Ballot Issue 302
Citizen-Initiated Ballot Issue No. 2
(Natural Areas Tax Extension – Resolution 2025-077)
WITHOUT RAISING ADDITIONAL TAXES, SHALL THE CITY’S EXISTING 0.25% SALES AND USE TAX (25 CENTS ON A $100 PURCHASE), AUTHORIZED BY CITIZEN-INITIATED ORDINANCE NO. 1, 2002, FOR THE ACQUISITION, MAINTENANCE, AND OPERATIONS OF NATURAL AREAS, BE EXTENDED, WITHOUT EXPIRATION, FROM ITS CURRENT EXPIRATION AT THE END OF 2030;
PROVIDED THAT REVENUES DERIVED FROM SUCH TAX EXTENSION SHALL BE USED TO ACQUIRE, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN NATURAL AREAS, OPEN SPACES, COMMUNITY SEPARATORS, WILDLIFE HABITAT, RIVER, STREAMS, RIPARIAN AREAS, WETLANDS, AND BIODIVERSE LANDSCAPES, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE APPROPRIATE USE AND ENJOYMENT OF THEM BY THE CITIZENRY CONSISTENT WITH CITIZEN-INITIATED ORDINANCE NO. 2, 2025, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING CHANGES FROM THE 2002 ORDINANCE:
- BEGINNING IN 2061, REDUCE THE MINIMUM PERCENTAGE OF ANNUAL REVENUE THAT MUST BE SPENT ON LAND CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES, AS DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE, TO 70% (INSTEAD OF 80%);
- BEGINNING IN 2061, INCREASE THE MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE OF ANNUAL REVENUE THAT MAY BE SPENT ON OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES, AS DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE, TO 30% (INSTEAD OF 20%);
- TREAT IMPROVING ACQUIRED LANDS BY RESTORING, ENHANCING, AND MAINTAINING NATIVE PLANT AND ANIMAL COMMUNITIES FOR THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF IMPROVING THE ECOLOGICAL HEALTH OF PROTECTED LANDS AS “LAND CONSERVATION ACTIVITY”; AND
- CLARIFY OTHER LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE FOR CONSISTENCY WITH THE CITY’S NATURAL AREAS PROGRAM.
AND PROVIDED THAT ALL REVENUES FROM THE TAX EXTENSION MAY BE RETAINED AND EXPENDED BY THE CITY NOTWITHSTANDING ANY STATE REVENUE OR EXPENDITURE LIMITATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?
______ YES/FOR
______ NO/AGAINST
Summary:
A citizen-initiated measure to continue the City’s Open Space Sales and Use Tax for a period of 25 years (the “2002 Initiative”) was approved by the registered electors of Fort Collins at a special City election on November 5, 2002.
An initiative petition amending the terms of the 2002 Initiative and extending the Open Space Sales and Use Tax without expiration (the “Initiated Measure”) was submitted to the City, certified as sufficient and approved to move forward to a vote of the people at the next regular City election on November 4, 2025.
In addition to removing the expiration of the Tax, the Initiated Measure amends the terms of the 2002 Initiative by:
- Starting in 2061:
- reducing the percentage of revenues from the tax that must be used for “land conservation activities” to 70 percent (from 80 percent); and
- increasing the percentage of revenues from the tax that may be used for maintenance and operations to 30 percent (from 20 percent);
- Changing the definition of “land conservation activity”, for which a specified amount of the tax revenues must be used, to include expenditures to support the ecological health of protected lands; and
- Clarifying other language to eliminate confusion and more accurately reflect the policies and practices of the Natural Areas program.
What a “Yes” vote means:
A “Yes” vote indicates the voter approves of extending the Natural Area tax without expiration and amending how the revenues will be allocated.
What a “No” vote means:
A “No” vote indicates the voter does not approve of extending the Natural Area tax without expiration or amending how the revenues will be allocated.
TABOR:
Pro/Con statements received for this measure will also be used in the TABOR Notice summaries.