Ballot Issue 1A: Open Space sales and use tax extension and revenue change
Yes/For
Boulder County’s existing Open Space sales and use tax would be extended for another 15 years if voters approve this ballot measure. Passage would authorize the County to continue to collect 0.05% to help cover expenses related to the acquisition, improvement, management and maintenance of these publicly accessible lands.
Boulder Weekly supports this important commitment to maintaining the open space that has become a central part of public life here in our idyllic slice of the Front Range.
Ballot Issue 1B: Affordable and attainable sales and use tax extension and revenue change
Yes/For
This proposal would authorize a 15-year continuation of an existing countywide 0.185% sales and use tax supporting affordable and attainable housing and services in Boulder County.
It’s no secret that the housing crisis plaguing our community is severe and untenable. More than 16,000 households spend over half their income on rent each month, according to data from Boulder County Housing and Human Services. In a familiar story, people of color and people with lower income are bearing the brunt of this crisis. Extending this tax support for another 15 years won’t get us out of this mess overnight, but it’s an important step in the effort.
Ballot Issue 6A: Nederland EcoPass Public Improvement District extension
Yes/For
In another proposed tax extension, this measure’s passage would continue the existing ad valorem property tax mill levy to offset the costs of administering the Regional Transportation District (RTD) EcoPass program — offering unlimited trips on all RTD services to residents of the Nederland EcoPass District. The rate of the mill levy is not to exceed 1.85 mills or approximately $12.52 in annual property tax per $100,000 in residential value, according to a Boulder County fact sheet. The measure would also allow RTD to implement an EcoPass program for non-resident workers in the district.
Boulder Weekly endorses this measure in part for its potential to boost the economy of Nederland and the surrounding region. In addition to helping local businesses retain and recruit workers through the employee EcoPass, extension of the program will help alleviate traffic and parking congestion in the area by taking more emission-producing cars off the road. No matter how you slice it, that’s a win for all of us.
