Elections this year in Boulder, Colorado and across the nation are incredibly important. In Boulder we will be electing our mayor for the first time, and determining whether we will keep a progressive city council or flip to a conservative one. And for the first time in many years, we have four competitive school board races, at a time when our schools are under attack from right-wing and illiberal interest groups.
In full disclosure, I am very involved in local and sometimes statewide politics. I serve on leadership for Boulder Progressives and Better Boulder, and am also a member of Boulder DSA. I’ve interviewed or talked with nearly every candidate running for mayor, city council, or school board this year as parts of various endorsement processes.
For more than five years, I’ve written a voter guide for every election in Boulder. I want to start with a thank you to local journalists Shay Castle (Boulder Beat), news and opinion writers at the Boulder Daily Camera, Boulder Reporting Lab, and the Boulder Weekly. Without their dedication and terrific reporting, guides like this wouldn’t be possible. I’ve also linked to great reporting from Colorado Public Radio, Colorado Sun, Colorado Newsline, Colorado Chalkbeat and other outlets. Consider subscribing!
You can subscribe to Shay Castle’s Patreon to get weekly local news, or you can subscribe or donate to Boulder Reporting Lab, the Boulder Daily Camera and Boulder Weekly which support a number of local journalists and editorials.
November 7th, 2023 General Election in Boulder, Colorado
- Local Offices – Ranked Choice
- City of Boulder Mayoral Candidates – Aaron Brockett and Nicole Speer
- Local Offices
- City of Boulder Council Candidates – Ryan Schuchard, Taishya Adams, Silas Atkins, and a 4th candidate.
- School District Offices
- Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District A – Neil Fishman
- Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District C – Alex Medler
- Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District D – Andrew Brandt
- Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District G – Jorge Chávez
- State Ballot Measures
- Proposition HH (STATUTORY) – YES / FOR
- Proposition II (STATUTORY) – YES / FOR
- County Ballot Measures
- Boulder County Ballot Issue 1A – YES / FOR
- Boulder County Ballot Issue 1B – YES / FOR
- Local Ballot Measures
- City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2A – YES / FOR
- City of Boulder Ballot Question 2B – YES / FOR
- City of Boulder Ballot Question 302 – NO/AGAINST
Local Offices – Ranked Choice
City of Boulder Mayoral Candidates – Aaron Brockett and Nicole Speer
Vote for and rank both Nicole Speer and Aaron Brockett, the two Democrats running for Mayor. For my thoughts on how to rank them using Ranked Choice Voting, click here or continue reading below. Before you fill out your ballot for mayor, you will definitely want to read the city council section, as there are implications for how you may choose to rank mayoral candidates.
For the first time, Boulder will vote directly to select its mayor. While the position of mayor will continue to have the same powers as it does currently, the process of electing our mayor has become emblematic of Boulder’s increasing political engagement
Since the end of 2021, Boulder has seen one of the most progressive and most pro-housing city councils in decades. Two of the current mayoral candidates, current Mayor Aaron Brockett and current Council Member Nicole Speer, have been a pivotal part of our progress in statewide housing reform, addressing discriminatory housing occupancy limits, supporting our libraries, and improving our elections.
Our current mayor Aaron Brockett is a hard-working, collaborative leader who is willing to push the envelope to make change. Aaron has consistently moved to implement progressive priorities over his eight years on council. He has worked to pass measures for better housing options, legalized housing cooperatives, better bike infrastructure, establishment of the Police Oversight Panel, and other key progressive initiatives. Most notably, Aaron took a bold step to move forward on housing in Colorado as being the only mayor in the state to come out in support of statewide housing reform. Aaron’s leadership has made Boulder a partner across the state to help solve our housing crisis.
The impact of Aaron’s work is reflected in endorsements from Boulder Progressives, Sierra Club, Better Boulder, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, and the Boulder Weekly, among others. Aaron’s personal endorsements among Democratic elected officials are unparalleled in this race – including endorsements from many state legislators, mayors, school board members, and Governor Jared Polis.
Council Member Nicole Speer is a progressive leader that pulls our council to go farther on key progressive priorities like establishing a local minimum wage and fighting for racial and social equity. In just two years, Speer has been an important voice to push forward on structural change in Boulder in championing successful efforts to increase voter turnout in local elections and establishing a library district with sustainable funding. Nicole consistently pushes to break down systemic barriers to create a more equitable city.
Nicole endorsements reflect her strong progressive and pro-housing record, with particular strength from labor and social-justice focused groups like Boulder DSA, Boulder Progressives, Colorado Working Families Party, United Campus Workers, and Boulder Area Labor Council.
Council member Bob Yates has consistently opposed many pro-housing policies, and has stood in opposition to most, if not all, progressive council priorities.
