2011 General Election Ballot Guide: Colorado

NOTE: Election Day is November 1st

Statewide measures

(–) Proposition 103 on the statewide ballot would raise taxes by $532,000,000 per year. Corporate income and personal income tax rates would increase from 4.63 percent to 5 percent and the state sales tax rate would increase from 2.9 percent to 3 percent. Proposition 103 designates all new revenue to be spent on education.

Adams County

Local measures

(–) Voters in the 17^th Judicial District will decide on extending the District Attorney’s term limits from two to three consecutive terms.
(–) Residents in Aurora City will decide on a bond measure issuing $113,500,000 in new debt for the construction of three new recreational facilities and renovation of one existing building. If approved, the measure would add $9,800,000 per year to city residents’ property taxes.
(–) Voters in Aurora City will decide on the question of organizing the Mission Viejo Library District. If approved, the measure would add $750,000 per year for the new district’s creation and ongoing operations.
(–) Residents in the Brighton School District will decide whether or not to raise taxes by $4,800,000 annually.

Arapahoe County

Local measures

(+) Residents of the City of Englewood will vote to amend the city code so that City Commissioners could not serve on a city board or commission unless it is specifically designated for an elected official and not a private citizen. The measure would also establish term limits for residents serving on these boards or commissions to three terms.

Boulder County

Countywide measures

(–) On the countywide ballot, voters in Boulder County will decide on expanding term limits to allow a County Sheriff to serve up to four consecutive terms, rather than three.

Local measures

(–) Residents in the City of Boulder will decide on a measure to allow the city to create and maintain a municipal utility company.
(–) The City of Boulder will also vote on whether to increase utility occupation taxes $1,900,000 annually and change the sunset date from 2015 to 2017.
(–) In addition, the City of Boulder will decide on a bond issue to assume $49,000,000 in new debt, repaid over 20 years, for infrastructure and capital improvements.
(+) Residents of the City of Boulder will also vote on increasing penalties for individuals and businesses operating under a grant from the city who fail to file the required annual financial reports from $100 to $1,000. This would encourage accountability for entities receiving taxpayer dollars.
(–) Voters in the City of Boulder will also vote on Charter Amendment 2G which amends requirements for initiative petitions to be simple and clear, be submitted for comment and review prior to circulation, have signatures no older than 180 days prior to filing, expand time for the City Council to hold hearings and take final action on petitions, and change election timing.
(–) Residents in the Boulder County Estates District will vote on a bond issue to create $870,000 in new debt for road repairs.
(–) Residents in the Boulder County Pine Brook Hills District will vote on a bond issue authorizing $2,600,000 in new debt for road repairs.
(–) Coal Creek Canyon Park District voters will decide Issue 4A, a measure that would raise taxes by $104,260 in FY2012 and impose a property tax levy of $3 per $1,000 of assessed value to pay for general operating expenses. Additionally, the proposed measure contains an override of Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) allowing the district to keep all revenue collected.
(–) Residents in Lafayette City will vote on a Charter Amendment to allow publication of ordinances by title in local publications, with the full text being available at the City Clerk’s office.
(–) Longmont City residents in Boulder and Weld Counties will vote on a measure to reestablish a municipal broadband enterprise.
(–) Park School District residents will vote to raise taxes by $750,000 annually for three years to offset overspending in the budget.
(–) Residents in the Rocky Mountain Fire District will vote to repeal term limits for district board members.
(–) Thompson School District residents will vote on a tax increase of $12,800,000 annually until the 2023-24 school year.

Broomfield County

Local measures

(–) Voters in the 17^th Judicial District will decide on extending the District Attorney’s term limits from two to three consecutive terms.

Chaffee County

Countywide measures

(–) Question 1A on the countywide ballot would increase the use tax by 2.25 percent on the storage, use, and sale of vehicles in the county to pay for emergency medical services.
(–) Question 1B on the countywide ballot raises the current county sales tax rate by 0.25 percent to fund road and bridge construction and maintenance.
(–) Question 1C on the countywide ballot seeks to increase the current property tax by a rate of 1.18 mills until the county has acquired the title to the county emergency dispatch communications center.

Denver County

Local measures

(–) Residents of the City of Denver will vote on a measure to require that all businesses give their employees a set amount of paid sick leave from work.

Douglas County

Countywide measures

(–) Question 1A on the countywide ballot would modify the term limits on the County Sheriff from a maximum of two to three consecutive terms.
(–) On the countywide ballot, Douglas County School District voters will decide on a measure to raise taxes by $20,000,000 in 2012 and the maximum allowed under TABOR for future years in order to pay for classroom supplies, general operating expenses, and enactment of teacher tenure reform and performance pay.
(–) On the countywide ballot, residents in the Douglas County School District will vote on a bond measure to issue $200,000,000 in new debt for technology upgrades and capital improvements.

Local measures

(–) Residents in Aurora City will decide on a bond measure issuing $113,500,000 in new debt for the construction of three new recreational facilities and renovation of one existing building. If approved, the measure would add $9,800,000 per year to city residents’ property taxes.
(–) Voters in Aurora City will decide on the question of organizing the Mission Viejo Library District. If approved, the measure would add $750,000 per year for the new district’s creation and ongoing operations.
(–) Question 2D on the City of Castle Pines ballot would authorize the city to publish ordinances by title only, rather than full text.
(–) Larkspur Fire Protection District voters will decide a bond issue to allow the district to assume up to $3,200,000 in new debt and raise taxes by $15,000 annually to refinance existing fire station leases.

Eagle County

Countywide measures

(–) On the countywide ballot, Eagle County School District residents will vote on whether to increase taxes by $6,000,000 annually.

