (Question 303) also failed, getting 43.2% of the vote. As previously noted, opponents of the CU South annexation agreement want another go. They have collected enough signatures for a referendum vote on the annexation agreement. It should be on the ballot this fall.
In other news, a US District Court judge dismissed a request to prevent unaffiliated voters from voting in this year’s state primary. Five Republicans represented by John Eastman brought the legal action. This year the Republican statewide ballot has several competitive races, in contrast to the Democratic ballot. In 2016 Colorado voters passed Prop 108 to allow unaffiliated voters to vote in a major party’s primary – unless three-fourths of the party’s State Central Committee voted by October 1 of the previous year to choose nominees solely via the assembly process. No major party has yet chosen the assembly-only route, but a party concerned about unaffiliated voters tipping the scales might consider the option more seriously in 2023.
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Sunday, October 17, 2021
Vote on the Ballot Measures!
We have two particularly high-profile and controversial ballot measures this year which led to, what some would call, government interference. Question 302 at the local level and Prop 120 at the state level were basically incapacitated by government action before the voters get their say. In the case of Question 302, a petition is being circulated to get a question on a future ballot asking the voters to overturn the city council’s preemptive decision.
In Boulder, many new groups, some with almost the same lists of board members, have popped up. The cloned groups, not surprisingly, make basically identical endorsements. This may be a record year for endorsements, but I’ve chosen not to include most of the new groups in the listing below. In addition, a story of at least one group taking control of a board and sabotaging a candidate’s endorsement speaks to the importance of all of us paying attention and being involved. These multiple groups are also enabling “bundling” of campaign funds, allowing the groups to legally bypass the city’s campaign finance rules.
Inter-campaign tensions are also ugly in Boulder this election season. Alleged social media attacks led to cease-and-desist letters followed by a lawsuit which was countered with charges of campaign finance violations. If only we could discuss the issues face-to-face in a civil manner!
And last but not least, Boulder’s 2018 well-intentioned Ballot Question 2E is tying the hands of city council. The 2018 measure prevents city council from altering or modifying the “basic intent” of a measure passed by voters. Perhaps we all thought that writers of ballot measures would do such a fabulous job that no changes would be necessary. What we are seeing this year and last is that citizen initiatives (and charter amendments about petition signatures) are not so easy to write well. Boulderites are discussing what “basic intent” means and whether we can risk adopting potentially flawed changes to city code.
Off-year elections are typically low-turnout elections, but competitive elections increase turnout because people feel like their vote will really count. The city of Boulder has 5 referred charter changes and 3 citizen initiatives on the ballot, not to mention council and school board races. Turnout could be high. Three statewide ballot measures have not been getting as much attention, but they are also important so please educate yourself and vote the whole ballot.
In Colorado you can register and vote as late as Election Day, Tuesday, November 2, 2021. You have 3 ways to vote:
1) In person at one of your county’s Voter Service and Polling Centers
2) Mail your ballot with appropriate postage and allowing for adequate delivery time
3) Drop off your ballot at any Colorado polling place or ballot drop box, even outside of your county.
Each of the 11 ballot measures has its own post if you’d like more information or if you would like to make a comment on a specific ballot measure. Please limit comments on this introductory post to general comments about the process or the election.
At the bottom of this blog entry are other ballot issue websites as well as a link to the Boulder County Clerk’s website. The links will be updated as more information becomes available.
VOCABULARY
Amendment = Constitutional change
Any non-repeal amendments require 55% of the electorate for passage
Proposition = Statutory change
Initiatives - denoted by numbers
Electors signed petitions to put these on the ballot.
Referenda - denoted by a number and letter for cities
The city council put the referenda on the ballot.
Ballot Issues = Tax or debt measures
Ballot Questions = Others
2021 BALLOT MEASURES
STATE OF COLORADO
Amendment 78
Require Legislative Authority for Spending State Custodial Money
Require “custodial money” for a designated purpose be appropriated by the state legislature after a public hearing
NO/AGAINST
Proposition 119
Fund Out-of-School Enrichment and Academic Programs by Increasing Marijuana Taxes and Reallocating State Funds
Create the Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (LEAP) Program and fund LEAP through a 5% increase in retail marijuana sales and by reallocating some of the Public School Lands income
no/against
Proposition 120
Reduce Select Property Tax Assessment Rates and Allow Short-Term Retention of Limited Compensatory Excess Revenue
Reduce the residential rate for multi-family housing from 7.15% to 6.5%, reduce the commercial rate for lodging properties from 29% to 26.4%, and allow retention of compensatory excess state revenue up to $25M for 5 fiscal years to offset loss of property tax revenue and state reimbursement of local homestead tax exemption
NO/AGAINST
CITY OF BOULDER
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2I
Extend Community, Culture, (Resilience) and Safety Sales and Use Tax for 15 Years
Renew again the 0.3% tax until Dec 31, 2036 to fund capital improvement projects and grants for non-profit organizations
leaning yes/leaning for
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2J
Approve Incurrence of Debt with Repayment from Ballot Issue 2I Tax
Approve issuance of bonds to be paid from extended Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety Tax to fund capital improvements
no/against
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2K
Council-Appointed Committees
Charter amendment to codify city council’s practice of appointing 2 council members to committees with allowances for more council members and require a recruitment committee for a council hire
yes/for
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2L
Standardize Petition Signature Requirements
Charter amendment to set the signature requirement to 10% of the voters in the previous 2 municipal candidate elections
YES/FOR
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2M
Untie City Council Pay from Meeting Attendance
Charter amendment to pay council members for 52 meetings each year on the city employee schedule
yes/for
City of Boulder Ballot Question 300
Bedrooms + 1 = Unrelated People Allowed
Allow the number of unrelated occupants be equal to 1 + the number of legal bedrooms
no/against
City of Boulder Ballot Question 301
Fur-Free Products
Prohibit manufacture and sale of most new fur products in the city of Boulder
no/against
City of Boulder Ballot Question 302
Voter Approval of CU South Annexation Agreement
Require any CU South annexation agreement to include certain details and to get electorate approval
no/against
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION SITES
Colorado Secretary of State – Go Vote Colorado page
http://govotecolorado.gov
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder
303 413 7740
https://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/
Look up your voter registration, see a sample ballot, check your ballot status, and find the county Voter Service and Polling Center locations.
