Voters within Larimer County will be asked to decide on whether to approve Ballot Issue 1A, which would impose a 0.15% sales tax, or 15 cents on every $100 spent, to fund transportation initiatives in Larimer County, which would include repairing roads and bridges, safety projects like expanded shoulders and improved intersections to reduce risk to motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians, and otherwise making the county’s roadways and transit systems more effective and efficient.
According to county staff, the geographic size of Larimer County and its location as a high traffic area for tourists heading to the Rocky Mountains and commuters traveling between municipalities means heavy wear and tear on roadways outside of cities and towns, most of which are maintained by the county.
Currently, the maintenance of these roads comes from revenue streams like vehicle purchases, vehicle registration fees, federal and state gas taxes and a small portion of property taxes.
But relying solely on those revenue sources has left the county with approximately $750 million in road improvement needs, only 14% of which are currently funded, according to County Engineer Mark Peterson.
Therefore, the county elected to find a new source of revenue for these projects by proposing Ballot Issue 1A, which would last for 15 years if not reapproved before then.
Proponent Thoughts
The initiative was endorsed by both Loveland and Fort Collins Chambers of Commerce, and Loveland Chamber of Commerce Director of Advocacy Bill Becker said the current state of transportation in the county is inadequate, and it would be in the best interest of the county to approve the tax increase.
“The scale of maintenance needs is in no way being met by the current funding through the county budget,” Becker said.
Also important to note, he said, was that state and federal grants exist that include a local matching component, meaning that if voters passed 1A, further funds could be acquired beyond what Larimer County taxpayers would provide.
Additionally, Becker said, the 2013 Colorado Flood changed the landscape, both literally and figuratively, for roadways near Loveland. Some areas that were not previously included in the floodplain were added after the flood, requiring improvements to nearby roads.
Finally, he said, the tax would help spur economic activity in the county, considering the level of traffic the county sees.
“We felt that this would be very beneficial to general traffic, and from the standpoint of the Chamber, we recognize that that is very good for business,” he said.
Opponent Thoughts
The Loveland Reporter-Herald was unable to find any groups or committees that had organized to oppose Ballot Issue 1A. The Larimer County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, which publishes documents about items on the ballot and is required to circulate a notice on any measures that would affect tax rates, including comments from parties who are either for or against certain measures, also did not receive any written comments in opposition.
The 2024 ballot includes several tax measures, including some that do have some level of organized opposition, either by advocacy groups or elected officials. Opponents of those measures cite the number of questions on the ballot that involve tax increases as part of their reasoning for opposing them, saying that voters are being asked for too much during a time when household budgets are tight.
However, without an organization or public figure actively opposing the measure, the Reporter-Herald cannot publish a more detailed explanation of the case against Ballot Issue 1A.
