Colorado Springs Property Tax Increase, Measure 2C (2009)

A Colorado Springs Property Tax Increase, Measure 2C was on the November 3, 2009 ballot in El Paso County for voters in Colorado Springs. It was defeated.

The measure proposed raising property taxes by six mills—the millage rate is $1 per $1,000 in assessed, taxable property value—in 2009 and by an additional one mill every year through 2014, amounting to a total increase of 10 mills by 2014. The tax increases were designed to continue indefinitely once imposed. The increase for the owner of an average home would have been $126 in 2010 and would have amounted to $210 per year by the end of the five years, according to city officials. City officials also estimated that the tax measure would generate $27.6 million in additional revenue in 2010 and $46 million per year in additional revenue by 2014.

Election results

The measure was defeated.

Measure 2C
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		62,974	63.28%
Yes		36,550	36.72%
Total votes		99,424	100.00%
Voter turnout		46.11%

Election results from El Paso County Elections Office

Ballot title

The ballot language read as follows:

Shall city taxes be increased $46,000,000 annually by increasing 2009 general property tax 6.00 mills, 1.00 additional mill per year for four years, continuing thereafter, constituting voter-approved revenue change?

Supporters

In support of Measure 2C, residents and city council members formed a campaign specific to the effort, A City Worth Fighting For. Early in the campaign, the group argued that approval of the measure would leave Colorado Springs with "one of the lowest property tax rates in the state." In September 2009, however, the group removed the statement from their website. The group argued, "Even with the full implementation of 2C in 2014, Colorado Springs will continue to have a low tax burden per capita, when compared to other similar size cities on the Front Range."

City Council Member Jan Martin stated that, if the property tax measure was not approved, the city would be forced to make cuts. Some of the proposed budget cuts included closing all seven city pools, community centers, the city transit service, and police and fire positions.

Councilwoman Jan Martin, in a televised debate October 7th, stated that the tax was needed to stabilize the city's income base and that cuts to public facilities and services would be the result of the measure's defeat. City officials said they saw the measure as a long-term solution to the city's financial problems. Fire fighters supported the measure, arguing that at least 35 firefighter positions were at stake.

A former councilwoman, Ellen McNalley, stated that the defeat of Measure 2c would result in the city being unable to fund the proposed budget. McNalley argued that the city could no longer rely on the sales tax alone that had supported it since 2006.

Opponents

Opponents of Measure 2C argued that there were issues with city spending. Opponents argued that the city should not fund new projects while simultaneously claiming multi-million dollar deficits in the budget. Opponents also argued that, if this tax was designed to temporarily help due to the recession, it should have an automatic sunset date rather than continuing indefinitely.

External links

• A City Worth Fighting For website