GOVERNMENT SITES
Blue Book / Folleto Informativo (Colorado Legislative Council)
https://leg.colorado.gov/content/initiatives/initiatives-blue-book-overview/ballot-information-booklet-blue-book
The real name of the Blue Book is the 2020 State Ballot Information Booklet – available in English and Spanish.
City of Boulder
https://bouldercolorado.gov/elections
Boulder Valley School District
no ballot measures – only candidates and a potential recall election
https://www.bvsd.org/about/board-of-education/elections2021
MEDIA SITES
Boulder Beat Voter Guide
https://boulderbeat.news/election-2021/
Boulder Weekly Election Guide
https://www.boulderweekly.com/featured/vote-guide-2021/
Daily Camera Endorsements and Election Page
https://www.dailycamera.com/tag/2021-endorsements/
https://www.dailycamera.com/tag/2021-election/
A paper copy of the Voter Guide appeared on Oct 10, 2021.
Colorado Politics Elections Page (including investigation into Mesa County Clerk)
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/elections/2021/
Colorado Public Radio Ballot Guide
https://www.cpr.org/2021/10/07/colorado-voter-guide-2021-election/
Colorado Sun Voter Guide
https://coloradosun.com/2021/10/08/colorado-voter-guide-elections-2021
INFORMATION-ONLY SITES
League of Women Voters – also listed under Advocacy Sites
vote411.org
See your ballot, learn about the issues and the candidates
Ballotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_2021_ballot_measures
Entries for individual ballot measures list supporters and opponents, campaign finance information and more
Common Sense Institute – State and Denver ballot measures
https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/2021-ballot-issues/
ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION SITES
These sites take positions on all or most of the measures.
League of Women Voters of Boulder County Elections 2021 (English and Spanish)
https://lwvbc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=629866&module_id=487391
Boulder Chamber of Commerce – Eye on the Ballot
https://boulderchamber.com/advocacy/election-resources/
PLAN-Boulder County
https://planboulder.org/uncategorized/vote-for-rosenblum-christy-winer-wallach-decalo/
Bell Policy Center
https://www.bellpolicy.org/2021/10/08/2021-ballot-guide/
POLITICAL PARTY SITES
Boulder County Democratic Party Voter Guide
https://www.bocodems.org/2021-voter-guide/
Boulder County Republican Party Elections Page
https://bocogop.org/local-government-advoacy/#city-of-boulder
Independence Institute – Libertarian Think Tank
https://i2i.org/guide-2021/
CITIZEN SITES
Richard Valenty
https://richardvalenty.com/2021-city-of-boulder-ballot-measures/
In Boulder, many new groups, some with almost the same lists of board members, have popped up. The cloned groups, not surprisingly, make basically identical endorsements. This may be a record year for endorsements, but I’ve chosen not to include most of the new groups in the listing below. In addition, a story of at least one group taking control of a board and sabotaging a candidate’s endorsement speaks to the importance of all of us paying attention and being involved. These multiple groups are also enabling “bundling” of campaign funds, allowing the groups to legally bypass the city’s campaign finance rules.
Inter-campaign tensions are also ugly in Boulder this election season. Alleged social media attacks led to cease-and-desist letters followed by a lawsuit which was countered with charges of campaign finance violations. If only we could discuss the issues face-to-face in a civil manner!
And last but not least, Boulder’s 2018 well-intentioned Ballot Question 2E is tying the hands of city council. The 2018 measure prevents city council from altering or modifying the “basic intent” of a measure passed by voters. Perhaps we all thought that writers of ballot measures would do such a fabulous job that no changes would be necessary. What we are seeing this year and last is that citizen initiatives (and charter amendments about petition signatures) are not so easy to write well. Boulderites are discussing what “basic intent” means and whether we can risk adopting potentially flawed changes to city code.
Off-year elections are typically low-turnout elections, but competitive elections increase turnout because people feel like their vote will really count. The city of Boulder has 5 referred charter changes and 3 citizen initiatives on the ballot, not to mention council and school board races. Turnout could be high. Three statewide ballot measures have not been getting as much attention, but they are also important so please educate yourself and vote the whole ballot.
In Colorado you can register and vote as late as Election Day, Tuesday, November 2, 2021. You have 3 ways to vote:
1) In person at one of your county’s Voter Service and Polling Centers
2) Mail your ballot with appropriate postage and allowing for adequate delivery time
3) Drop off your ballot at any Colorado polling place or ballot drop box, even outside of your county.
Each of the 11 ballot measures has its own post if you’d like more information or if you would like to make a comment on a specific ballot measure. Please limit comments on this introductory post to general comments about the process or the election.
At the bottom of this blog entry are other ballot issue websites as well as a link to the Boulder County Clerk’s website. The links will be updated as more information becomes available.
VOCABULARY
Amendment = Constitutional change
Any non-repeal amendments require 55% of the electorate for passage
Proposition = Statutory change
Initiatives - denoted by numbers
Electors signed petitions to put these on the ballot.
Referenda - denoted by a number and letter for cities
The city council put the referenda on the ballot.
Ballot Issues = Tax or debt measures
Ballot Questions = Others
2021 BALLOT MEASURES
STATE OF COLORADO
Amendment 78
Require Legislative Authority for Spending State Custodial Money
Require “custodial money” for a designated purpose be appropriated by the state legislature after a public hearing
NO/AGAINST
Proposition 119
Fund Out-of-School Enrichment and Academic Programs by Increasing Marijuana Taxes and Reallocating State Funds
Create the Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (LEAP) Program and fund LEAP through a 5% increase in retail marijuana sales and by reallocating some of the Public School Lands income
no/against
Proposition 120
Reduce Select Property Tax Assessment Rates and Allow Short-Term Retention of Limited Compensatory Excess Revenue
Reduce the residential rate for multi-family housing from 7.15% to 6.5%, reduce the commercial rate for lodging properties from 29% to 26.4%, and allow retention of compensatory excess state revenue up to $25M for 5 fiscal years to offset loss of property tax revenue and state reimbursement of local homestead tax exemption
NO/AGAINST
CITY OF BOULDER
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2I
Extend Community, Culture, (Resilience) and Safety Sales and Use Tax for 15 Years
Renew again the 0.3% tax until Dec 31, 2036 to fund capital improvement projects and grants for non-profit organizations
leaning yes/leaning for
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2J
Approve Incurrence of Debt with Repayment from Ballot Issue 2I Tax
Approve issuance of bonds to be paid from extended Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety Tax to fund capital improvements
no/against
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2K
Council-Appointed Committees
Charter amendment to codify city council’s practice of appointing 2 council members to committees with allowances for more council members and require a recruitment committee for a council hire
yes/for
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2L
Standardize Petition Signature Requirements
Charter amendment to set the signature requirement to 10% of the voters in the previous 2 municipal candidate elections
YES/FOR
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2M
Untie City Council Pay from Meeting Attendance
Charter amendment to pay council members for 52 meetings each year on the city employee schedule
yes/for
City of Boulder Ballot Question 300
Bedrooms + 1 = Unrelated People Allowed
Allow the number of unrelated occupants be equal to 1 + the number of legal bedrooms
no/against
City of Boulder Ballot Question 301
Fur-Free Products
Prohibit manufacture and sale of most new fur products in the city of Boulder
no/against
City of Boulder Ballot Question 302
Voter Approval of CU South Annexation Agreement
Require any CU South annexation agreement to include certain details and to get electorate approval
no/against
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION SITES
Colorado Secretary of State – Go Vote Colorado page
http://govotecolorado.gov
Boulder County Clerk and Recorder
303 413 7740
https://www.bouldercounty.org/elections/
Look up your voter registration, see a sample ballot, check your ballot status, and find the county Voter Service and Polling Center locations.
