The campaign to pass a $550 million bond package and tax increase in Denver has raised $1 million in less than a month, mostly in large chunks from groups that stand to gain the most.
Financial reports filed today show the Better Denver campaign received donations of at least $100,000 from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the Colorado Symphony Association, the Denver Botanic Gardens, homebuilder MDC Holdings Inc. and Hensel Phelps Construction Co.
Of that group, the museum gave the most: $300,000.
The museum, the Botanic Gardens, and Boettcher Concert Hall — where the symphony performs — would each receive millions from the bond package for maintenance and construction projects.
Campaign spokesman Mark Eddy said money from the museum, the gardens and other recipients of funds from the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District did not come from taxpayers.
“The museum has been setting money aside for several years working toward this,” Eddy said, noting that its donation came from gate receipts. “These are important projects. They want to make sure that the public has the information they need to make the decisions.”
Better Denver also received $25,000 each from Mayor John Hickenlooper’s re-election campaign, Xcel Energy, Stapleton developer Forest City, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the Downtown Denver Partnership.
Various members of the Anschutz Corp. gave the campaign a total of $22,000.
Of the 54 contributions the campaign has received, eight were less than $1,000.
Better Denver is campaigning to pass Hickenlooper’s plan to catch up on infrastructure and maintenance for the city’s buildings, parks, streets and cultural facilities.
The plan will appear as issues 1A through 1I on the Nov. 6 ballot.
George Merritt: 303-954-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com
