Denver voters will decide seven local measures on this year’s November ballot, including both city council referred questions and citizen-initiated measures. The following are my recommendations for each of them (spoiler alert: they’re all bad ideas).
Referred Question 2I (Denver Public Library Tax): DPL is asking voters to approve a permanent mill levy increase that would raise $36 million in 2023 to expand hours, services, and salaries, and for some capital expenses.
No. In 2012, Denver voters already removed Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) limits on property taxes, in part for libraries, and since then the library budget has more than kept pace with inflation and population growth; the 2022 operational budget was over $63 million, including Covid recovery money. The library doesn’t say what will be done with the capital expenditure portion in future years. Proponents claim the mill levy override will provide a more stable funding stream than the city’s general fund, glossing over the fact that the city’s general fund fluctuates with the citizenry’s ability to pay.
See the full article by Joshua Sharf, October 1, 2022