GOVERNMENT SITES
Blue Book / Folleto Informativo (Colorado Legislative Council)
https://leg.colorado.gov/content/initiatives/initiatives-blue-book-overview/ballot-information-booklet-blue-book
The real name of the Blue Book is the 2020 State Ballot Information Booklet – available in English and Spanish.
City of Boulder
https://bouldercolorado.gov/elections
Boulder Valley School District
no ballot measures – only candidates and a potential recall election
https://www.bvsd.org/about/board-of-education/elections2021
MEDIA SITES
Boulder Beat Voter Guide
https://boulderbeat.news/election-2021/
Boulder Weekly Election Guide
https://www.boulderweekly.com/featured/vote-guide-2021/
Daily Camera Endorsements and Election Page
https://www.dailycamera.com/tag/2021-endorsements/
https://www.dailycamera.com/tag/2021-election/
A paper copy of the Voter Guide appeared on Oct 10, 2021.
Colorado Politics Elections Page (including investigation into Mesa County Clerk)
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/elections/2021/
Colorado Public Radio Ballot Guide
https://www.cpr.org/2021/10/07/colorado-voter-guide-2021-election/
Colorado Sun Voter Guide
https://coloradosun.com/2021/10/08/colorado-voter-guide-elections-2021
INFORMATION-ONLY SITES
League of Women Voters – also listed under Advocacy Sites
vote411.org
See your ballot, learn about the issues and the candidates
Ballotpedia
https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_2021_ballot_measures
Entries for individual ballot measures list supporters and opponents, campaign finance information and more
Common Sense Institute – State and Denver ballot measures
https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/2021-ballot-issues/
ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION SITES
These sites take positions on all or most of the measures.
League of Women Voters of Boulder County Elections 2021 (English and Spanish)
https://lwvbc.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=629866&module_id=487391
Boulder Chamber of Commerce – Eye on the Ballot
https://boulderchamber.com/advocacy/election-resources/
PLAN-Boulder County
https://planboulder.org/uncategorized/vote-for-rosenblum-christy-winer-wallach-decalo/
Bell Policy Center
https://www.bellpolicy.org/2021/10/08/2021-ballot-guide/
POLITICAL PARTY SITES
Boulder County Democratic Party Voter Guide
https://www.bocodems.org/2021-voter-guide/
Boulder County Republican Party Elections Page
https://bocogop.org/local-government-advoacy/#city-of-boulder
Independence Institute – Libertarian Think Tank
https://i2i.org/guide-2021/
CITIZEN SITES
Richard Valenty
https://richardvalenty.com/2021-city-of-boulder-ballot-measures/
Saturday, October 16, 2021
Amendment 78 – Require Legislative Authority for Spending State Custodial Money
Custodial money is state revenue which originates from outside of state government and which has a designated purpose. The relevant state agency, public college or universities, or elected official spends custodial money. Examples of types of custodial money include federal emergency relief funds, legal settlements, most transportation funding (due to a quirk in the law), grants and donations.
Amendment 78 would add three words (noted with capitalization) to article V, section 33 of the state constitution: No moneys in the state treasury, NOR CUSTODIAL MONEYS, shall be disbursed … except upon appropriations made by law.” Amendment 78 requires 55% support from the electorate for this constitutional change to take effect.
The part of Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-31-108 that details how custodial money is currently handled would be deleted. Parts 3(d)(e)(f) and (g) would be added to CRS 24-75-201 to set up a new process for handling custodial funds. The proposed process entails setting up a Custodial Funds Transparency Fund and requiring the legislature to appropriate the funds “in a public hearing with the opportunity for public comment.” “Earnings and revenue from the Custodial Funds Transparency Fund shall revert to the General Fund.”
Currently custodial money is “not subject to annual appropriation by the General Assembly,” but state law requires that the expenditure directions be delivered both to the treasurer and to the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee. Money may “be expended only for the purposes for which the money has been provided.”
Because the legislature meets from January to May and the state receives custodial money all year long, expenditure of custodial money could face delays when the legislature is not in session. Special sessions are rare, but might not be if Amendment 78 passes.
A lawsuit against Amendment 78’s registered agents and the Secretary of State claims that Amendment 78 is not a TABOR question. Only TABOR questions are allowed on the state ballot in odd years. Ballots are printed, but if the lawsuit is successful, then all votes cast on this measure would be invalidated.
Recommendation: NO/AGAINST
Because custodial money has a designated purpose already, requiring a public hearing just mucks up the works with little benefit. Within the constraint of the specific designated purpose, e.g., pandemic relief, the legislature could make different decisions on how to spend the money than a state agency or elected official, but holding a governor or head of a state agency accountable is easier than holding a legislature accountable.
The proponents of this amendment take issue with how Gov Polis allocated some federal stimulus money during the COVID pandemic.
If the purpose of Amendment 78 is transparency, then the backers could have proposed a statutory change (requiring only a majority of CO voters to pass) to require that the Department of the Treasury’s “accounting of how custodial money has been or will be expended” be in the annual general appropriation act.