Local measures

(–) Fifth Judicial District voters will decide on a measure to increase the maximum number of consecutive terms from two to three for the District Attorney.
(–) Town of Avon residents will vote on Issue 2B to increase the sales tax by 0.35 percent in order to fund public transit.
(–) Voters in the Town of Eagle will decide Ballot Issue 2A to increase town taxes $130,000 in 2012 by raising the hotel occupancy tax from $2 to $4. Revenues would be used by the Town’s Office of Tourism for general marketing and promotion.
(–) Voters in the Eagle River Fire Protection District will decide on a measure which would raise taxes by 1.96 mills, roughly $1,800,000 in 2012, in order to offset budget overspending.
(–) Roaring Fork School District voters will decide on a measure that would increase taxes by $4,800,000 annually.

El Paso County

Local measures

(+) Colorado Springs voters will decide on repealing a city ordinance which makes taxpayers liable for any financial losses incurred by Colorado Springs Memorial Hospital.

Garfield County

Local measures

(–) Residents in the Carbondale Fire District will vote on overriding the current levy and raising taxes $775,000 per year to pay for operating expenses.
(–) Garfield Re-2 School District residents will face a levy override vote asking for $3,000,000 in higher tax revenues.
(–) Voters in the Roaring Fork School District will be asked to allow the district to raise taxes $4,800,000 annually.
(–) School District 16 voters will decide a levy override measure that would raise taxes $4,800,000 per year to underwrite the general fund as well as an all-day kindergarten program.

Gunnison County

Local measures

(–) Gunnison County Library District voters will be asked to permanently increase taxes by 3.5 mills for library operations.
(–) Residents in the Gunnison County Library District will decide a bond measure issuing $6,500,000 in debt to pay for capital improvements. If passed, the measure would raise taxes $591,000 per year.

Larimer County

Countywide measures

(+) On the countywide ballot, Larimer County residents will vote on replacing two expiring 0.2 percent sales taxes with one combined rate of 0.375 percent for funding county jail operations and maintenance.

Mesa County

Local measures

(–) Residents of Beque School District No. 49-JT will vote on increasing property taxes $350,000 annually for six years in order to pay for school programs.
(–) Residents of Mesa County School District No. 51 will vote on raising the current property tax levy by $12,500,000 annually for six years.

Pitkin County

Countywide measures

(–) On the countywide ballot, Pitkin County residents will decide on a measure to increase property taxes $464,000 annually for five years in order to provide additional funding to health and human services and community non-profit programs.
(–) On the countywide ballot, residents of Pitkin County will vote on expanding the FM radio and TV translator property tax to allow for researching and facilitating wireless communication and Internet services within the county. While the measure does not affect current tax rates, it could be used as a means to implement a government broadband entity.

Local measures

(–) Residents of Aspen School District No. 1 will vote on a measure to abolish term limits for the present and future elected directors of the Aspen School District.
(–) Residents in the Carbondale and Rural Fire Protection Districts will vote on a measure to increase taxes by $775,000 annually for two years for the general fund.
(–) Residents in the Redstone Water and Sanitation District will vote on raising property taxes by up to $70,336 per year through 2032 for the district’s general operating expenses.
(–) Residents in the Redstone Water and Sanitation District will vote on imposing a property tax increase of up to $138,987 per year through 2032 in order to pay down the district’s outstanding debt.
(–) Residents in the Redstone Water and Sanitation District will vote on allowing the district to retain, rather than return to taxpayers, revenue collected over constitutional limits.
(–) Residents in the Roaring Fork School District will vote on a measure to raise taxes $4,800,000 annually.

Pueblo County

Local measures

(–) Residents in the Midway Ranches Fire Protection District will decide on a measure to increase property taxes by $17,300 per year for ongoing expenses.
(–) Residents in the Pueblo County School District No. 70 will vote on two measures. One will issue $35,000,000 in new debt and raise taxes by $4,750,000 in order to improve and repair school buildings. The second measure will raise district property taxes by 5.95 mills, about $3,400,000 annually, for five years.

Weld County

Local measures

(–) Residents in Brighton School District 27J will vote on raising taxes 6.3 mills, or $4,800,000 annually, for teacher recruitment and retention.
(–) Residents in the proposed Evans Fire Protection District will vote on organizing the new district contingent upon passage of three additional measures: an initial operating mill levy of $575,000 per year for general operations; removal of the constitutional revenue and spending limits, thereby allowing the new district to retain all taxes collected; and a necessary intergovernmental agreement allowing for the transfer of services.
(–) Residents in the City of Fort Lupton will vote on renewing for 10 years a 0.5 percent sales and use tax designated for street repairs, which is otherwise scheduled to expire on December 31, 2011.
(–) Residents in the City of Fort Lupton will decide on a measure expanding term limits for members of the City Council from two terms to three.
(–) Residents in the City of Longmont in Boulder and Weld Counties will vote on re-establishing a taxpayer-funded municipal broadband enterprise.
(–) Residents in the Town of Platteville with decide on a measure abolishing term limits for local elected officials.
(+) Residents in the Town of Platteville will also vote on authorizing the town to cease publishing its list of bill payments in a local newspaper, thereby saving in publishing costs. This list is available on the town’s website.
(–) Residents in Prairie School District No. RE-11J will decide whether to issue $3,450,000 in debt and raise taxes $300,000 per year in order to construct a new school building.
(–) Residents in Thompson School District R2-J will vote on increasing property taxes $12,800,000 per year.
(–) Residents in Weld County School District RE-1 will vote on increasing property taxes by $1,800,000 per year.