Since last elected in 2019, here are some of the positions Bob Yates has taken:
- Yates opposed the groundbreaking statewide housing bill SB23-213 proposed by Governor Jared Polis and Colorado’s Democratic legislature in 2023 – How slow-growth Boulder got behind Colorado’s land use bill – Daily Camera
- Yates opposed changing Boulder’s discriminatory housing laws that prevent unrelated people from living together – Boulder City Council, in response to a housing shortage, raises occupancy limits with landmark vote – Boulder Reporting Lab
- Yates opposed Bedrooms Are For People by voting to change the interpretation of Boulder’s election laws to keep the measure off the 2020 ballot – I and my co-lead Chelsea Castelleno had to file a lawsuit against him and the City of Boulder for this anti-democratic action – Bedrooms Are For People files lawsuit against the city of Boulder for ballot access – Colorado Politics
- Yates opposed stopping evictions for unrelated people living together during the COVID pandemic – Boulder City Council votes down suspending occupancy limits – Daily Camera
- Yates opposed establishing a sanctioned campground for people experiencing homelessness – Boulder City Council eyes ‘safe outdoor space’ for homeless people – Boulder Reporting Lab
- Yates opposed a faster timeline to increase Boulder’s minimum wage – Boulder will not join county in seeking minimum wage increase for 2024 – Boulder Beat
- Yates opposed supporting Boulder’s libraries to create a library district with dedicated funding – Finally, some decisions on the library district – Boulder Weekly
- Yates opposed increasing turnout in city elections by moving city elections to even years. In doing so, Yates said that people who did not vote in off-years may not be “quality” voters – Odds or evens? Boulder voters will decide which years are best for City Council elections – Colorado Newsline
Also during his terms in office, Yates has used the City of Boulder email system to sign up thousands of people to his political newsletter, often without their consent.
Bob Yates is a lifelong Republican who changed his voter registration last year in advance of running for Mayor. His record on city council is deeply conservative and out of touch with the values we hold in Boulder. It is imperative to vote for Aaron Brockett and Nicole Speer to continue making progress in Boulder.
Here is a visual representation of the Mayoral candidate endorsements:
How should I rank Aaron and Nicole?
Before you fill out your ballot for mayor, you will definitely want to read the city council section, as there are implications for how you may choose to rank mayoral candidates. In brief, I think that electing Aaron Brockett as mayor will likely ensure a larger progressive / pro-housing majority than if Nicole Speer is elected mayor. Read more of my thoughts on the city council races here.
Because the City of Boulder has moved to a Ranked Choice / Instant Runoff style of voting for mayor, you will be able to vote for and rank more than one candidate in the race (as first, second, third, et al). While voters are not required to rank additional candidates, I want to outline why you want to rank both Aaron and Nicole in the election this year.
I want to outline a few important factors in making your ranking. Nicole Speer is two years through a four-year term, and will serve out the remainder of her term if she does not get elected mayor. Aaron Brockett and Bob Yates are at the end of their current terms. If not elected mayor, Brockett and Yates will no longer be serving on city council in any capacity.
Another factor to consider is that if Nicole Speer wins, instead of four members getting elected to city council, five members will get elected, as Speer will vacate the council seat to become mayor. However, voters will only get to vote for four candidates. The fifth candidate selection would go to the fifth highest vote-getter in the council race, which will give that candidate the remainder of Speer’s two-year term. I will discuss the implications and uncertainties of such an outcome more in the city council section.
I also want to mention that Boulder uses a “weak mayor” system, which will not change with this year’s direct election of the mayor. The mayor has as much power as the other eight council members, and any council action requires at least five votes to proceed. While the mayor also contributes to agenda scheduling and running meetings, a council majority (five or more city council members, of which the mayor can be one) is the only way to make changes in city policy.
Aside from any policy or personal differences between Aaron and Nicole, the makeup of council will shift if either or none get elected. I want to give my read on the potential outcomes for the 2024-2025 city council:
If Bob Yates gets elected, along with 1-2 progressive council candidates, and 2-3 conservative candidates, our council will have more strongly conservative members and have fewer progressives than it does now.
If Nicole Speer gets elected, along with 1-2 progressive council candidates, and 3-4 conservative candidates (due to Speer resigning her council seat), our council will have fewer progressives than it does now.
If Aaron Brockett gets elected, along with 1-2 progressive council candidates, and 2-3 conservative candidates, our council will have a similar number of progressive as it does now.
Why am I making these assumptions about the city council race makeup? You’ll have to read more in the city council section!
Additional Reading
How to Vote for Boulder’s Mayor Using Ranked Choice Voting – Boulder Progressives
A 10-minute guide to candidates for Boulder City Council, mayor and school board – Boulder Beat
Boulder Reporting Lab Voter Guide – Mayor
Aaron Brockett is ‘already on the ground running’ as Boulder’s mayor – Boulder Beat News
Councilman Bob Yates struggles to lead from the bottom – Boulder Beat News
Aaron Brockett — 2023 Boulder Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire – Boulder Weekly
Nicole Speer — 2023 Boulder Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire – Boulder Weekly
Bob Yates — 2023 Boulder Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire – Boulder Weekly
Aaron Brockett: Current Mayor Seeks Three More Years – Richard Valenty
Nicole Speer: Looks Toward Collaboration In Decision Making – Richard Valenty
Bob Yates: Touts Leadership Experience For Leadership Position – Richard Valenty
Local Offices
City of Boulder Council Candidates – Ryan Schuchard, Taishya Adams, Silas Atkins, and a 4th candidate.
Want to read how the mayor election affects council outcomes? Click and read below.
You will get to vote for up to four city council candidates. I am recommending voting for Ryan Schuchard, Taishya Adams, and Silas Atkins – and I have a few suggestions for how you might use your fourth vote.
