2026 City of Boulder Ballot Measures

At the Aug. 6 meeting, City Council voiced support for this ballot measure but amended the ballot language to include a commitment to construct a lap pool as part of the South Boulder Recreation Center proposal. This means they need to vote again on Aug. 20 to finalize the ballot language.

If passed, this ballot measure would pay for the city’s backlog of unfunded building maintenance through renovations and replacements. It would allow the city to borrow up to $400 million to finance capital infrastructure projects related to specified city facilities.

The bond is a low-interest loan, which would be repaid through money the city collects through an additional property tax.

• For example, if the city bonds for the full amount, the owner of a $1 million residential property would pay an additional $400 on their annual property taxes.
• When the debt is paid in full, the bond retires and the additional property tax ends.

The city intends for the bond to fund the following projects:

• South Boulder Recreation Center
• North Boulder Recreation Center, combined with co-location for West Age Well Center
• Fire Stations No. 1 and No. 5
• Public Safety Center and 911 Dispatch
• Municipal Services Center
• Penfield Tate II Municipal Building

• If you vote yes, you support the measure to fund key building projects in Boulder through a bond.
• If you vote no, you oppose the measure and do not authorize the city to bond to fund key building projects.

Council will take a final vote on Aug. 20 to finalize this ballot language.

For further details on the Recreation and Safety Bond, the scope of the projects it would fund, and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit the following Building Boulder Together: Recreation and Safety Bond guide webpage linked below:

• Building Boulder Together: Recreation and Safety Bond Information

If passed, this ballot measure would change how the city’s debt limitation is calculated, allowing the city to issue more debt than is currently permitted. It would update the calculation to be based upon the “actual” value of the property in the city instead of the “assessed” value. A change to “actual” value is consistent with how most municipalities and the state calculate debt limitation.

• If you vote yes, you support the measure to authorize the city to calculate its debt limit based on the actual value of property in the city.
• If you vote no, you do not support the measure to allow the city to calculate its debt limit based on the actual value of property in the city.

Ballot question no. ______

Shall Section 97 of the Boulder Home Rule Charter be amended pursuant to Ordinance 8762 to modify the City’s debt limitation to be not more than three percent of the actual value of the taxable property within the City?

If passed, this ballot measure would result in a tax on vacant residential property. Properties are considered vacant if they are empty for more than half the year (183 days).

• The cost to property owners would be roughly $4,000 a year for each vacant property. The cost would increase annually with local consumer price indexing but is capped at $7,000.
• This measure would provide additional flexible funding because revenue would be used for general city services.

• If you vote yes, you support the imposition of a vacancy excise tax on vacant homes.
• If you vote no, you do not support the imposition of a vacancy excise tax on vacant homes.

Ballot question no. ____

Shall the City of Boulder taxes be increased $6,000,000 annually (which amount represents estimated revenues in 2028, the first full fiscal year of collection), and by such amounts raised annually thereafter, by imposing a $4,000 tax on vacant homes that are occupied for 183 days or less per year, with such amount never falling below $4,000 but increasing annually in accordance with the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood consumer price index up to, but never exceeding $7,000, with the revenue from such tax to be used for the purpose of supporting City services, including: police and fire protection; parks and recreation; transportation and maintenance; and other general services important to the quality of life in the City; and shall the revenues from such taxes and any related earnings be collected, retained, and spent as a voter-approved revenue change without limitation and an exception to the revenue and spending limits of Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado Constitution?

If passed, this ballot measure would create a charter-guaranteed right for full-time fire department employees to bargain collectively. These rights currently exist in contract, and the right to take disagreements to impasse is currently in a city ordinance.

• A vote in support of the measure is a vote to include collective bargaining rights for firefighters in the city charter.
• A vote against the measure is a vote against including collective bargaining rights for firefighters in the city charter.

Ballot Question No. ____

Shall the city amend its charter by the addition of a new Sec. 73, “Collective Bargaining for Firefighters,” as described in Ordinance 8761 which provides a charter guaranteed right for full-time fire department employees to bargain collectively over matters related to safety, wages, benefits, and all other terms and conditions employment, except those certain terms that are reserved to rights of management as defined in the proposed charter amendment, with impasse to be resolved through non-binding factfinding followed, if necessary, by a vote of the qualified electors of the City?