Website for the Yes side – Committee for Spending Transparency
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
Amendment 78 ((Constitutional)
Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution and a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning money that the state receives, and, in connection therewith, requiring all money received by the state, including money provided to the state for a particular purpose, known as custodial money, to be subject to appropriation by the general assembly after a public hearing; repealing the authority to disburse money from the state treasury by any other means; requiring all custodial money to be deposited into the newly created custodial funds transparency fund and the earnings on those deposits to be transferred to the general fund; and allowing the state to retain and spend all custodial money and earnings and revenue on that custodial money as a voter-approved revenue change?
YES/FOR ____
NO/AGAINST ____
Amendment 78 initiative language filed with the Secretary of State
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/19Final.pdf
Amendment 78 would add three words (noted with capitalization) to article V, section 33 of the state constitution: No moneys in the state treasury, NOR CUSTODIAL MONEYS, shall be disbursed … except upon appropriations made by law.” Amendment 78 requires 55% support from the electorate for this constitutional change to take effect.
The part of Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-31-108 that details how custodial money is currently handled would be deleted. Parts 3(d)(e)(f) and (g) would be added to CRS 24-75-201 to set up a new process for handling custodial funds. The proposed process entails setting up a Custodial Funds Transparency Fund and requiring the legislature to appropriate the funds “in a public hearing with the opportunity for public comment.” “Earnings and revenue from the Custodial Funds Transparency Fund shall revert to the General Fund.”
Currently custodial money is “not subject to annual appropriation by the General Assembly,” but state law requires that the expenditure directions be delivered both to the treasurer and to the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee. Money may “be expended only for the purposes for which the money has been provided.”
Because the legislature meets from January to May and the state receives custodial money all year long, expenditure of custodial money could face delays when the legislature is not in session. Special sessions are rare, but might not be if Amendment 78 passes.
A lawsuit against Amendment 78’s registered agents and the Secretary of State claims that Amendment 78 is not a TABOR question. Only TABOR questions are allowed on the state ballot in odd years. Ballots are printed, but if the lawsuit is successful, then all votes cast on this measure would be invalidated.
Recommendation: NO/AGAINST
Because custodial money has a designated purpose already, requiring a public hearing just mucks up the works with little benefit. Within the constraint of the specific designated purpose, e.g., pandemic relief, the legislature could make different decisions on how to spend the money than a state agency or elected official, but holding a governor or head of a state agency accountable is easier than holding a legislature accountable.
The proponents of this amendment take issue with how Gov Polis allocated some federal stimulus money during the COVID pandemic.
If the purpose of Amendment 78 is transparency, then the backers could have proposed a statutory change (requiring only a majority of CO voters to pass) to require that the Department of the Treasury’s “accounting of how custodial money has been or will be expended” be in the annual general appropriation act.
Website for the Yes side – Committee for Spending Transparency
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
Amendment 78 ((Constitutional)
Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution and a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning money that the state receives, and, in connection therewith, requiring all money received by the state, including money provided to the state for a particular purpose, known as custodial money, to be subject to appropriation by the general assembly after a public hearing; repealing the authority to disburse money from the state treasury by any other means; requiring all custodial money to be deposited into the newly created custodial funds transparency fund and the earnings on those deposits to be transferred to the general fund; and allowing the state to retain and spend all custodial money and earnings and revenue on that custodial money as a voter-approved revenue change?
YES/FOR ____
NO/AGAINST ____
Amendment 78 initiative language filed with the Secretary of State
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/19Final.pdf
Proposition 119 – Fund Out-of-School Enrichment and Academic Programs by Increasing Marijuana Taxes and Reallocating State Funds
Prop 119 would create an independent state agency to establish and administer the Learning Enrichment and Academic Progress (LEAP) Program for out-of-school learning opportunities. LEAP would be funded through a 5% increase in the retail marijuana sales tax and by reallocating some of the Public School Lands income. Prop 119 would add article 86.1 to title 22 of the Colorado Revised Statutes and amend revenue and spending sections 36-1-116 and 39-28.8-202 through 39-28.8-204.
Children from ages 5 to 17 would be eligible. The program opportunities would vary widely, from academic tutoring to arts to presumably (non-credit) sports opportunities. The opportunities may not be part of the regular school day. Providers would be pre-certified by LEAP. Participating students would choose from activities offered by a list of approved providers. LEAP would prioritize financial aid for low-income students; such aid could fund transportation to the activity. The state agency’s board of directors would be appointed by the governor.
Recommendation: no/against
Outside of school hours, kids should be playing outside, learning about nature, reading books, conducting experiments and engaging intellectually with other people. Students who don’t have access to enrichment activities right now – like students who are babysat after school by a TV – but would take advantage of LEAP enrichment activities are the ones who would most benefit. Students from higher socioeconomic levels often participate in extracurricular activities because their families can afford the fees and have transportation and flexible childcare.
The idea of LEAP is meritorious. The implementation is problematic, and Prop 119 would create a huge funding bureaucracy.
LEAP would not be allowed to “supplant existing public or charitable funding for programs.” Publicly-funded programs have to follow state guidelines on content, administration and enrollment. The criteria to approve LEAP programs would be determined by the LEAP authority.
Financial aid ($1500/year) would be available for approved LEAP programs. Currently, fee-based enrichment programs are often encouraged to offer scholarships to be more accessible to low-income students. Under Prop 119, if a popular activity doesn’t want low-income kids, the executives would simply not apply to be on the approved list and might also feel less obligated to offer scholarships. After financial aid is distributed to LEAP programs for participating low-income students, the LEAP authority would distribute the rest of the financial aid to other, presumably non-needy, participating students.
To pay for LEAP, Prop 119 would increase marijuana taxes (which may lead to more black-market sales) and reallocate state funds that would take money away from public schools.
You don’t often hear about an organization retracting support for a ballot measure, but the Colorado Education Association did just that on Prop 119 after better understanding the LEAP program.
Website for the Yes side – Yes on Prop 119
https://leap4co.com/
Website for the No side – No on Prop 119
https://noonprop119.com/
Approved Ballot Language
Proposition 119 (Statutory)
SHALL STATE TAXES BE INCREASED $137,600,000 ANNUALLY ON RETAIL MARIJUANA SALES BY A CHANGE TO THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES CONCERNING THE CREATION OF A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE OUT-OF-SCHOOL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLORADO CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 17, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, CREATING AN INDEPENDENT STATE AGENCY TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES CHOSEN BY PARENTS; FUNDING THE PROGRAM BY INCREASING THE RETAIL MARIJUANA SALES TAX BY 5% BY 2024 AND REALLOCATING A PORTION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL LANDS INCOME; AUTHORIZING TRANSFERS AND REVENUE FOR PROGRAM FUNDING AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE; SPECIFYING THAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE TUTORING AND EXTRA INSTRUCTION IN SUBJECTS INCLUDING READING, MATH, SCIENCE, WRITING, MUSIC, AND ART, TARGETED SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND LEARNING DISABILITIES, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION TRAINING, AND OTHER ACADEMIC OR ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES; AND PRIORITIZING PROGRAM FINANCIAL AID FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS?
