A $550 million bond package and property-tax increase for infrastructure moved closer to the November ballot Wednesday after gaining approval from a City Council committee.
The matter goes before the full City Council on Aug. 13.
The package would refer nine questions to voters: a measure seeking to increase property taxes by 2.5 mills for maintenance, and eight items to pay for infrastructure and facility projects through general obligation bonds.
All but two items passed out of the committee unanimously. Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz was the lone dissenting vote on two measures she regarded as tax increases – the mill levy increase and a bond question regarding cultural facilities.
“I will not be supporting tax increases,” Faatz told her colleagues, “because I cannot guarantee to the voters that we have used the funds that we have had … in a conscientious way.”
Her colleagues, however, supported the package as a way to make Denver “a great city” for an average household tax rate increase of $12.
“I’m supportive of all of these questions,” Councilman Rick Garcia said, “simply because I believe it is a package.”
If the package passes the council as expected, voters will see these nine items on the November ballot:
Capital maintenance mill levy: This would increase property taxes by 2.5 mills to raise $27.5 million (in 2007 dollars) annually to pay for regular maintenance.
Bond questions:
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-954-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