Taishya Adams and Ryan Schuchard have among the highest number and most important endorsements for all city council candidates in 2023. Both have been endorsed by Boulder Progressives, Better Boulder, Sierra Club, Bedrooms Are For People, The Boulder Daily Camera, and Boulder Weekly, among others.
Ryan Schuchard’s motivation to run for council comes from a desire to make Boulder an even friendlier, more welcoming place that builds on its housing, transportation and climate goals. He really understands the inter-connectivity of all of these issues that combine to inform his vision for a more progressive and inclusive Boulder. Ryan’s current role on the city’s Transportation Advisory Board will ensure that he can quickly transition to being an effective city council person.
Taishya Adams blends a passion for the environment and social justice with a depth of experience that makes her a top candidate. Her public service on Colorado’s Parks and Wildlife Commission, as well as on Boulder’s Police Oversight Panel, and her deep work in schools and education, give Taishya a background to work at all levels of government. I look forward to Taishya’s holistic approach to addressing Boulder’s critical needs for the climate, housing, and social equity.
Silas Atkins will bring a solidly progressive viewpoint to council on a range of issues along housing, livable wages, and social justice, among other topics. He works as a paraeducator for BVSD, he’s a single dad with two kids, and he rents his housing — all great perspectives that have little or no representation on council currently. Silas has several strong endorsements from the Boulder Area Labor Council, Bedrooms Are For People, and the Boulder Weekly.
Most people reading my voter guide will want to use all of their votes, and I believe it’s incredibly important in this cycle to make sure to vote for four candidates for city council. While I don’t have a definitive fourth pick this year, I do think there are some possibilities for a solid choice.
First, I want to address who I am recommending you not support. Several candidates endorsed by Boulder Elevated, PLAN Boulder, and Safer Boulder have viewpoints and agendas that are deeply contrary to the work being done and proposed by progressives across our city. Those candidates are Terri Brncic, Tina Marquis, and Jenny Robins. I find the positions of the organizations endorsing these candidates to be anti-housing, anti-homeless, and opposed to many kinds of important and equity-focused changes in Boulder. I do not believe these candidates’ positions will differ significantly from these groups’ platforms.
Three candidates I think are worth considering for your fourth vote are: Tara Winer, Waylon Lewis, and Aaron Neyer.
Tara Winer is a two-year incumbent who has a record that is strong on transportation issues, mixed on housing issues, and poor on issues around policing and social justice. Tara is very accessible and consistently reaches out to community members across the city to learn more about differing points of view and to engage in meaningful conversation about hot-button topics. Tara is very open to criticism and to learning more about issues that matter to the people of Boulder. Tara has endorsements from a broad array of constituencies in 2023 and will absolutely win re-election. I hope to see her become more pro-housing in her second term.
Waylon Lewis grew up in Boulder and is a candidate that has perhaps the broadest array of personal endorsements across the political spectrum, but fewer organizational endorsements (notably Better Boulder, Bedrooms Are For People, and Sierra Club). Waylon has prided himself on being an “independent” candidate, caught between two strong slates of candidates. While Waylon is strong on housing, transportation and climate, his positions on homelessness, policing, and social justice issues have regressed during this race and on many of these topics he is more in line with the PLAN/Safer slate than with the more progressive candidates.
Aaron Neyer would bring a fresher perspective to city council. Aaron has a great vision for community and bringing people together, and is someone who rents housing and has a passion for addressing our housing and climate challenges. Aaron has fewer personal and group endorsements which will reduce the likelihood that he may be elected.
Here is a visual representation of the City Council candidate endorsements:
How do possible mayor election outcomes play into possible council majorities?
If Aaron Brockett or Bob Yates are elected mayor, four council candidates will win seats.
If Nicole Speer is elected mayor, five council candidates will win seats. However, voters will only get to select four of those members directly on the ballot, and the fifth will be the fifth-highest of vote totals.
So, who will get the top four (or five) city council spots by vote totals? Speaking in general terms, we can see that:
- Tara Winer will get re-elected, as she is the only incumbent running, and has the broadest support and most financial backing when including outside group spending.
- Ryan Schuchard and Taishya Adams are by far the strongest progressive candidates
- Terri Brncic, Tina Marquis, and Jenny Robins are (besides Tara) by far the the conservative candidates who have the best chance at winning
- Silas Atkins and Waylon Lewis have areas of strong but varied support
- Aaron Neyer and Jacques Decalo have more limited levels of support
While not an election prediction, I see the most likely outcome to be that 1-2 progressive candidates get elected, and 2-3 conservative candidates get elected.
Currently council has had a 6-3 majority on some housing and progressive issues (more or less). Going back to the mayor election, my expected value for progressive council members, including the mayor, is as follows (remember — you need five votes for a majority on any issue):
- If Bob Yates wins mayor – I expect council to have 4-5 progressives
- If Nicole Speer wins mayor – I expect council to have 4-5 progressives
- If Aaron Brocket wins mayor – I expect council to have 5-6 progressives
Again, this is not an election prediction — but given the available data, I believe these are highly likely outcomes.