YES/FOR ____
NO/AGAINST ____
Proposition 119 initiative language filed with the Secretary of State
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/25Final.pdf
Children from ages 5 to 17 would be eligible. The program opportunities would vary widely, from academic tutoring to arts to presumably (non-credit) sports opportunities. The opportunities may not be part of the regular school day. Providers would be pre-certified by LEAP. Participating students would choose from activities offered by a list of approved providers. LEAP would prioritize financial aid for low-income students; such aid could fund transportation to the activity. The state agency’s board of directors would be appointed by the governor.
Recommendation: no/against
Outside of school hours, kids should be playing outside, learning about nature, reading books, conducting experiments and engaging intellectually with other people. Students who don’t have access to enrichment activities right now – like students who are babysat after school by a TV – but would take advantage of LEAP enrichment activities are the ones who would most benefit. Students from higher socioeconomic levels often participate in extracurricular activities because their families can afford the fees and have transportation and flexible childcare.
The idea of LEAP is meritorious. The implementation is problematic, and Prop 119 would create a huge funding bureaucracy.
LEAP would not be allowed to “supplant existing public or charitable funding for programs.” Publicly-funded programs have to follow state guidelines on content, administration and enrollment. The criteria to approve LEAP programs would be determined by the LEAP authority.
Financial aid ($1500/year) would be available for approved LEAP programs. Currently, fee-based enrichment programs are often encouraged to offer scholarships to be more accessible to low-income students. Under Prop 119, if a popular activity doesn’t want low-income kids, the executives would simply not apply to be on the approved list and might also feel less obligated to offer scholarships. After financial aid is distributed to LEAP programs for participating low-income students, the LEAP authority would distribute the rest of the financial aid to other, presumably non-needy, participating students.
To pay for LEAP, Prop 119 would increase marijuana taxes (which may lead to more black-market sales) and reallocate state funds that would take money away from public schools.
You don’t often hear about an organization retracting support for a ballot measure, but the Colorado Education Association did just that on Prop 119 after better understanding the LEAP program.
Website for the Yes side – Yes on Prop 119
https://leap4co.com/
Website for the No side – No on Prop 119
https://noonprop119.com/
Approved Ballot Language
Proposition 119 (Statutory)
SHALL STATE TAXES BE INCREASED $137,600,000 ANNUALLY ON RETAIL MARIJUANA SALES BY A CHANGE TO THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES CONCERNING THE CREATION OF A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE OUT-OF-SCHOOL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLORADO CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 17, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, CREATING AN INDEPENDENT STATE AGENCY TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES CHOSEN BY PARENTS; FUNDING THE PROGRAM BY INCREASING THE RETAIL MARIJUANA SALES TAX BY 5% BY 2024 AND REALLOCATING A PORTION OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL LANDS INCOME; AUTHORIZING TRANSFERS AND REVENUE FOR PROGRAM FUNDING AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE; SPECIFYING THAT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDE TUTORING AND EXTRA INSTRUCTION IN SUBJECTS INCLUDING READING, MATH, SCIENCE, WRITING, MUSIC, AND ART, TARGETED SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND LEARNING DISABILITIES, CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION TRAINING, AND OTHER ACADEMIC OR ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES; AND PRIORITIZING PROGRAM FINANCIAL AID FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS?
YES/FOR ____
NO/AGAINST ____
Proposition 119 initiative language filed with the Secretary of State
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/25Final.pdf
Proposition 120 – Reduce Select Property Tax Assessment Rates and Allow Short-Term Retention of Limited Compensatory Excess Revenue
Prop 120 was originally designed to reduce the residential rate from 7.15% to 6.5% and the commercial rate from 29% to 26.4% and to allow retention of excess state revenue up to $25M for 5 fiscal years to offset the loss of property tax revenue and state reimbursement of local homestead tax exemption.
After the ballot question was set, the passage of Senate Bill 293 “Property Tax Classification and Assessment Rates” (with bipartisan sponsors) limited the reduction in the residential rate to only multi-family housing and the reduction in the commercial rate to only lodging properties. Most voters will not see a change in their property tax rate as a result of the passage of Prop 120.
The $1.03 billion reduction for 2023 in the ballot language refers to the pre-SB293 impact of Prop 120. The estimated reduction post-SB293 is about $50M –about 5% of what the proponents hoped for.
Recommendation: NO/AGAINST
TABOR continues to be a thorn in the side of government budgets. State and local governments have to balance budgets. Prop 120 seeks to reduce taxes but makes no stipulation for making up the revenue. Fortunately, Prop 120’s worst effects have been pre-empted by Senate Bill 293. [In September the Boulder City Council similarly pre-empted Ballot Question 302.]
Prop 120 would reduce revenue for local governments, from counties to fire districts and school districts which rely on property taxes tied to assessment rates. The passage of BVSD Ballot Issue 3A in 2010 should mean that BVSD’s total program funding won’t be impacted, but BVSD’s 2016 property tax increase to fund construction, maintenance and technology would be impacted.
Prop 120 makes the state responsible for offsetting the loss of local property tax revenue, but only if the state has excess revenue, only up to $25M per year and only for 5 years. According to the Blue Book, the state spent $157.9M on homestead tax exemption reimbursements in budget year 2020-21. Prop 120 is a very bad deal for the state and would almost surely be a bad deal for local governments.
Website for the Yes side – Cut Property Taxes
https://cutpropertytaxesco.com/
Website for the No side
No known website – Info on an opponents’ website appreciated.
