August 26, 2021
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DOUGLAS COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
LoneTreeVoice.net
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 27
Douglas County residents voice opinions on redistricting maps Many attendees advocated for county, municipalities to remain whole A crowd fills the Douglas County Board of Commissioners hearing room on Aug. 19.
Schools keep mask order despite county opt-out DCSD superintendent says district must follow health order BY ELLIOTT WENZLER AND JESSICA GIBBS EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
While Douglas County has opted out of a public health order requiring masks for young students and
their teachers as a COVID-19 safety measure, the local school district says it plans to keep that order in place. In an Aug. 20 letter to the community, Douglas County School District Superintendent Corey Wise reinforced an earlier announcement that the district would adhere to the latest public health order from Tri-County Health Department despite county commis-
revenue base — Lone Tree does not collect property or grocery taxes — but has grown stagnant in recent years, according to city analysis. City staffers are projecting a $12 million budget gap. “It’s a big moment for the city. Twenty-five years on the same sales tax and use tax rate,” Councilmember Mike Anderson said. “We’ve seen a lot of change.”
Douglas County residents and leaders came together Aug. 18 to provide input for the once-a-decade redistricting process during a public hearing with the commissions in charge of drawing the new district boundaries. For the first time, twin independent redistricting commissions — instead of the state legislature — are creating the districts for Colorado’s state legislative and congressional districts. Among the 35 speakers who signed up to speak at the meeting in Ranch View Middle School in Highlands Ranch were the Douglas County commissioners, the mayor of Parker, Wind Crest Senior Living Community residents, former state Sen. John Evans and Stu Parker, the chairman of the county’s Republican Party. Speakers were given three minutes to speak and were then asked questions by the commission. The commissions released preliminary maps June 23 and are now in the process of hearing from the public. The commissions’ maps must be approved by the Colorado Supreme Court no later than Dec. 15 for the congressional map and Dec. 29 for the legislative maps.
SEE SALES TAX, P22
SEE MAPS, P13
sioners’ unanimous opt-out vote on Aug. 19. That Tri-County Health order, approved Aug. 17, requires masks to be worn among children ages 2 through 11 in any indoor school or childcare setting. Staff members who work with that age group were also included in the order, which took effect Aug. 23. SEE MASKS, P18
Lone Tree voters to decide sales-tax question City says $12M budget gap looms without more revenue BY JESSICA GIBBS JGIBBS@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Lone Tree will ask voters to raise taxes in November as city officials say the community is facing a
significant funding shortage in coming years if it doesn’t begin bringing in more revenue. City council on Aug. 17 approved a ballot question that asks voters to raise the 1.5% sales tax by another 1% for the next 10 years. The city has not raised sales tax since its founding more than two decades ago and its tax rate remains the lowest among neighboring communities, city staff said. Sales tax is a pillar of the city’s
BY ELLIOTT WENZLER EWENZLER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
PHOTO BY JESSICA GIBBS
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