Castle Rock – The Douglas County seat would collect the highest municipal sales tax in the state, 8.7 percent, if voters approve money for public transit, cultural programs and Denver’s professional football stadium.
The Town Council will decide next week whether to endorse or oppose any or all of the three taxes, which would cost local shoppers millions of dollars a year.
Voters will be asked in November to approve:
A 1 percent sales tax to extend the Regional Transportation District to the entire town, as well as fund a study on extending commuter rail or light rail south to Castle Rock.
A 0.1 percent levy for the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, which funds cultural programs and events.
A 0.1 percent tax to help repay the loan that built Invesco Field at Mile High.
Without funding the three measures, Castle Rock has a 7.5 percent sales and use tax, charged on goods, services and automobiles.
Town leaders will listen to those pushing for the tax money at a study session next week before hearing public comments on the proposals, said town spokeswoman Carrie McCausland. Residents should learn all they can about the costs and benefits, she said.
“People will want to pay attention to this and learn all they can to make an informed decision,” McCausland said.
As Castle Rock and the south metro area grow, mass transit will become a critical transportation and economic development issue, according to RTD.
“You certainly could characterize this as an investment in the future,” said Bruce Abel, RTD’s assistant general manager for contracted services. “It connects Castle Rock to RTD’s broad transit network, including access to the light-rail system.”
The deal means income of up to $4.6 million a year for RTD, according to a draft of a presentation the transit system will make to Castle Rock leaders.
In exchange, RTD would spend nearly $8.9 million for parking, buses and shuttle services, including $1.5 million to study extending a rail line to the town.
If the tax is approved, RTD would add two bus routes, connecting Castle Rock to various destinations, including Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, Park Meadows mall, the Denver Tech Center and the light-rail station at Broadway and Interstate 25.
The taxes are not entirely new for parts of the town. Castle Rock, 30 miles south of downtown Denver, falls on the very edge of the metro-region boundaries for the three separate tax districts.
In 1994, Castle Rock voters opted out of the RTD taxing district, but numerous areas were subsequently annexed in.
“It’s a very unique situation simply because of how the boundaries are drawn,” said Sam Mamet, associate director of the Colorado Municipal League.
In 2004, area lawmakers passed legislation to allow the November vote, so Castle Rock residents could vote for the entire town to pay into the three funds, or none at all. They also could choose to leave the boundaries as they are now.
Mamet would not advise residents whether such regionally funded programs are worth it. It’s a personal decision for each voter, he said.
“I would ask myself, ‘What am I getting in return? What are we buying with this?”‘
Staff writer Joey Bunch can be reached at 303-820-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com.