Analysis by Common Sense Institute, a policy research group which doesn’t endorse or oppose ballot measures
https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/proposition-120-property-tax/
Approved Ballot Language
Proposition 120 (Statutory)
Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning property tax reductions, and, in connection therewith, reducing property tax revenue by an estimated $1.03 billion in 2023 and by comparable amounts thereafter by reducing the residential property tax assessment rate from 7.15% to 6.5% and reducing the property tax assessment rate for all other property, excluding producing mines and lands or leaseholds producing oil or gas, from 29% to 26.4% and allowing the state to annually retain and spend up to $25 million of excess state revenue, if any, for state fiscal years 2022-23 through 2026-27 as a voter-approved revenue change to offset lost revenue resulting from the property tax rate reductions and to reimburse local governments for revenue lost due to the homestead exemptions for qualifying seniors and disabled veterans?
YES/FOR ____
NO/AGAINST ____
Proposition 120 initiative language filed with the Secretary of State
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/27Final.pdf
After the ballot question was set, the passage of Senate Bill 293 “Property Tax Classification and Assessment Rates” (with bipartisan sponsors) limited the reduction in the residential rate to only multi-family housing and the reduction in the commercial rate to only lodging properties. Most voters will not see a change in their property tax rate as a result of the passage of Prop 120.
The $1.03 billion reduction for 2023 in the ballot language refers to the pre-SB293 impact of Prop 120. The estimated reduction post-SB293 is about $50M –about 5% of what the proponents hoped for.
Recommendation: NO/AGAINST
TABOR continues to be a thorn in the side of government budgets. State and local governments have to balance budgets. Prop 120 seeks to reduce taxes but makes no stipulation for making up the revenue. Fortunately, Prop 120’s worst effects have been pre-empted by Senate Bill 293. [In September the Boulder City Council similarly pre-empted Ballot Question 302.]
Prop 120 would reduce revenue for local governments, from counties to fire districts and school districts which rely on property taxes tied to assessment rates. The passage of BVSD Ballot Issue 3A in 2010 should mean that BVSD’s total program funding won’t be impacted, but BVSD’s 2016 property tax increase to fund construction, maintenance and technology would be impacted.
Prop 120 makes the state responsible for offsetting the loss of local property tax revenue, but only if the state has excess revenue, only up to $25M per year and only for 5 years. According to the Blue Book, the state spent $157.9M on homestead tax exemption reimbursements in budget year 2020-21. Prop 120 is a very bad deal for the state and would almost surely be a bad deal for local governments.
Website for the Yes side – Cut Property Taxes
https://cutpropertytaxesco.com/
Website for the No side
No known website – Info on an opponents’ website appreciated.
Analysis by Common Sense Institute, a policy research group which doesn’t endorse or oppose ballot measures
https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/proposition-120-property-tax/
Approved Ballot Language
Proposition 120 (Statutory)
Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning property tax reductions, and, in connection therewith, reducing property tax revenue by an estimated $1.03 billion in 2023 and by comparable amounts thereafter by reducing the residential property tax assessment rate from 7.15% to 6.5% and reducing the property tax assessment rate for all other property, excluding producing mines and lands or leaseholds producing oil or gas, from 29% to 26.4% and allowing the state to annually retain and spend up to $25 million of excess state revenue, if any, for state fiscal years 2022-23 through 2026-27 as a voter-approved revenue change to offset lost revenue resulting from the property tax rate reductions and to reimburse local governments for revenue lost due to the homestead exemptions for qualifying seniors and disabled veterans?
YES/FOR ____
NO/AGAINST ____
Proposition 120 initiative language filed with the Secretary of State
https://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections/Initiatives/titleBoard/filings/2021-2022/27Final.pdf
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
City of Boulder 2I – Extend Community, Culture, (Resilience) and Safety Sales and Use Tax for 15 Years
Ballot Issue 2I would renew a 0.3% sales tax until Dec 31, 2036 in order to fund capital improvement projects and grants for non-profit organizations. The tax extension’s total revenue is estimated at about $200M.
In 2014 Boulder voters passed a 0.3% temporary tax increase for 3 years for community, culture and safety. In 2017 voters extended the tax for 4 more years so it’s due to expire at the end of this year. This year council is going big, asking for a 15-year extension and asking in Ballot Issue 2J to take on debt to spend much of the expected revenue on the front end rather than over time as the money is collected. Council is also inserting “resilience” into the name of the tax.
Up to 10% of the revenue from this sales tax could be used to fund grants for unspecified non-profit organizations serving the city of Boulder. (In contrast, for the tax’s 2017 renewal, about 20% of the revenue went toward specific capital improvement projects for seven non-profit groups.) The rest of the revenue would go toward the long list of projects detailed in the ballot language below to pay for maintenance, capital improvement, new capital purchases and new construction. If both 2I and 2J pass, then many of the projects –those reiterated in the 2J ballot language – would be funded by taking on debt.
When this tax was first proposed in 2014, the Boulder sales tax was 3.56% so this increase bumped the rate up to 3.86%. With county, RTD, SCFD, and state taxes, the total sales tax is currently 8.845%. The total sales tax was 8.21% in 2014. The other sales tax increase since then was a 0.185% 5-year county flood recovery tax beginning in 2015 which voters have since converted into a jail and alternative sentencing 15-year tax.
If this tax passes, the city sales tax of 3.86% will consist of the following permanent and temporary buckets:
2.86% permanent for general fund, open space, and transportation
0.15% thru 2039 for open space
0.15% thru 2029 for transportation then thru 2039 for general fund
0.3% thru 2036 for culture, safety, etc (this ballot measure)
0.25% thru 2035 for parks and rec
0.15% thru 2024 for general fund
Recommendation: leaning yes/leaning for
A more accurate name for this tax is a 15-Year Tax to Cover a Maintenance Backlog and to Give Grants to Non-Profits or “Maintenance and Grants Tax” for short. Adding “resilience” to the name seems like a marketing tactic.
Looking to the future, the city should create a long-term plan to pay for maintenance out of the general fund or out of a permanent tax. Maintenance needs won’t disappear after 15 years and will continue to accumulate during the 15 years; passing this tax gives the city another chance to come up with a long-term plan to be more resilient.
Non-profit organizations may be unhappy that their percentage is being cut in this ballot measure and that they would have to compete with more organizations. Non-profits often do good work, but they are not automatically entitled to city funding. If the city cannot fund its own critical infrastructure needs, one could ask if the city should be funding other, more peripheral, needs.
Boulder voters have a generous track record of approving taxes and tax extensions, and this extension seems likely to pass also. In the unlikely event this measure were to fail, council would no doubt come back next year with another tax measure, preferably with a resilient plan to husband resources better over the long term. Formulating such a plan is particularly important because a 3.71% city sales tax is fixed through 2035.
