Sentinel Northglen 10-10-2013
Northglenn -Thornton
Adams County, Colorado • Volume 50, Issue 9
October 10, 2013
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ournorthglennnews.com, ourthorntonnews.com
Election: Candidates respond to questions. See Page 21
Tax extension placed on ballot Northglenn voters asked to renew 0.5 percent tax for water supply By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com Along with electing a mayor, and choosing a representative from their wards, Northglenn voters will all have a municipal ballot question during the Nov. 5 election. Voters are being asked to extend the one-half percent sales and use tax that expires in 2015 to be used exclusively to enhance or increase the city’s water supply. City Council approved the ballot question by an 8-0 vote during its Aug. 26 regular meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Susan Clyne, Ward III, was absent. According to a staff memo to council, the one-half percent sales and use tax generates approximately $1.9 million annually and is restricted to enhancing or increasing the city’s water supply. Money generated from this tax cannot go to repair or
replace aging infrastructure. Regardless if the money cannot go toward infrastructure, Ward II Councilwoman Leslie Carrico said, “We’re always going to need water and it’s always going to be high.” Staff reported that water raters per household may need to be raised by as much as 50 percent if the tax is not extended. Voters initially approved the one-half percent tax in 2001, and extended it in 2008. There was a brief discussion about how long the extension should last — one councilmember suggested four or six years. “The only down side to a shorter duration extension is if the city ever wanted to pledge this revenue stream for some form of debt, you wouldn’t be able to because it’s too uncertain,” said city attorney Corey Hoffmann. “I don’t know if that’s a consideration of council or not.” Council decided to make the extension last 10 years, so that if voter approved, it would expire Dec. 31, 2025.
Northglenn voters are being asked to extend the one-half percent sales and use tax that expires in 2015 to be used exclusively to enhance or increase the city’s water supply. Courtesy photo
Thornton voters to decide on six questions Term limits, Parks and Open Space tax extensions up for a vote By Tammy Kranz
tkranz@ourcoloradonews.com Voters in Thornton have six municipal questions to vote on during the Nov. 5 election — including asking voters to approve extending the Parks and Open Space Tax by 20 years and increasing council member term limits to three consecutive terms. Here is a closer look at those questions:
The Thornton Community Band performs during the grand opening of the Margaret Carpenter Park in May. Thornton residents will get to decide whether to extend the Parks and Open Space Tax on the November ballot. The 0.25 percent city sales and use tax has helped fund several park and open space projects over the years, including the Margaret Carpenter Park. Photos by Tammy Kranz
Term limit extension
Voters will be asked to extend council term limits from two consecutive terms to three — for a total of 12 years. “The City Council has discussed that experienced leadership is an important factor in carrying out the long-term plans of the city, and in addition that three consecutive terms will be consistent with terms of offices of other county-wide elected officials,” said City Attorney Margaret Emerich during council’s Aug. 13 regular meeting. Thornton voters rejected by 75.3 percent a similar extension question in 2005. In 2009, voters did approve three term limits for Adams County elected officials, including commissioners, sheriff, assessor, clerk and recorder, coroner, surveyor and treasurer.
Parks and Open Space Tax extension
Another extension voters are asked to approve is the Parks and Open Space Tax by 20 years. The 0.25 percent city sales and use tax
rate (25 cents on $100 purchase) expires Dec. 31, 2018, and the city would like to push that back until Dec. 31, 2038. “The city’s ability to continue to provide adequate parks and recreational facilities in the future is tied to the quarter cent or 25 cents on $100 purchase that the tax provides,” said Mike Soderberg, executive director of community services. He said since the inception of the tax, which was originally passed in 1997, the city has invested $56,561,721 for various parks, trails, open spaces and amenities. Some projects funded by the tax include the improvements such as a boathouse, carousel, amphitheater, a skate park and a sports complex area at the Margaret Carpenter Park; the design and construction of Lambertson Lakes Park; land acquisition for open space throughout the city and miles of trails. “If the tax is extended from
POSTAL ADDRESS
2018 to 2038 it will generate from $6 million up to $10 million per year depending on the growth within the community,” Soderberg said.
25 to 21 age limit
One of the questions deals with lowering the minimum age to qualify to serve as mayor or council member from 25 to 21. “The purpose of this would be to allow more participation by younger residents in our community if they were elected to city council,” Emerich said. Thornton resident Seth Thomas, 21, is spearheading the campaign to get the measure passed. “I feel if you can serve your country at age 18 sometimes age 17 with parent permission, you should be able to run for elected office at age 21,” he said. “By allowing a change to our Charter, we as the sixth largest city of the state are telling our community that it is OK to allow new fresh ideas to come forward to our
The carousel is just one of several features of the Margaret Carpenter Park that opened in May. The park’s other amenities include an amphitheater, skatepark, splashpad, boathouse and an 18,000-square-foot playground. The park was mainly funded by the Parks and Open Space Tax, which voters will decide in November whether to extend.
Continuity of government
council’s dais.”
Filling mayoral vacancies
Voters will also be asked to approve charter language that, in the event of a mayoral vacancy, the mayor pro tem becomes acting mayor until the next regular election. This means that council would operate with only eight members, but it saves the city the cost of holding a special election. Council has had to deal with mayoral vacancies twice in recent years — in January 2007 when Mayor Noel Busck resigned so he could assume his elected position on the Regional Transportation District Board of Directors and in January 2011 when Mayor Erik Hansen resigned to assume his new role as county commissioner.
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There will be a question that, if approved, would add a continuity of government provision to the city charter in the event that a quorum of council is not able to meet during an emergency, which could include an enemy-caused disaster or weather-related event.
Firefighter definition
The last question deals with the definition of fire fighter in the city’s charter. If approved, the charter would be amended to define fire fighter as regular sworn fire fighters up to and including the rank of lieutenant and regular emergency medical technicians who are not supervisors whose primary duties are to provide emergency medical or fire suppression services.
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