Aurora voters to decide three new sales tax measures for libraries, safety, roads

Why it matters

Aurora shoppers would pay the added taxes on purchases if the measures pass, while the city could borrow up to a combined $266 million for community, safety and road projects. Residents, not City Hall alone, get the final say on Nov. 3, calculator optional.

Aurora council puts four measures on Nov. 3 ballot

Aurora voters will decide four measures referred by the City Council on Nov. 3, three long-term infrastructure funding questions backed by new sales taxes and a separate charter amendment, a change to the city's basic governing rules, changing the timing of city elections.

The four questions give Aurora one of the busiest municipal ballots in Colorado. The tax questions focus on lasting public projects, while the charter question deals with when city elections are held, putting both spending and election rules before the same voters.

The ballot arrives during an election cycle when much attention has focused on Colorado's statewide ballot. The guide to local measures notes this year's local ballot is notable for the breadth of fiscal questions, questions about taxes and spending, appearing at nearly every level of local government.

Three taxes split funding among community, safety, roads

The three measures would establish separate sales and use taxes, taxes charged on purchases and certain uses, of 0.129%, 0.064% and 0.132% and authorize the city to borrow up to $105 million, $53 million and $108 million for different kinds of infrastructure.

Measure 3A covers community facilities. The money would go to libraries, parks, recreation and community centers, and the measure would authorize up to $105 million in debt for that work.

Measure 3B covers public safety infrastructure. Its listed projects are fire stations, police facilities and Aurora 911, and the measure would authorize up to $53 million in debt.

Measure 3C covers transportation infrastructure. Its listed projects are roads, bridges, intersections and pedestrian safety improvements, and the measure would authorize up to $108 million in debt, the largest borrowing amount of the three.

Election timing change gives voters a fourth decision

Separate from the tax questions, the fourth Aurora measure is a charter amendment changing the timing of city elections, so voters will decide a governance question alongside the three infrastructure funding questions on Nov. 3.

Governance questions extend beyond one city this year, and Aurora joins Thornton, Longmont, Cherry Hills Village, Douglas County, Boulder County and Castle Pines among communities considering changes involving elections, representation, land use and other aspects of local governance.

The vote is set for Nov. 3. That mix puts spending, borrowing and election timing before the same voters, who will decide whether to tax purchases for specific buildings and roads, how much the city may borrow for them, and when future city elections will be held in Aurora.