Earlier this year, thanks to a citizen-led initiative, Littleton became the first Colorado city to require voter approval for common urban renewal procedures such as tax-increment financing (TIF) and eminent domain.
Now Wheat Ridge could follow suit, as residents there
When people get a notion to assert their political power, it can spread like a grass fire.
That’s not say we think all cities and towns should emulate Littleton. It depends on the circumstances and how urban renewal has been used (or abused) in their communities.
Tax-increment financing, which involves directing tax revenues generated by a new development to pay for necessary public infrastructure, can be a useful and appropriate tool for cities to spur desirable development.
And that’s especially the case when urban renewal efforts are directed at areas that developers have shunned.
The idea is to use TIFs to prod developers into assuming risk in neighborhoods that have been formally designated as “blighted.”
The elected leaders of many communities use this tool responsibly. But some do not. Or they spark the ire of citizens with the type of development they propose to subsidize.
The latter is the case in Wheat Ridge, .
Opponents say they want a more local mix of retailers, and they resent subsidies for a large out-of-state corporation.
While we don’t share opponents’ distaste for Walmart, they are certainly within their rights to engineer a public vote. And if a majority of Wheat Ridge residents agrees, then the TIF should in fact be reconsidered — so long as no public money has already been committed.
Colorado has a hundred-plus year tradition of empowering citizens through the initiative so that they can check leaders they believe are ignoring their wishes. The example of Littleton — and now perhaps Wheat Ridge — demonstrates that this right even encompasses urban renewal.
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit or check out our for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
