HomeMy WebLinkAboutNOTICE Estes Park Tabor Notice of Election 2022NOTICE OF ELECTION
REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION
TUESDAY, APRIL 5, 2022
7:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk
170 MacGregor Avenue, Room 130
P.O. Box 1200, Estes Park, Colorado 80517
Phone: (970) 577-4771
Fax: (970) 577-4770
Website: www.estes.org/elections
Normal Business Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
LOCAL BALLOT ISSUE
This Notice of Election was prepared in accordance with Article X, Section 20 of
the Colorado Constitution and the Colorado Uniform Election Code of 1992, as
amended. The information contained in this Notice was prepared by persons
required by law to provide summaries of ballot issues and fiscal information. The
Estes Park Town Clerk does not warrant, verify or confirm the accuracy or truth
of the ballot titles, questions, text, and summaries of comments as presented,
nor is the Town Clerk responsible for errors in spelling, grammar, or punctuation
of the materials presented. For information or clarification concerning the
following ballot issue, contact the respective Designated Election Official as
indicated herein.
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IMPORTANT NOTICE: POLLING PLACE ELECTION
In preparation for the April 5 Municipal Election, the Town of Estes Park is notifying
registered voters within Estes Park Town limits the election will be held as a mail ballot
only election for three trustee seats on the Board of Trustees, two ballot questions and a
ballot issue.
Additional important dates:
February 19: Ballots mailed to voters registered as an active military or overseas voter.
March 14-March 21: Ballots mailed to all registered voters.
March 14: Last day for eligible electors to establish residency in the State of Colorado.
April 1: Last day to request an absentee mail ballot to be mailed.
April 5: Election Day – Town Hall polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Ballots must be
received by 7 p.m. in order to be counted.
April 26: Swearing-in of newly elected Town Trustees at the Town Board meeting.
For more election information, please visit www.estes.org/elections, or contact the Town
Clerk’s office at 970-577-4777 or by email at townclerk@estes.org.
Approval of this initiative will give the citizens of Estes Park more flexibility to ensure our
tax dollars are used wisely where they are needed the most, without forcing them to be
used for only a few narrow purposes.
Approval will bring our TABOR restrictions more in line with other communities in
Colorado, including other local governments such as Larimer County,
Best of all, approval of the initiative won’t result in any new taxes and won’t cost us a
single cent more.
Summary of written comment against Ballot Issue 3A
The TABOR amendment was voted into the Colorado Constitution by the voters for a
particular reason” to constrain our elected officials from making runaway expenditures of
tax revenue. The rationale for the proposed change, as supplied by our Town
Administrator, shows that the need for TABOR still exists.
Rather than the Town Board asking for a redefinition of the spending limitations accepted
by the voters in the so-called “De-Brucing” amendment of 2000, they want us to now
remove those limitations entirely. Trust us; of course, but it is not just today’s Board we
are expected to trust.
Consider that today these elected officials DO have to come to the voters, because the
language from 2000 does not meet the needs of 2022. If we just remove the previous
limitations, there will be no need for the elected officials of 2023, or 2032, to come before
the electors. They would already have the permission they need to do whatever they think
right.
They do suggest that they are accountable to the voters regardless, but in practical terms,
that accountability usually comes after the fact. Typically, there would only be a
temporary outcry over something controversial, but the decision will have already been
made, and probably with much less citizen involvement.
If the Town Board needs more flexibility under TABOR, let them come to us with specific
plans, as was done 22 years ago. We want to hold them accountable before the fact. We
do not want to hand them a blank check!
ALL REGISTERED VOTERS
NOTICE OF ELECTION TO REMOVE USE RESTRICTIONS ON TOWN REVENUE
TOWN OF ESTES PARK
LARIMER COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO
Election Date: April 5, 2022
Election Day Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Designated Election Official: Jackie Williamson,170 MacGregor Avenue, Room 130, P.O.
Box 1200, Estes Park, CO 80517; Telephone: (970) 577-4771
Ballot Title and Text
Ballot Issue 3A
“WITHOUT INCREASING ANY TAX RATE OR IMPOSING ANY NEW TAX AND IN ORDER FOR
THE TOWN TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND PUBLIC FACILITIES AND AMENITIES
TO ITS CITIZENS, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION POLICE OPERATIONS, 911
COMMUNICATIONS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, OTHER GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES, AND
FOR ANY OTHER LAWFUL PURPOSES, SHALL THE TOWN OF ESTES PARK BE AUTHORIZED
TO COLLECT, RETAIN, AND SPEND OR RESERVE ALL REVENUES IT RECEIVES FROM ALL
LAWFUL SOURCES INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION PROPERTY AND SALES TAXES,
WITHOUT ANY OTHER CONDITION OR LIMITATION, AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE
CHANGE UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AND UNDER
SECTION 29-1-302(2)(b) OF THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES AND ANY OTHER
APPLICABLE LAW, AND REMOVE ANY LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE NOVEMBER 7, 2000
BALLOT INITIATIVE MEASURE 2A, BEGINNING IN FISCAL YEAR 2022, PROVIDED THAT THE
TOWN’S TAX RATES SHALL NOT BE INCREASED WITHOUT FURTHER VOTER APPROVAL?”
Summary of written comment in favor of Ballot Issue 3A
Imagine if a large portion of your income could only be used for buying new vehicles,
remodeling your house, or for a new roof, but you couldn’t spend your money for other
important items, such as medical costs, food, utilities, clothes or tuition for your kids and
grandkids. These items may be more important to your family, but you couldn’t spend
your hard-earned money on these critical expenses. You may have to cut back on these
items, even if you have plenty of money in your savings account.
This is exactly the position the Town is in with the current limitations of the voter approved
revenue “debrucing” initiative approved in 2000. This 2000 initiative is more restrictive
than most of the other 51 counties, 230 municipalities and 174 school districts in Colorado
whose voters have also approved “debrucing” initiatives over the last 25 years.
As a community, we are limited to using the excess TABOR revenue “for the purpose of
the acquisition, maintenance, repair and replacement of capital projects.” The collected
funds cannot be used for 70% of our town budget, including critical services such as the
police, 911 emergency communications, emergency management, communication to
residents, transferring funds to the Estes Valley Fire Protection District, transit, and
workforce housing, just to name a few.
The Town finance staff predicts that, without this change, by 2030 the community will face
a shortfall of over $1.5 million dollars for critical services, forcing cutbacks in these areas,
while at the same time, accumulating large cash reserves for capital projects and
maintenance.