Lakewood – The City Council voted Monday night to let citizens decide whether the city should exempt some grants and revenues from state limitations.
“There seems to be a certain amount of confusion,” Mayor Steve Burkholder said of a majority of people who testified against the ballot measure. “This is not an overall TABOR exemption.”
The ballot issue, which the council approved 8-3, would exempt the city from limits for open-space revenues and nonfederal grants for parks, recreation, cultural activities, public safety and streets.
The proposed override of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights is called de-Brucing because Douglas Bruce of Colorado Springs was the measure’s author.
In 1998, Lakewood residents voted to let the city keep and spend all revenues above TABOR limits. The overall exemption expires in December.
The narrower exemption would result in the city retaining an annual average of $4.6 million.
“It’s our money,” said resident Lorna Fox. “It’s money that will go to other cities if we don’t take it.”
Resident Colleen Coke Maddox disagreed, echoing many comments that last year’s 1-cent sales tax hike was enough.
“I just don’t want to give you folks any more money to play with,” she said.
Several residents objected to the exemption starting in 2007 and continuing into the future. “Why don’t we just say it’s permanent?” said Dave Wolf.
Council members Doug Anderson, Ray Elliott and Vicki Stack opposed the exemption.
“I see no need or urgency or possibility of Lakewood losing any grant money,” Elliott said.
TABOR is about letting the voters decide, said Councilman Mike Stevens.
“I would like my money to come back to our community,” he said. “If it fails, no big deal. The people have spoken.”
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
