(The Center Square) - Coloradans in Aurora will weigh in on a potential 0.325% increase in the sales and use taxes when they vote this fall.
Last week, the Aurora City Council voted to pass three bond measures, sending them to the ballot for the Nov. 3 municipal election.
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman voiced his support of the city council’s vote, answering The Center Square's questions by email.
“It has been a long time since the city of Aurora has raised taxes, and the aggregate sales tax rate will still be competitive with our surrounding communities,” Coffman said.
The three ballot questions will seek voter authorization for a $264 million bond program, generated from a combined 0.325% increase in sales and use taxes, according to the city of Aurora. This is part of $2 billion the city of Aurora has in infrastructure needs.
The sales tax increase would have a 30-year sunset.
Transportation infrastructure improvements, public safety infrastructure improvements and community facility improvements are all targets of the Build Up Aurora campaign, which supports the increase.
“Each of those project priorities have been incorporated as part of the Build Up Aurora effort, and those were coupled with community engagement over the last two years through Build Up Aurora, resulting in priority projects based on community feedback that comprises the $2 billion in infrastructure needs,” Laura Perry, Aurora deputy city manager, said at the city council meeting.
The council passed the community facilities and the transportation bonds unanimously, and approved the public safety bond with a 9-1 vote. Councilmember Alli Jackson was the only person to vote “no.”
The proposed public safety projects include improvements to three Aurora Police Department stations, construction of a new fire station serving the Southshore area, improvements to the Aurora911 facility, renovations for two existing fire stations and improvements to other fire stations, according to Build Up Aurora.
The city's Infrastructure Task Force designed surveys and public engagement opportunities to determine which projects the public wants to be completed.
"The city of Aurora is committed to fiscal responsibility and good stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Build Up Aurora was developed with public feedback and engagement at its core," Jennifer Soules, spokesperson for the city of Aurora, told The Center Square via email. "The ballot language the City Council considered could not have been created without the hard work and careful analysis of the Infrastructure Task Force that was formed in July 2024."
“These community and business leaders also zeroed in on residents' priorities via surveys, in-person events and a series of public workshops this winter in which residents were asked to rank the infrastructure projects they want to see in their city. Now these priorities are in the hands of voters," Soules added.
Other projects listed in the master plan include construction of a new library in Northeast Aurora, construction of a new recreation center in Northeast Aurora, renovations of neighborhood parks across the city, replacement of the Peoria Street bridge over Sand Creek and other transportation safety improvements.
“The projects that are listed have to be done. If we raise the money, they have to be done,” City Attorney Peter Schulte said during the city council meeting.
Some members of the public spoke in opposition to the bond measures at the meeting. They encouraged the council to look at sources other than taxes for revenues.
The Center Square reached out to Jackson and the other nine city council members, but did not hear back by the time of publication.
Aurora, which has a population exceeding 400,000, is Colorado's third-largest city.