Additional Reading
A 10-minute guide to candidates for Boulder City Council, mayor and school board – Boulder Beat
Boulder Reporting Lab Voter Guide – City Council
Taishya Adams has a vision for Boulder’s ‘just and joyous’ future – Boulder Beat
Ryan Schuchard — 2023 Boulder City Council Candidate Questionnaire – Boulder Weekly
Taishya Adams — 2023 Boulder City Council Candidate Questionnaire – Boulder Weekly
School District Offices
Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District A – Neil Fishman
I am voting for Neil Fishman. I’ve gotten to know Neil over the past several years through his work as an Outreach and Inclusion team lead with the Boulder County Democratic Party and his work in pushing for the adoption of equitable and inclusive social studies standards in all Colorado public schools at the state level. Neil has an incredible record of service across many parts of the community, including as President of the board of the Boulder County AIDS Project, as a member of the University of Colorado’s President’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Diversity, and on various city and county commissions focused on issues like education around HIV transmission and combating homophobia He is endorsed by both Boulder Progressives and the Boulder Valley Education Association as well as by an impressive array of state and local elected officials representing both education and government bodies
I have also had the opportunity to interview and meet with Jason Unger, also running in this district. Jason is a solid candidate and also well-qualified. I am voting for Neil Fishman because of my own experience of his work ethic and passion for social justice. As a gay man, Neil holds an identity that is not represented on the board. We are living in a time where LGBTQ kids, and particularly trans kids, are under attack and othered by conservatives in our community. As the only candidate with direct lived experience in fighting that kind of persecution and hate, we need Neil’s voice on the BVSD board to help support and protect our students, teachers, and community.
District A is the geographically smallest district and includes Boulder areas next to The Hill and university as well as parts of south and east Boulder. Candidates must live within district boundaries, but voters will select candidates from all four BVSD districts that have elections in 2023.
Additional Reading
Neil Fishman, BVSD District A – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District A: Neil Fishman – Daily Camera
Jason Unger: BVSD District A – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District A: Jason Unger – Boulder Weekly
Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District C – Alex Medler
I am voting for Alex Medler. I am voting for Alex Medler. Alex’s depth of knowledge on education policy, his volunteer work in schools, his engagements with the District Accountability Committee, and his professional experience in education and government, as well as his personal understanding of the challenges faced by students with learning differences and students with specials needs, will be a huge asset for the BVSD board. Alex is endorsed by Boulder Progressives, Boulder Weekly, and the Boulder Valley Education Association.
In candidate forums, Cynthia Nevison has been the only candidate running this year to express concerns about county policies encouraging COVID vaccines and masks, and the only candidate to suggest limitations on trans students participating in sports.
District C is the largest district, including South Boulder, Superior, Eldorado Springs, and Nederland. Candidates must live within district boundaries, but voters will select candidates from all four BVSD districts that have elections in 2023.
Additional Reading
Alex Medler, BVSD District C – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District C: Alex Medler – Daily Camera
Boulder Valley School Board District C: Andrew Steffl – Daily Camera
Cynthia Nevison, BVSD District C – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District C: Cynthia Nevison – Daily Camera
Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District D – Andrew Brandt
I am voting for Andrew Brandt. I’ve known Andrew for several years through community organizations and his work in cyber security. I was inspired by Andrew’s goal to pursue board service after volunteering for the district and ensuring his two children, both nonbinary and currently in high school in BVSD, will continue to go to school in a safe and inclusive district. Andrew’s collaborative nature and willingness to learn and grow will be an asset during the next school board term. Andrew is endorsed by Boulder Progressives and Boulder Weekly.
District D includes North Boulder and Gunbarrel. Candidates must live within district boundaries, but voters will select candidates from all four BVSD districts that have elections in 2023.
Additional Reading
Andrew Brandt, BVSD District D – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District D: Andrew Brandt – Daily Camera
Lalenia Quinlan Aweida, BVSD District D – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District D: Lalenia Quinlan Aweida – Daily Camera
Boulder Valley School District RE-2 Director District G – Jorge Chávez
I am voting for Jorge Chávez. Of all the candidates running in 2023, perhaps no one has more direct experience or a stronger background for the BVSD board than Jorge. Jorge is an Associate Professor in the Human Development and Family Relations program, and has served as chair of the District Accountability Committee (DAC) for two years. In that role, as he puts it himself he has “advised the District Administration and the Board of Education on budget, policy, data transparency, unified improvement plans, diversity, equity and inclusion, mental health resources, school safety and climate, school discipline, and long-term planning,”. Jorge will bring both incredible knowledge and a passion for social and racial equity to the next BVSD board.
Jorge is endorsed by Boulder Progressives, Boulder Weekly, and the Boulder Valley Education Association.
I also want to note that out of the ten candidates running this year, three are candidates of color, all living in District G. Stuart Lord is another candidate running in the district who would also bring an important voice to the board. I think BVSD should consider additional election reforms that ensure we have broader representation than we currently have.
District G includes Lafayette. Candidates must live within district boundaries, but voters will select candidates from all four BVSD districts that have elections in 2023.
