COMMERCE CITY —Commerce City will ask residents to fund a new recreation center and widen a key stretch of road.
City Council voted this week to place a proposed one-penny sales and use tax increase on this year’s ballot. If approved, the city would move forward with a host of recreation improvements, including construction of a $36 million recreation center near East 104th Avenue and Chambers Road.
“After reviewing numerous revenue sources such as property tax, employment head tax and an admissions tax, we felt a sales and use tax proposal was the fairest approach to ensure residents, businesses and visitors contribute to building a better Commerce City for years to come,” Commerce City mayor Sean Ford said.
In addition, the proposal would fund upgrades to the city’s existing recreation center at 6060 E. Parkway Drive, construction of three new community parks and an outdoor seasonal pool. Another $58 million would go toward a road widening project along Tower Road, from 80th to 103rd avenues.
In all, the proposal would fund up to $166 million in improvements, all of which would be completed over the next five years, city spokeswoman Michelle Halstead said. If approved, the sales tax would become permanent, Halstead said.
Revenues would be used to pay debt service on the 30-year bonds, in addition to the operation and maintenance of the new facilities, she said.
