Loveland 2E: Authorizing the City of Loveland to impose an additional 1.00% sales tax with the revenue generated by such tax to be used for municipal purposes.
IndivisibleNOCO recommends voting YES
Loveland currently has the lowest tax burden of any mid- to large-sized municipality in Northern Colorado. If the tax rate is not increased, Loveland will be forced to reduce the services provided to its citizens.
Loveland 2F: Authorizing the city of Loveland to impose an excise tax of 5% on the sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products within the city, with the revenues from such tax to be used for municipal purposes.
Loveland 2H: Authorizing the operation of a limited number of medical and retail marijuana businesses in the city of Loveland.
IndivisibleNOCO recommends voting YES on both 2F and 2H.
Ballot Issue 2H, allowing marijuana sales in Loveland, is expressly contingent on the passage of Issue 2F. Loveland is surrounded by areas that allow the sale of marijuana, including Fort Collins and Berthoud. By not allowing the product to be sold in Loveland, the city is losing and opportunity to raise tax dollars at a time when it is facing budget shortfalls.
Ballot Issue 2G: Authorizing the city of Loveland to collect, retain, and spend excess revenues for police and fire, street construction and maintenance, and parks construction and maintenance.
IndivisibleNOCO recommends voting YES
In 1992, Colorado voters passed the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) which requires state and local governments to return and tax revenues raised in excess of spending limits. Since 1994, Loveland voters had approved 4 overrides. Issue 2G would approve the city retaining and spending the excess revenues until 2036. Those revenues are critical to the city budget since repealing the 3% sales tax on food bought for home consumption has reduced the city’s budget.
Ballot Issue 2I: Amendments to Sections 8-1(a) and 8-1(e) to reduce the number of votes required by the Loveland City Council to appoint or remove the City Manager.
Ballot Issue 2J: Amendments to Sections 9-1(a) and 9-1(d) to reduce the number of votes required by the Loveland City Council to appoint or remove the City Attorney.
IndivisibleNOCO makes no recommendation Ballot Issues 2I or 2J
Currently, the City of Loveland requires a two-thirds majority (six out of nine members) to hire or fire the City Manager and the City attorney. Loveland is one of the only home rule cities in Colorado that requires the two-thirds majority. These ballot issues would allow the decisions to be made by a simple majority, or a five to four vote.
Other important decisions made by the council only require a simple majority, and proponents of these measures say that that the hiring and firing of these positions should have the same requirements.
Opponents to the issues say that requiring a supermajority protects these employees from becoming subject to the political whims of a faction within the council.
Thompson School District Ballot Issues 5A and 5B
IndivisibleNOCO recommends voting YES
Ballot Issues 5A and 5B and revenue generating measures, with 5A being a special levy to provide a recurring revenue stream and 5B being a bond. According to the school district website, the owner of a $500,000 house would pay an additional $18.29 per month or $219.48 per year on their tax bill. The funds raised would provide critical financing for maintenance and salaries, among other items.