Additional Reading
Jorge Chavez, BVSD District G – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District G: Jorge Chavez – Daily Camera
Stuart Lord, BVSD District G – Richard Valenty
Boulder Valley School Board District G: Stuart C. Lord – Daily Camera
Boulder Valley School Board District G: Anil Pesaramelli – Daily Camera
State Ballot Measures
Proposition HH (STATUTORY) – YES / FOR
Shall the state reduce property taxes for homes and businesses, including expanding property tax relief for seniors, and backfill counties, water districts, fire districts, ambulance and hospital districts, and other local governments and fund school districts by using a portion of the state surplus up to the proposition HH cap as defined in this measure?
YES / FOR. I am voting for Prop HH as a way to increase school funding and to reduce the effects of increased property tax burdens in a way that will be more equitable than a simple property tax cut. Prop HH has many components with some pros and cons to weigh, which make developing a single narrative about its effects more difficult. I’ll order the effects from what I see as most impactful and important to least impactful.
The Colorado Blue Book is an essential resource to understand Prop HH, and I will reference their materials heavily. As noted by the Colorado Sun, the state has released a newer economic forecast since the blue book was printed. I will use the blue book for analysis and graphs and note any relevant updates to the data as appropriate. If you want a very long and expansive look into Prop HH, I suggest reading the entire Colorado Sun article as well: Proposition HH: What you need to know about the Colorado property tax relief plan.
Context: why and how is this on the ballot now? The Democratic legislature and Governor voted to place Prop HH on the ballot through bill SB23-303 to address rapidly rising property taxes, constraints on school funding, and to get ahead of conservative-backed measures qualified for the ballot in 2024 that seek to permanently reduce Colorado’s property tax revenue.
When will the effects take place? If passed, Prop HH would affect income and property taxes from tax year 2023 due in 2024, for ten years through 2032 for nearly all of the bill’s effects.
What are the principal effects of Prop HH?
- Reducing immediate property tax rate
- Backfilling property tax revenues local governments and districts from revenue-surplus TABOR refunds
- Expanding property tax relief for seniors
- A 1% per year increase in allowable state budget spending
- The truth-in-taxation provision
- Up to $20 million each year to go toward a state renter relief program
To understand many of the effects of Prop HH, you need to understand TABOR. Here is an excerpt from this year’s Colorado Blue Book:
What is the state’s revenue limit, known as the TABOR limit?
The Colorado Constitution includes a section, “The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights,” commonly known as TABOR, that limits the amount of money that the state government can collect and spend or save each year. Voter approval is required to retain money above the TABOR limit. If money is collected above the limit, the excess must be refunded to taxpayers. This is called a TABOR refund.
1. Reducing immediate property tax rate
The primary reason for the bill, to reduce a sharply increasing property tax burden, and to help fend off potentially damaging property tax reductions that will be voted on in 2024.
2. Backfilling property tax revenues local governments and districts from revenue-surplus TABOR refunds
To prevent drastic budget cuts to local governments and districts, the measure provides a method to address shortfalls by using TABOR refunds which would otherwise be returned individually to tax filers.
3. Expanding property tax relief for seniors
Extending programs and exemptions for seniors who are often on fixed incomes and are more vulnerable from rising property taxes.
4. A 1% per year increase in allowable state budget spending
A significant portion of benefits from Prop HH come from raising the TABOR cap, which restrains education and other funding in Colorado’s budget.
5. The Limitation on property tax revenue provision
The local property tax revenue provision will cap increases in property tax revenue to the rate of inflation for local governments, with the exception of school districts and “home rule” governments. In the case of Boulder, the city is a home rule government while the county is not. Local governments can override this provision, although most governments will not due so because such overrides would be unpopular.
I don’t love this provision, and would prefer it did not exist. However, it’s much less heavy-handed than the 2024 proposed Property Tax Revenue Cap initiative, which would only let local governments keep property taxes about a cap with the passage of a statewide vote annually.
6. Up to $20 million each year to go toward a state renter relief program
The provision to assist renters in Prop HH is a good one, particularly given the state’s ongoing housing crisis. However, the amount allocated statewide is rather small considering Denver has proposed $15.6 million in rental assistance for 2024 (Denverite).
Beyond the main points, Prop HH has a few other notable effects:
- Starting in 2025, the state will have higher relative tax rates on single-family homes that aren’t a primary residence. For the first two years, all residential properties get a property tax cut. But for the last eight years, non-primary-residence single family homes actually get a lower property tax cut than multifamily / primary home SFH. That would provide a disincentive for investor-owned SFH and second home SFH.
2. The property tax refunds themselves are somewhat progressive (i.e. amount of refund compared to property value). The progressive nature of refunds comes from an exemption on the first $40-50k in property fees. In total, that means properties that are worth less will receive a higher property tax cut.- see graphic
3. 2023 TABOR refunds will be skewed toward lower-income people – see graphic:
For income less than $99,000: TABOR refunds increase; for income greater than $99,000: TABOR refunds decrease.
I would prefer this policy were extended longer / full term, but this is a big deal for next year.
However, the current TABOR refund projections for 2024-2026 are estimated to be 50-75% as large as the 2023 refund. So this one-time policy may have an even more progressive effect happening in 2023 when TABOR refunds are projected to be the largest.
