Commerce City unanimously refers sales tax measure to ballot ONE percent increase would exclusively fund parks, recreation and road improvements; five projects planned for next five years COMMERCE CITY, COLO. – Tonight, the City Council of Commerce City unanimously referred a sales and use tax measure to the Nov. 5, 2013 ballot. If approved, the one percent increase would fund five parks, recreation and road improvements over the next five years, as well as provide a dedicated revenue source to construct, operate and maintain road, park and recreation projects in the future. “Over the last two years, city council has heard from residents and business on the types of investments that are critical to improving the quality of life in Commerce City,” said Mayor Sean Ford. “Our vision for Commerce City is a Quality Community for a Lifetime; city council believes the sales tax measure is the best way to achieve this vision given our growing population and increasing demand for services.” The measure is a culmination of work completed by the Quality Community Initiative (QCI), a stakeholder group chartered by city council in 2011 and comprised of residents, businesses, and nonprofits. The QCI presented recommendations to city council on how best to achieve the city’s vision in January 2013, a result of 14 group meetings, a community survey and 13 public meetings. As a result, City Council sought additional information about specific projects, various revenue options and broader community input over the last six months prior to tonight’s vote. The measure proposes to build five community-advocated projects over the next five years, requesting a one-cent (or one percent) increase on the city’s current 3.5% sales and use tax. The projects include: · New recreation center with an indoor pool at Second Creek Community Park · Widening of Tower Road from 80th to 103rd avenues · New additions to the existing recreation center, including a new therapy pool · Seasonal outdoor pool in the southern part of the city · Three new neighborhood parks in Fronterra, Turnberry and Villages at Buffalo Run East. The estimated cost for these projects is approximately $166 million, with a sales tax increase expected to raise up to $15 million annually. Revenue generated from the proposed increase would be used to construct, operate and maintain these investments, as well as pay off debt service on bonds. The revenue can only be used for future parks, recreation or roadway improvements, ensuring a dedicated funding source for additional needs and their operation. “On behalf of city council, I want to thank the community and the Quality Community Initiative for their work over the last several years to bring this issue forward,” added Mayor Ford. “City Council wrestled with the appropriate approach to complete the investments necessary to achieve our community vision. After reviewing numerous revenue sources such as property tax, employment head tax and an admissions tax, we felt a sales and use tax proposal was the fairest approach to ensure residents, businesses and visitors contribute to building a better Commerce City for years to come.” For more information about the Quality Community Initiative and proposed measure, visit c3gov/QCI.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 03:33:11 +0000
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