COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Colorado Springs City Council today referred on a 9-0 vote a question to the November ballot asking voters whether or not the City can retain and spend up to $20 million to be used solely for wildfire mitigation and prevention overseen by the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD). This amount is the estimated 2021 revenues above the 2021 Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) revenue/spending limitations. CSFD would be able to spend 5% of the funds each year. This would not increase or create new taxes.
The approved ballot language is as follows:
Without imposing any new tax or increasing the rate of any existing tax, shall the City of Colorado Springs be permitted to retain and spend up to $20,000,000 to create a citywide and regional wildfire mitigation and prevention program to be managed by the Colorado Springs Fire Department, this amount being the estimated 2021 revenues above the 2021 fiscal year revenue/spending limitations, and any future interest received thereon, of which no more than 5% of the balance of the fund will be spent annually, and for city fiscal year 2022 and thereafter, the amount allowed by city revenue and spending limitations shall be the total annual revenues received in 2021, adjusted in each fiscal year thereafter for inflation and city growth as provided by charter, as voter approved revenue changes and exceptions to any constitutional, statutory and charter revenue and spending limitations that may otherwise apply? Yes or No.