Still unsure about Prop HH? You can see how the measure might affect you personally. Here is a Proposition HH Calculation Tool Maintained by Legislative Council Staff https://hhcalc.apps.coleg.gov/calculators
Additional Reading
Colorado Proposition HH, Property Tax Changes and Revenue Change Measure (2023) – Ballotpedia
Why are TABOR refunds so huge lately? And will they stay that way? – CPR News
Proposition HH: What you need to know about the Colorado property tax relief plan – Colorado Sun
Property tax measure cleared for November ballot with Supreme Court opinion – Colorado Newsline
A statewide cap on property taxes will be on the 2024 ballot – CPR News
Proposition II (STATUTORY) – YES / FOR
Without raising taxes, may the state retain and spend revenues from taxes on cigarettes, tobacco, and other nicotine products and maintain tax rates on cigarettes, tobacco, and other nicotine products and use these revenues to invest twenty-three million six hundred fifty thousand dollars to enhance the voluntary Colorado preschool program and make it widely available for free instead of reducing these tax rates and refunding revenues to cigarette wholesalers, tobacco product distributors, nicotine products distributors, and other taxpayers, for exceeding an estimate included in the ballot information booklet for proposition EE?
I am voting for Prop II which extends an existing policy to ensure a current tax on cigarettes goes to schools instead of going back to cigarette distributors. For more information about Prop EE in 2020 which established this tax on cigarettes, read what I had to say in favor of that 2020 measure Prop EE: https://bouldercoloradovoterguide.com/2020/10/11/how-im-voting-in-the-2020-boulder-colorado-elections/
(no direct link)
I think the value proposition for Prop II is pretty simple. From the Colorado Blue Book:
Here are details from the Colorado Blue Book on cigarettes, tobacco, and nicotine products more generally:
Additional Reading
Colorado Proposition II, Tobacco and Nicotine Product Tax Revenue Measure (2023) – Ballotpedia
County Ballot Measures
Boulder County Ballot Issue 1A – YES / FOR
OPEN SPACE SALES AND USE TAX EXTENSION AND REVENUE CHANGE
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 (15) 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?
To have context for how much money the Boulder County Open space raises and spends, and the portion being covered here, I have noted reporting from Shay Castle at the Boulder Beat:
All told, open space sales taxes brought in $41.7 million in 2022; 75% of the total $55.9 million Parks & Open Space budget. The 0.05% portion expiring this year contributed roughly $4.4 million of that, or 8% of the total department budget. (Based on calculations done by Boulder Beat; officials declined to answer financial questions. More financial information is provided below.)
Most people in Boulder value our open space programs for recreation, preservation, flood control, or other reasons. Open space tax renewals often raise a few questions that are good to answer:
- Do we still need to fund our open space program at the same levels we have previously?
As our open space program has grown, we tend to shift more from open space acquisition to maintenance and improvements. I agree that we still need to make open space investments and would like to see the trend continue toward less acquisition, which may lead to fewer funding needs in the future.
- Sales taxes tend to be more regressive than property taxes. Open space has a significant benefit to property owners and people who live in Boulder County. Why does it make sense to fund open space with sales taxes?
I’m not aware of any property taxes funding open space, but there is certainly a case that a portion of funding should come from that source. Probably the best case for a sales tax is that our open space is revenue-generating from tourism and visitation from nearby residents. In the City of Boulder, rough numbers show that open space users are about ⅓ from the city, ⅓ from Boulder County, and ⅓ from outside of Boulder County. As we may see some similar demographic breakdown of use at the county level, it’s easier to justify that visitors also pay for some of this community amenity.
Additional Reading
County Attorney’s Office: 2023 Ballot Measures – Boulder County
Reso 23-069 approving ballot title for open space tax extension – Boulder County
Boulder County Ballot Issue 1B – YES / FOR
AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE SALES AND USE TAX EXTENSION AND REVENUE CHANGE
AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE SALES AND USE TAX EXTENSION AND REVENUE CHANGE WITH NO INCREASE IN ANY COUNTY TAX, SHALL THE COUNTY’S EXISTING 0.185% SALES AND USE TAX APPROVED IN 2018 PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO. 2018-76 BE EXTENDED FOR FIFTEEN (15) YEARS FOR THE PURPOSES OF FUNDING AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES WITHIN BOULDER COUNTY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: THE COSTS OF DEVELOPMENT, OPERATION, ACQUISITION, PRESERVATION, RENOVATION, MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION OF FOR-SALE AND RENTAL HOMES FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND LOCAL WORKFORCE; SUPPORTIVE HOUSING; SERVICES THAT SUPPORT HOUSING STABILITY; GRANTS TO HOUSING AUTHORITIES, NONPROFIT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDERS, AND LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES; 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. 2023-070?
YES / FOR. The lack of affordable housing is perhaps one of the greatest needs that Boulder County faces.
To have context for how much money the Boulder County affordable housing fund will raise and spend, I have noted reporting from Shay Castle at the Boulder Beat:
The tax brings in tens of millions of dollars a year — $12 million in 2021; $12.5 million in 2022 and a projected $17.78 million this year — making up 15.6% of the county’s total sales/use revenue, according to a county spokesperson.
It’s important to note that unlike measure 1A open space extension, Boulder County does not currently have a fund for affordable housing. Passing measure 1B would be another significant improvement particularly for the City of Boulder, and this money would be in addition to money that is becoming available to municipalities from Prop 123 passed statewide in 2022 to fund affordable housing in Colorado.
