What do you want for Lakewood?

With the voters’ approval, Lakewood can use $12.5 million that’s currently in excess of the TABOR limits in the following ways:

• $8.5 million for open space and parkland purchases (still being determined).
• $2 million for police protective gear, safety-related and other needed items (outlined below).
• $2 million for infrastructure and transportation improvements (outlined below).
  

Work is already underway to purchase police safety equipment and to install transportation improvements, but discussions will continue on the parkland acquisitions.

More information and TABOR project updates will be coming to Lakewood.org.

After an extensive community conversation with residents and receiving public comments through a variety of forums, the City Council decided at its Aug. 27 meeting to put a question on the November ballot to ask voters about the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights limits in Lakewood. Watch the meeting here.

The ballot language is available on this site, and an outline of the question is below.

• Ask Lakewood voters whether or not to allow the city to keep and spend the $12.5 million of funds currently in excess of the TABOR limits for the following purposes:
  • $8.5 million for open space and parkland purchases.
  • $2 million for police protective gear and safety-related assets.
  • $2 million for infrastructure and transportation improvements.
• Ask voters whether or not to allow the city to keep and spend any future revenues above the TABOR limits through Dec. 31, 2025, for the following purposes:
  • One-third for open space and parkland purchases, improvements and maintenance.
  • One-third on police agents, safety equipment and assets.
  • One-third on infrastructure including transportation improvements with high-priority safety concerns and for new and upgraded sidewalks, paths, streetlights and path lighting where needed for safety.
• Require a separate budget to ensure the $12.5 million and any future revenues above the TABOR limit are spent for only these purposes.

The City Council is moving forward with the process of putting a question on the November ballot to ask voters to lift the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights limits. The question is expected to include the following items:

• Ask Lakewood voters to allow the city to keep and spend the $12.5 million of funds currently in excess of the TABOR limits for the following purposes:
• $8.5 million for open space and parkland purchases.
• $2 million for police protective gear and capital investments in safety-related equipment.
• $2 million for infrastructure and transportation needs.
• Ask voters to keep and spend any future revenues above the TABOR limits through Dec. 31, 2025 for the following purposes:
• One-third for open space and parkland purchases, improvements and maintenance.
• One-third on infrastructure including for new and upgraded sidewalks, paths and streetlights and other lighting where needed for safety and important transportation improvements with high-priority public safety issues.
• One-third on police for safety equipment, capital needs and agents.
• Require a separate budget to ensure the $12.5 million and any future revenues above the TABOR limit are spent for only these purposes.

Council will take final action on this proposed ballot item during its Aug. 27 Regular City Council Meeting, which will include time for public comment.

City Council will have several meetings in August to discuss the potential of putting a question on the November ballot about community priorities and the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). The schedule of the meetings is listed below, and you can participate by providing comments in person during these meetings. You can also join the conversation by taking the survey here.

Visit Lakewood.org to check on the agendas for each meeting.

• Aug. 6
• At this Study Session, City Council will discuss TABOR.
• Aug. 13
• At this Regular Meeting, City Council is scheduled to have a TABOR presentation.
• Aug. 27
• At this Regular Meeting, City Council is scheduled to consider a resolution for a TABOR ballot question.

From the July edition of Looking@Lakewood

As a Lakewood resident, you have a lot of say in how your city operates, what kind of services it provides and how it spends your tax dollars. One of the critical decisions you make as a resident is determining the level of funding for your government. Residents must vote on any proposed new tax or any tax increase as required by both Lakewood’s City Charter and the state law known as the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).

Lakewood City Council is discussing a potential ballot question for November about TABOR and how it affects funding for additional city services including open space purchases. Lakewood has launched a community conversation to listen to your opinions about the level of service the city should provide. This conversation involves your priorities and the kind of city you want to live in, so get involved and let us know what you think.

You can start by using this online resource center to participate in the discussion:

· Give us your thoughts by taking a survey.

· Watch City Council discuss the issue and hear residents during public comment.

· Ask questions.

· Find in-depth information and relevant documents.

· Learn from the video, “TABOR in two minutes.”

· Stay up to date on the discussion and meetings.

TABOR was approved by Colorado voters in 1992 as an amendment to the Colorado Constitution. It applies to all levels of government in the state including cities. TABOR is important because it controls the amount of taxes residents pay. Yet in turn, it limits the amount of services Lakewood can provide.

One of TABOR’s main requirements is to restrict the amount of money the city can collect and spend each year to the rate of inflation, plus an incremental growth factor. If the funds that Lakewood normally collects and spends on services grow faster than the limits in TABOR, Lakewood has two options. One is to ask voters to allow Lakewood to keep and spend that additional money it has already received for city services. The other option is for Lakewood to refund that money to property owners.

Lakewood voters have lifted the TABOR limits on the city’s budget four previous times. Those previous votes occurred in 1994, 1999, 2005 and 2007. In those instances, the voters lifted the TABOR limits for a specific project, a specific time period and for specific kinds of funds the city normally collects. Those earlier votes didn’t address the ongoing effect that TABOR has on the city’s ability to pay for services to residents.

Here is the kind of ballot question City Council is considering asking: Should Lakewood keep and spend TABOR funds on police, parks and transportation improvements? If you were to vote “yes,” TABOR limits on the city funds would be lifted, and Lakewood could spend the money on more of the services you value. If you were to vote “no,” the TABOR limits would remain unchanged, and the refunds would continue. Either way, the requirement that Lakewood residents must vote on any change in taxes remains in place both under TABOR and the City Charter.

What do you want for Lakewood? Do you want to keep services at current levels or do you want more parks and recreation offerings, improved safety and more transportation improvements? Whatever you choose, the city will continue to provide the highest quality services with the funding that is available. This is your money and your community, so please participate.

As a Lakewood resident, you have a lot of say in how your city operates, what kind of services it provides and how it spends your tax dollars. One of the critical decisions you make as a resident is determining the level of funding for your government. Residents must vote on any proposed new tax or any tax increase as required by both Lakewood’s City Charter and the state law known as the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).

Lakewood launched this community conversation to listen to your opinions about the level of service the city should provide and talk about how TABOR affects funding for additional city services including open space purchases. This conversation involves your priorities and the kind of city you want to live in, so take a look around to learn more.

This online resource center has been available to participate in the discussion:

· View the survey results (coming soon).

· Watch City Council discuss the issue and hear residents during public comment.

· Ask questions.

· Find in-depth information and relevant documents.

· Learn from the video, “TABOR in two minutes.”(External link)

· See the timeline for the discussion and meetings.

· Read the ballot language on this site.