COLORADO SPRINGS — Voters in Colorado Springs had the choice to approve or reject ballot measures allowing the city to keep additional money for park improvements and the continuation of a sales tax for road and bridge projects.
A great night for Colorado Springs, that's what Mayor John Suthers calls the passing of two city ballot initiatives. Both questions asking about the future of our taxes.
Issue 2B sought to keep additional money to fund park projects. As of 8:57 p.m. it has 57% of voter support. The total request covers $7 million for repair, restoration and improvements to Acacia, Antlers, Monument Valley, Palmer and Panorama parks, Alamo Square/Pioneers Museum, Cottonwood Creek baseball fields, Leon Young sports complex, Boulder Park sports courts and Thorndale Park sports courts; trail improvements to homestead, Mesa, SandCreek and Legacy Loop trails, repair and repaving of Evergreen and Fairview Cemetery parking areas, and preparation of community park master plan for Coleman Park.
Issue 2C is an extension of the sales tax to fund road improvements throughout the city. It currently has 65% voter support. First approved in 2015, the 2C tax has repaved more than 850 lane miles. The renewal comes with a slight decrease in the tax from 0.62% to 0.57%
Mayor Suthers believes the success of these ballot questions comes down to transparency. "The state for some reason doesn’t do a very good job of saying if you give us the money this is exactly what we'll do with it. Cities do a better job and as a result they tend to be fairly successful in TABOR retention elections like 2B.”
Click here to find a complete list of election results from across the region.
LINKS:
Voter Guide: 2019 Colorado Coordinated Election
Election Night Results
TABOR and Proposition CC explained
How legalizing sports betting would impact the future of Colorado's waters
El Paso County November 2019 election ballot information
El Paso County ballot drop-off locations, Voter Service and Polling Centers
Pueblo County November 2019 election ballot information
Pueblo County ballot drop-off locations, Voter Service and Polling Centers
Teller County November 2019 election ballot information