The need for more affordable housing is massive. Here is an infographic from Boulder County:
Sales taxes tend to be more regressive than property taxes. Why are we using a sales tax instead of a property tax to fund affordable housing, particularly when the lack of housing causes the prices of existing properties to rise?
A better policy would be to fund affordable housing through property taxes. In doing so, funding would increase as property values increase, and vice versa. Unfortunately, our political leadership almost always consists of homeowners, and are elected by mostly homeowners, such that it’s nearly impossible to fund affordable housing through property taxes. In fact, the only tax to fail in the City of Boulder in the past 15 years was to fund affordable housing with a property tax in 2009, which failed 58-42%. (“It’s been 11 years since Boulder voters turned down a local tax”, Boulder Beat, 2020).
Given the political realities of property taxes, passing a sales tax is better than nothing.
Additional Reading
County Attorney’s Office: 2023 Ballot Measures – Boulder County
Affordable Housing one-pager summary – Boulder County
Boulder County Ballot Issue 1B: Affordable Housing Tax Extension and Revenue Change – Boulder Beat
Reso 23- Housing tax extension proposal (8.14.2023) – Boulder County
Local Ballot Measures
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2A – YES / FOR
CITY SALES USE AND TAX EXTENSION (TABOR)
CITY SALES USE AND TAX EXTENSION (TABOR) WITHOUT RAISING ADDITIONAL TAXES, SHALL THE EXISTING 0.15 CENT CITY SALES AND USE TAX FOR GENERAL FUND PURPOSES, APPROVED BY THE VOTERS BY ORDINANCE 7300, BE EXTENDED BEYOND THE CURRENT EXPIRATION DATE OF DECEMBER 31, 2024, UNTIL DECEMBER 31, 2044, WITH THE REVENUE FROM SUCH TAX EXTENSION AND ALL EARNINGS THEREON BE USED TO FUND SERVICES AND PROJECTS AS FOLLOWS: · 50% FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICES, PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES, HUMAN SERVICES, HOMELESSNESS SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES, PARKS, AND OTHER GENERAL FUND PURPOSES; · 50% FOR ARTS, CULTURE, AND HERITAGE PURPOSES; INCLUDING DIRECT AND GRANT FUNDING FOR ARTS AND CULTURE NONPROFITS, PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS, ARTS EDUCATION, VENUES AND WORKSPACES, PUBLIC ART, AND MULTI-CULTURAL PROGRAMS; AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH SHALL ANY EARNINGS FROM THE REVENUES FROM SUCH TAX EXTENSION CONSTITUTE A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE REVENUE AND SPENDING LIMITS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?
YES / FOR. I am supporting this compromise measure to fund the arts in part with a renewal of existing human services and general fund purposes.
The context for Ballot Issue 2A is important. 2A renews an existing tax to the City of Boulder’s general fund, which city leaders had intended to renew in full without a dedicated fund for arts spending. A local group that has been working to increase funding for the arts, petitioned the city to place a measure on the ballot to dedicate this entire fund toward the arts (~$7 million per year) rather than toward the general fund. That framing pitted both the city and arts group against each other to vie for the same funding stream.
The competition for the same funds would have put high stakes on the eventual winner to renew the funds, or potentially cause both issues to lose, such that the funding would not be extended after it expires at the end of 2024. Instead, this compromise tax issue allows both the city and the arts advocates to get much of what they need in a scenario that all parties feel comfortable with.
We should talk about other scenarios that could have happened. If the arts organizers agreed, the city could have changed the measure to be a new tax instead of extending this existing tax. New taxes are certainly harder to pass and do increase the tax burden with additional regressive taxation and risk putting Boulder’s sales tax increasingly higher than neighboring communities.
Another scenario is that the city could have slightly raised the existing tax in combination with a compromise measure with substantial arts funding. That would reduce trade-offs from existing uses of the funding. With a very motivated arts group, it’s likely that a small tax increase to additionally fund the arts would have been relatively easy to pass.
The city does not expect to have significant cuts due to half of the tax shifting from the general fund. The city’s budget has freed up some of its general fund needs by shifting its library system to a property-tax funded library district.
Some opponents of the measure prefer not to divert any funds for the arts. Other opponents argue that shifting funds to an inflexible dedicated fund is a bad policy when the city has budget shortfalls. I agree these issues are worthy of discussion. However, I find the significant under-spending on the arts in Boulder to be a serious deficit for the city, and an aim that is worth investment and dedicated funding for some period of time.
On a positive note, perhaps Boulder can increase its sales tax base for at least the next few years. “Deion Sanders, aka Coach Prime, has brought winning football back to the University of Colorado and as much as $17 million to the Boulder economy with each sold-out home game” (Forbes Magazine). So it’s possible that we may continue to ride a CU Boulder wave to cheerier budgets.
“Culture drives commerce. And that’s precisely what Deion Sanders has brought to Colorado: a fuel injection of new meaning that is driving cultural consumption,” stated Forbes. And same goes with the arts in Boulder.