If the city doesn’t quickly become more resilient, it appears poised to ask for a new tax in the near future.
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 (mostly following the less capitalized format on the city’s website)
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2I
Without raising the current tax rate, shall the existing Community, Culture and Safety sales and use tax of 0.3%, scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2021, be extended to Dec. 31, 2036, and be known as the Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety Tax, with the revenue from such tax extension and all earnings thereon be used to fund city capital improvement projects such as:
maintain and improve roads and multi-modal paths; replace critically deteriorated signal poles; replace Central Avenue bridge; improve the Boulder Creek Path corridor; implement the Boulder Civic Area Phase 2/Central Park improvements; complete Fire Station 3 construction; relocate or reconstruct Fire Station 2 or Fire Station 4; purchase emergency vehicles for Boulder Fire-Rescue to provide advanced life support; renovate East Boulder Recreation Center; acquire streetlight system and convert to LED lights; refresh Pearl Street Mall;
and future city capital improvement projects such as those in the following categories: transportation system resilience – maintain and modernize Boulder's transportation system to allow for safer and more efficient flow for all modes of transportation including pedestrian, bike, and vehicles; progress toward climate goals – renovate and retrofit the city’s aged facilities to increase resilience and reduce carbon emissions; safe and prepared Boulder – maintain and replace capital infrastructure that supports first responders; active and healthy Boulder – maintain and modernize facilities needed to provide residents the amenities and opportunities to recreate and maintain healthy and active lifestyle; community focused technology improvements – modernize and consolidate the city’s data infrastructure and outreach tools for more transparent, faster, accessible, and user-friendly resident and visitor service;
and use up to 10% of tax revenue to fund a grant pool for non-profit organization projects that serve the people of Boulder and related costs including grant program administration costs in compliance with terms, conditions, and timing adopted by the City Council;
and in connection therewith, shall the tax revenues and any earnings from the revenues constitute a voter approved revenue change and an exception to the revenue and spending limits of Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution?
YES/FOR _____
NO/AGAINST _____
Ordinance No. 8476 to put Issue 2I to the voters
Ordinance 8476 or go to https://bouldercolorado.gov/nov-2-2021-boulder-election-ballot-measures-and-candidates
In 2014 Boulder voters passed a 0.3% temporary tax increase for 3 years for community, culture and safety. In 2017 voters extended the tax for 4 more years so it’s due to expire at the end of this year. This year council is going big, asking for a 15-year extension and asking in Ballot Issue 2J to take on debt to spend much of the expected revenue on the front end rather than over time as the money is collected. Council is also inserting “resilience” into the name of the tax.
Up to 10% of the revenue from this sales tax could be used to fund grants for unspecified non-profit organizations serving the city of Boulder. (In contrast, for the tax’s 2017 renewal, about 20% of the revenue went toward specific capital improvement projects for seven non-profit groups.) The rest of the revenue would go toward the long list of projects detailed in the ballot language below to pay for maintenance, capital improvement, new capital purchases and new construction. If both 2I and 2J pass, then many of the projects –those reiterated in the 2J ballot language – would be funded by taking on debt.
When this tax was first proposed in 2014, the Boulder sales tax was 3.56% so this increase bumped the rate up to 3.86%. With county, RTD, SCFD, and state taxes, the total sales tax is currently 8.845%. The total sales tax was 8.21% in 2014. The other sales tax increase since then was a 0.185% 5-year county flood recovery tax beginning in 2015 which voters have since converted into a jail and alternative sentencing 15-year tax.
If this tax passes, the city sales tax of 3.86% will consist of the following permanent and temporary buckets:
2.86% permanent for general fund, open space, and transportation
0.15% thru 2039 for open space
0.15% thru 2029 for transportation then thru 2039 for general fund
0.3% thru 2036 for culture, safety, etc (this ballot measure)
0.25% thru 2035 for parks and rec
0.15% thru 2024 for general fund
Recommendation: leaning yes/leaning for
A more accurate name for this tax is a 15-Year Tax to Cover a Maintenance Backlog and to Give Grants to Non-Profits or “Maintenance and Grants Tax” for short. Adding “resilience” to the name seems like a marketing tactic.
Looking to the future, the city should create a long-term plan to pay for maintenance out of the general fund or out of a permanent tax. Maintenance needs won’t disappear after 15 years and will continue to accumulate during the 15 years; passing this tax gives the city another chance to come up with a long-term plan to be more resilient.
Non-profit organizations may be unhappy that their percentage is being cut in this ballot measure and that they would have to compete with more organizations. Non-profits often do good work, but they are not automatically entitled to city funding. If the city cannot fund its own critical infrastructure needs, one could ask if the city should be funding other, more peripheral, needs.
Boulder voters have a generous track record of approving taxes and tax extensions, and this extension seems likely to pass also. In the unlikely event this measure were to fail, council would no doubt come back next year with another tax measure, preferably with a resilient plan to husband resources better over the long term. Formulating such a plan is particularly important because a 3.71% city sales tax is fixed through 2035.
If the city doesn’t quickly become more resilient, it appears poised to ask for a new tax in the near future.
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 (mostly following the less capitalized format on the city’s website)
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2I
Without raising the current tax rate, shall the existing Community, Culture and Safety sales and use tax of 0.3%, scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2021, be extended to Dec. 31, 2036, and be known as the Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety Tax, with the revenue from such tax extension and all earnings thereon be used to fund city capital improvement projects such as:
maintain and improve roads and multi-modal paths; replace critically deteriorated signal poles; replace Central Avenue bridge; improve the Boulder Creek Path corridor; implement the Boulder Civic Area Phase 2/Central Park improvements; complete Fire Station 3 construction; relocate or reconstruct Fire Station 2 or Fire Station 4; purchase emergency vehicles for Boulder Fire-Rescue to provide advanced life support; renovate East Boulder Recreation Center; acquire streetlight system and convert to LED lights; refresh Pearl Street Mall;
and future city capital improvement projects such as those in the following categories: transportation system resilience – maintain and modernize Boulder's transportation system to allow for safer and more efficient flow for all modes of transportation including pedestrian, bike, and vehicles; progress toward climate goals – renovate and retrofit the city’s aged facilities to increase resilience and reduce carbon emissions; safe and prepared Boulder – maintain and replace capital infrastructure that supports first responders; active and healthy Boulder – maintain and modernize facilities needed to provide residents the amenities and opportunities to recreate and maintain healthy and active lifestyle; community focused technology improvements – modernize and consolidate the city’s data infrastructure and outreach tools for more transparent, faster, accessible, and user-friendly resident and visitor service;
and use up to 10% of tax revenue to fund a grant pool for non-profit organization projects that serve the people of Boulder and related costs including grant program administration costs in compliance with terms, conditions, and timing adopted by the City Council;
and in connection therewith, shall the tax revenues and any earnings from the revenues constitute a voter approved revenue change and an exception to the revenue and spending limits of Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution?
