FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    August 12, 2014     CONTACT: Barb Halpin, Boulder County Public Information Officer, 303-441-1622

Commissioners Refer Two County Issues to November Ballot

Measures to help fund Flood Recovery and extend Human Services Safety Net

Boulder County, Colo. – The Board of County Commissioners have approved resolutions to place two countywide issues on the November ballot. One asks voters to approve a Flood Recovery Sales and Use Tax; the other seeks to extend an existing property (mill levy) tax that provides funding for Human Services Safety Net programs.

Flood Recovery Sales and Use Tax – County Issue 1A

Issue 1A provides for a 0.185% sales and use tax for a period of five years (for a total of $49.6 million) to fund flood recovery.

The funds would be used to pay for the costs associated with immediate flood response, repair of public infrastructure, including permanent repairs to roads and bridges, and restoration of waterways, and assistance to county residents impacted by the 2013 Flood. In addition, these funds would be used to ensure Boulder County’s readiness to respond to future disasters and emergency situations.

“The rainy day funds that we had in reserve prior to the flood have been expended,” noted Commissioner Cindy Domenico at the public hearing. “Having the reserve in place helped us respond quickly and capably to the community’s needs, and made our residents more safe and secure following the flood, but those reserves have been spent and there are more expenses coming in every day. In order to accomplish the critical work that still needs to be done to our roads and other public resources, we need to ask the community’s help in raising money for these essential repairs.”

Flood Recovery Background

From September 2013 through July 2014 Boulder County has spent $40 million in flood response and recovery efforts. It is planned that over the next five years, approximately $217 million will be spent on recovery, with the vast majority being spent on major repairs to public infrastructure.

Much of the flood recovery work will be eligible for reimbursement by either federal or state partners, but not all of it. After accounting for all anticipated State and Federal reimbursement, the county has an approximately $56.1 million funding gap in flood recovery expenses. This proposed sales and use tax would cover most of that shortfall.

“The community’s response to the 2013 Flood has truly been impressive,” said Commissioner Elise Jones. “It’s never an easy thing to ask residents to increase their taxes, but in order to cover the necessary cost of rehabilitation, recovery and resiliency in our communities, Boulder County will need to rely on the public’s help to dig a little deeper for a short period of time so that we can put our county’s transportation and waterways network back in order, get our residents back on their feet, and leave our county ready to respond to the next disaster.”

“The flood was an unprecedented event in the county, and the spending by the county to recover from it is historic,” said Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. “Emergency funds and reserves build up slowly over time, and we have spent our reserves in response to the 2013 Flood. Maintaining our ability to respond adequately and rapidly to the next wildfire, flood, or major event is an essential public service that we need to preserve.”

Human Services Safety Net Extension – County Issue 1B

The Board of Commissioners also approved a resolution to ask voters to extend a 0.9 mill ad valorem property tax for an additional term of 15 years to continue to fund crucial safety net services for Boulder County residents. The continued combination of increased need and decreased funding has made it challenging for Boulder County to meet the needs of its most vulnerable residents.

The existing mill levy equates to about $21 per year for a property valued at $300,000, and generates about $5 million each year to help provide for high quality services that promote family stability and ensure that people have access to the basic services that they need to get out of crisis and continue towards self-sufficiency.

In addressing the need for an extension of the Safety Net Mill Levy, Department of Housing and Human Services Director Frank Alexander said, “We’ve heard it loud and clear from our neighbors: people want community-based solutions that focus on prevention and support.” He added, “The future is increasingly unpredictable, and we need to continue to use successful approaches that anticipate and address crises before they worsen.”

Commissioner Deb Gardner noted the importance of investing in the community to help everyone’s future. “The need is still there because even though the Great Recession has ended, it has not been equally accessed by everyone. Many people have not been able to return to work or find work at a living wage, and there continues to be access issues around education, healthcare, and living wages,” said Gardner. “Extending the safety net which focuses on preventative measures to help keep families from falling into chronic crisis is an investment in our community, and one that helps reduce future expenditures and the need for more expensive interventions down the road.”

Commissioner Jones ended the hearing by stating that “both issues work to address the resiliency and long term strengths of our community,” adding that she and her fellow commissioners “wholeheartedly support” these investments in our community.

Next Steps

Members of the public are invited to present comments concerning the two ballot resolutions to the Board of Commissioners (email commissioners@nullbouldercounty.org) during the public comment period. The final deadline for certifying ballot titles to the County Clerk for inclusion on the ballot is Friday, September 5.

–BoulderCounty.org–