Boulder County Ballot Issue 1A: Roads and Bridge Mill Levy Increase

Subdivision road paving is an issue that the NCA has been following closely for years. Below is some information that you may find useful when considering your vote this election.

For a complete history, please visit our subdivision road paving issue page:

www.niwot.org/roads

Questions or comments can be sent to: roads@niwot.org

 


 

Boulder County Ballot Measure 1A
Road and Bridge Mill Levy Increase

What is it?
If passed, this ballot measure would raise a minimum of $82 million over 15 years to pay for the reconstruction, repaving, overlay and chip seal, concrete gutter and drainage improvements, sidewalk rework and related safety improvements for roads in incorporated portions of Boulder County and for neighborhoods in unincorporated Boulder County.

Who does it affect?
Owners of real property anywhere in Boulder County (including the cities) would pay into the tax measure. The tax measure would benefit people residing in the incorporated cities in Boulder County and those residents in unincorporated Boulder County that reside in residential developments (subdivisions).

How long does the measure last?
The tax will be in place for 15 years, after which the tax either expires or must be renewed by a majority of the voters.

 

Key arguments IN FAVOR
of the measure
Key arguments AGAINST
the measure
  1. The current county budget ($1M/year) will not keep up with the required maintenance on these rapidly deteriorating roads. This measure is a means to break the political logjam at a relatively low cost to home-owners.
  2. The tax adds only $6.25 per $100,000 of property value per year, nearly 10 times lower than previous measures, as the cost is distributed across all properties in the county.
  3. The majority of the revenue (58%) will be spent rehabilitating the road infrastructure in unincorporated Boulder County subdivisions.
  4. Improved roads will help maintain or increase the value of the properties serviced by the roads.
  5. For every $1 an unincorporated Boulder County resident pays into the tax, they receive $3.88 in investment in improved unincorporated Boulder County subdivision roads.
  1. This tax represents an increase of $82M on the residents of Boulder County to pay for work for which Boulder County should already have funds, but chooses not to allocate.
  2. Passing the measure may release the county from their obligation to maintain the roads within their current budget.
  3. The measure may not provide enough funding over the next 15 years to fix all 150 miles of roads that currently need rehabilitation due to economic factors, including rising oil/asphalt costs.
  4. This is a temporary measure. If passed, the tax will need to be renewed in perpetuity in order to continue maintaining the roads.
Updated: 7 October, 2016 — 8:27 am