YES/FOR _____
NO/AGAINST _____
Ordinance No. 8476 to put Issue 2I to the voters
Ordinance 8476 or go to https://bouldercolorado.gov/nov-2-2021-boulder-election-ballot-measures-and-candidates
City of Boulder 2J – Approve Incurrence of Debt with Repayment from Ballot Issue 2I Tax
Ballot Issue 2J asks voters to approve taking on debt to complete projects in the next few years and repay the debt over 15 years with the revenue from an extended Community, Culture, (Resilience) and Safety Tax in Ballot Issue 2I. Ballot Issues 2I and 2J must both pass for 2J to take effect.
The 2I tax extension is expected to realize about $200M in revenue. This 2J debt measure asks voters to approve $110M in debt with a maximum repayment of $158M so more than three-fourths of the tax revenue could go toward debt-financed projects.
Recommendation: no/against
Some of the large projects planned for 2J – replacing the Central Avenue bridge and constructing fire stations – are worthy of issuing bonds. Other projects could and should be paid for out of annual tax revenues without taking on debt.
For instance, many people would argue that fixing potholes and maintaining parks is a primary and ongoing function of local government. This sort of maintenance should be paid for out of a maintenance fund, not out of debt repaid over 15 years. Roads and parks need upgrades and maintenance on a regular basis. Imagine taking out a 15-year loan to pay for a roof that only lasts 10 years. What is the plan for paying for a replacement roof when you haven’t finished paying for the first roof?
Voters should reject 2J. The city should come back next year with a smaller, more targeted set of projects that won’t use up so much of our tax revenue. A revised plan will help the city to be more resilient in the future.
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 (mostly following the less capitalized format on the city’s website)
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2J
Shall City of Boulder debt be increased up to $110,000,000 (principal amount) with a maximum repayment cost of up to $158,000,000 (such amount being the total principal and interest that could be payable over the maximum life of the debt) to be payable solely from the extension of the Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety Sales and Use Tax of 0.3% (previously known as the Community, Culture and Safety Tax), if separately approved;
such debt to be sold at such time and in such manner and to contain such terms, not inconsistent herewith, as the city council may determine, with the proceeds of such debt and earnings thereon being used to fund city capital improvement projects and non-profit projects that serve the people of Boulder payable from such sales and use tax extension including, among other things:
maintain and improve roads and multi-modal paths; replace critically deteriorated signal poles; replace Central Avenue bridge; improve the Boulder Creek Path corridor; implement the Boulder Civic Area Phase 2/Central Park improvements; complete Fire Station 3 construction; relocate or reconstruct Fire Station 2 or Fire Station 4; purchase emergency vehicles for Boulder Fire-Rescue to provide advanced life support; renovate East Boulder Recreation Center; acquire streetlight system and convert to LED lights; refresh Pearl Street Mall; or used to fund other city capital improvement projects and projects of non-profit organizations otherwise payable from said sales and use tax;
and in connection therewith, shall any earnings from the investment of the proceeds of such debts constitute a voter approved revenue change and an exception to the revenue and spending limits of Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution?
YES/FOR _____
NO/AGAINST _____
Ordinance No. 8487 to put Issue 2J to the voters
Ordinance 8487 or go to https://bouldercolorado.gov/nov-2-2021-boulder-election-ballot-measures-and-candidates
The 2I tax extension is expected to realize about $200M in revenue. This 2J debt measure asks voters to approve $110M in debt with a maximum repayment of $158M so more than three-fourths of the tax revenue could go toward debt-financed projects.
Recommendation: no/against
Some of the large projects planned for 2J – replacing the Central Avenue bridge and constructing fire stations – are worthy of issuing bonds. Other projects could and should be paid for out of annual tax revenues without taking on debt.
For instance, many people would argue that fixing potholes and maintaining parks is a primary and ongoing function of local government. This sort of maintenance should be paid for out of a maintenance fund, not out of debt repaid over 15 years. Roads and parks need upgrades and maintenance on a regular basis. Imagine taking out a 15-year loan to pay for a roof that only lasts 10 years. What is the plan for paying for a replacement roof when you haven’t finished paying for the first roof?
Voters should reject 2J. The city should come back next year with a smaller, more targeted set of projects that won’t use up so much of our tax revenue. A revised plan will help the city to be more resilient in the future.
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 (mostly following the less capitalized format on the city’s website)
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2J
Shall City of Boulder debt be increased up to $110,000,000 (principal amount) with a maximum repayment cost of up to $158,000,000 (such amount being the total principal and interest that could be payable over the maximum life of the debt) to be payable solely from the extension of the Community, Culture, Resilience and Safety Sales and Use Tax of 0.3% (previously known as the Community, Culture and Safety Tax), if separately approved;
such debt to be sold at such time and in such manner and to contain such terms, not inconsistent herewith, as the city council may determine, with the proceeds of such debt and earnings thereon being used to fund city capital improvement projects and non-profit projects that serve the people of Boulder payable from such sales and use tax extension including, among other things:
maintain and improve roads and multi-modal paths; replace critically deteriorated signal poles; replace Central Avenue bridge; improve the Boulder Creek Path corridor; implement the Boulder Civic Area Phase 2/Central Park improvements; complete Fire Station 3 construction; relocate or reconstruct Fire Station 2 or Fire Station 4; purchase emergency vehicles for Boulder Fire-Rescue to provide advanced life support; renovate East Boulder Recreation Center; acquire streetlight system and convert to LED lights; refresh Pearl Street Mall; or used to fund other city capital improvement projects and projects of non-profit organizations otherwise payable from said sales and use tax;
and in connection therewith, shall any earnings from the investment of the proceeds of such debts constitute a voter approved revenue change and an exception to the revenue and spending limits of Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution?
YES/FOR _____
NO/AGAINST _____
Ordinance No. 8487 to put Issue 2J to the voters
Ordinance 8487 or go to https://bouldercolorado.gov/nov-2-2021-boulder-election-ballot-measures-and-candidates
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