Proposed Extension of Boulder County's 0.05% Countywide Sales and Use Tax

Discussion of the proposed extension of the Open Space sales and use tax to further accomplish Boulder County's open space goals was among the ballot measures which were discussed during the Boulder County Commissioners August Town Hall on Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023.

The ballot measures, Resolution No. 2023-068 and Resolution No. 2023-069, have been proposed for the November election in Boulder, and on Aug. 17 at 9:00 a.m., the Boulder County Commissioners will hold a public hearing to consider putting them forward at this year's November election.

The Open Space extension is a proposal to extend the existing 0.05% countywide sales and use tax for fifteen years, for the purpose of acquiring, improving, managing and maintaining open space lands and other open space property interests. Currently the sales and use tax is set to expire on December 31, 2024. The text of the ballot measure is as follows:

County Issue 1 (Open Space Sales and Use Tax Extension and Revenue Change): WITH NO INCREASE IN ANY COUNTY TAX, SHALL THE COUNTY'S EXISTING 0.05% OPEN SPACE SALES AND USE TAX BE EXTENDED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS FOR THE PURPOSES OF ACQUIRING, IMPROVING, MANAGING, AND MAINTAINING OPEN SPACE LANDS AND OTHER OPEN SPACE PROPERTY INTERESTS; AND SHALL THE REVENUES AND THE EARNINGS ON THE INVESTMENT OF THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH TAX CONSTITUTE A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE; ALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' RESOLUTION NO. 2023-068?

If such extension is approved, revenues collected from the imposition of the 0.05% countywide sales and use tax would continue to be expended for the purposes in accordance with Resolution No. 2004-86 and Resolution No. 93-174 through December 31, 2024, and then, beginning on January 1, 2025, would be superseded by this Resolution, effective for revenues collected from the imposition of the 0.05% countywide sales and use tax.

Open space acquisition has helped preserve a separation of communities and avoid urban sprawl, most notably surrounding Niwot and Gunbarrel, as indicated on the map of Open Space.

To register for the Boulder County Commissioners' Public Hearing on 2023 Ballot Measures on August 17 and to learn more about those ballot measures visit https://boco.org/Ballot-Issues or https://boco.org/Advance-Agenda.

To virtually attend the meeting, register at https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Dj5xtSoxTnCRnto4OgaxHg.To attend the meeting in person, register here.

Written comments can be emailed to [email protected].

For more information open space taxes, please visit:

https://bouldercounty.gov/government/your-taxes-at-work/open-space-sales-tax/