This measure would add certain properties in Weld County to the Regional Transportation District (RTD), levying a sales tax to fund services. Most properties in Erie — including those located in Boulder County and certain enclaves in Weld County — are already paying this tax.
Note: This measure is NOT connected to RTD Ballot Issue 7A, which voters throughout RTD are weighing. Read more about measure 7A from Colorado Sun
How much would taxes go up?
- $1 per $100 purchase
- 10 cents per $10 purchase
- 1 cent per $1 purchase
It’s important to note that this would not raise taxes everywhere in Erie — just the homes and businesses located in Weld County.
According to town officials, businesses located in Boulder County (and a few in certain enclaves of Weld County) already include 1% sales tax on purchases. The same goes for online purchases for residents who live in Boulder County; this sales tax is already assessed on those purchases.
The money would go to RTD, not Erie.
How many homes and businesses would be affected?
Neither RTD nor the town has completed an assessment of impacted homes and businesses, but a map of areas not yet annexed into RTD was produced.
How much money would this raise?
Neither RTD nor the town completed a financial analysis.
“Financial impacts to RTD from this action include an undetermined amount of additional revenue from sales and use taxes from the commercial properties and relatively small amounts from automobile sales to residents of the area,” an RTD spokesperson wrote in response to emailed questions.
What would it pay for?
The town lists the following “annexation possibilities” on its website:
- JUMP Route extended to Erie High School (The Boulder-Lafayette route currently stops at the Lafayette Park-n-Ride.)
- 16 new bus stops on the JUMP Route
- Access-a-Ride, RTD’s complementary paratransit service, would be available to all residents
- A park-n-ride at Erie Community Center, 450 Powers St.
- Erie would be eligible for grants enabling Flex Ride, a door-to-door neighborhood shuttle that can pick up and drop off anywhere within a given service boundary
- Double the number of Erie residents who would live within one quarter-mile of a JUMP stop, from 5,000 residents to 10,000.
These projects aren’t guaranteed: Some, such as Access-a-Ride, are dependent on buildout of future bus services.
“That service is available within three-quarters of a mile of fixed route, non-commuter bus service,” RTD spokesperson Tara Broghammer wrote in response to emailed questions.
“So, to the extent that there is bus service in that area, Access-a-Ride service would be available three-quarters of a mile from that service. … If there is currently no fixed route service, or limited service due to the JUMP route, then there would be no immediate change to Access-a-Ride service availability.”
The JUMP expansion would take place after 2026, according to Broghammer.
“RTD expects to extend the JUMP route once Erie has the infrastructure complete for RTD stops,” she wrote in response to emailed questions.
Erie would immediately gain access to RTD programs like free fares for youth, and would be eligible for RTD grants and funding, including for projects like the Park-n-Ride.
Other things to consider:
- Erie would become eligible for more transportation funding through the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) if it becomes part of RTD. Certain DRCOG grants and programs are only available to municipalities fully within RTD’s boundaries.