Election 2024: Longmont + Lyons ballot issues

A quick-and-dirty guide to measures in Longmont + Lyons

By Boulder Weekly Staff - October 8, 2024

Should residents keep paying a sales tax to fund the city’s open space program?

This measure would permanently extend a sales tax that pays for the city to buy and maintain open space. The tax is set to expire in 2034.
Taxes would not go up; residents are already paying this tax.
There is no other source of funding for city open space.
The city may have to delay or abandon acquisitions and projects if the measure fails.
Longmont is shifting away from buying land to focus on maintaining what they already own, according to officials.

Should adding land to Lyons require citizen approval, regardless of size?

This measure would allow residents to vote on annexations of land into Lyons, regardless of size, giving citizens more power over growth and development.
If passed, it creates more barriers for development.
The Board of Trustees already approved this; this measure is to affirm their vote.
If the measure fails, the current rule regarding annexations (the “five-acre rule”) will stand.
There are currently no active applications for annexations in Lyons

Without raising taxes, should SVVSD be allowed to borrow $739.8M to build, maintain and repair schools?

This measure will not raise taxes but would allow SVVSD to borrow $739.8 million.
The money will be used to build five new schools, nine new remote learning centers and expand, upgrade, repair and maintain dozens of schools and facilities across the district.
Property taxes will decrease slightly if this measure fails; about $600 per year for a home worth $1 million, although the tax decrease will be gradual as the district pays off previous debt.
SVVSD says the work will need to be done anyway, due to a growth in student population and aging facilities.
The work could cost up to $200 million more if projects are delayed by 5 years, according to a district estimate.

Should a tax be extended to pay for water projects

This is not a tax increase; residents are already paying it.
This measure would make the tax permanent. It is currently set to expire in 2030.
Money would be used for ongoing projects like ditch repairs, forest and stream restoration and reclamation.
Revenue from this tax would provide leverage for state and federal grants. The district in 2020 leveraged $285,000 in local money to secure $6.3 million in additional funding.