Additional Reading
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2A: City Sales and Use Tax Extension (and arts funding) – Boulder Beat
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2B – YES / FOR
Elections Administrative Charter Cleanup
Elections Administrative Charter Cleanup Shall Sections 27, 37, 39, 46, and 57 of the city Charter be amended pursuant to Ordinance 8587 to: · remove the requirement that signers to petitions appear personally before the city clerk; · clarify that state law governs the process for charter amendments; · change the timing provisions of filing a petition to 160 days before an election instead of 150 days; · change the number of days that the city clerk has to approve a petition to 15 days from 10 days; and · change the number of days that the city clerk has to verify petition signatures from 10 to 15?
YES / FOR. I am voting Question 2B to improve the administration of direct democracy and petitions in the City of Boulder. As someone who has filed a lawsuit against the city for their handling of petitioning election laws, I do appreciate these changes are getting some attention.
Question 2B has a number of small changes that I will outline and submit a few comments on:
1. Remove the requirement that signers to petitions appear personally before the city clerk
I presume the desire to remove this in-person requirement relates to the City of Boulder’s online petition system, Boulder Direct Democracy Online, which would not meet this requirement.
2. Clarify that state law governs the process for charter amendments
This provision is exactly what the Bedrooms Are For People lawsuit was about. The City of Boulder did not clarify exactly how the city’s election laws and charter provisions interacted with the State of Colorado’s rules about changes to the city charter. This change clarifies that state law should be used.
3. Change the timing provisions of filing a petition to 160 days before an election instead of 150 days
Currently, petitions are typically due at the beginning of June, and will now be due closer to the end of May. This is not a reduction in the time allowed to get a measure on the ballot, as petitioners still have 180 days total for that process to collect signatures (which currently requires about 3,500 valid signatures).
4. Change the number of days that the city clerk has to approve a petition to 15 days from 10 days
When putting a measure on the ballot, the city clerk works with the city attorney’s office to determine if a measure meets various legal requirements and has a ballot question that clearly reflects the intent of the petition. This provision will increase the amount of time the city has to process those requests.
5. Change the number of days that the city clerk has to verify petition signatures from 10 to 15?
The city clerk must manually verify each signature turned in for a petition. While some campaigns have started using the City’s of Boulder’s online petition system, due to difficulties with the system, most campaigns do not collect more than 10-20% of signatures online. That means that the remaining 80-90+% of signatures must be painstakingly checked against voter records on name and address, which takes many days.
Read Shay Castle at the Boulder Beat who outlines the exact changes to the City Charter described above:
Additional Reading
City of Boulder Ballot Issue 302 – NO / AGAINST
NO / AGAINST. “Safe Zones” is a citizen-led petition that wastes resources on ineffective enforcement rather than solutions. The measure intends to codify in law what is current policy around the removal of encampments in the city but in a poorly written and unhelpful way. Rather than improving safety, “Safe Zones” will tie the hands of our local government and police chief with a mandate to enforce on every sidewalk in the City of Boulder rather than addressing root causes of homelessness and encampments. We need safe cities, not “safe zones,” and this only makes it more difficult for our city to make progress on the issue.
It’s important to understand why this ballot measure exists despite the fact that it provides no money and no improvements in policy. The main purpose of “Safe Zones” is to politicize our kids as an election issue in order to help elect a conservative city council slate. This slate includes longtime Republican [now unaffiliated as he runs for Mayor] Bob Yates as well as candidates Brncic, Robins, and Marquis. Some of the key goals of this conservative slate is are to implement more punitive policies to address encampments, to increase bail for low-level offenses, and to increase the police budget citywide.
Here’s a post from Boulder Nextdoor in May where a lead organizer and booster of “Safe Zones” publicly talk about their plan to politicize kids for an election:
“Safe Zones” has a few notable endorsements, including the Boulder County GOP. While the Boulder County GOP opposed every other measure on the ballot this year – No on funding our schools, No on affordable housing, No on open space – they gave an enthusiastic Yes on “Safe Zones.”
I’m joining these groups of people voting No on Boulder Ballot Issue 302. Additionally that includes the Boulder Weekly, Daily Camera, Yellow Scene Magazine, and nearly half of the BVSD school board.
Additional Reading
City of Boulder Ballot Question 302: Safe Zones 4 Kids – Boulder Beat
Editorial: Tough ballot questions ask important questions about our priorities – Daily Camera
Opinion: No on 302 – Boulder cannot displace its way out of homelessness – Boulder Beat
Thank you
Please share with anyone to whom this guide might be helpful.
A reminder that ballots must be mailed no later than October 31st and ballots may be dropped off by 7pm on Election Day, Tuesday November 7th, 2023.
If you’re not a registered voter or you need to update your registration, you can register online now at Go Vote Colorado! (all you need is an updated Colorado driver’s license). If you register now, you will receive a ballot in the mail. Otherwise, you can register and vote through election day.
Questions, comments, or otherwise can be emailed to me Eric Budd at ericbudd@gmail.com or on Twitter @ericmbudd or on Mastodon at @ericmbudd@toot.bldrweb.org or on Bluesky at @ericmbudd.bsky.social.
Lastly, here are a few other voter guides I find helpful this year:
Boulder Progressives Voter Guide
Bedrooms Are For People Boulder Voter Guide
Boulder Beat 10-minute guide to candidates for Boulder City Council, mayor and school board
Boulder Colorado Voter Guide - Eric Budd 