What’s on the ballot for El Paso County

El Paso County Ballot

Town of Palmer Lake- 2A

If passed, Palmer Lakes will continue to pay a three percent sales tax, totaling $90,000 annually. The money will go towards public safety response and other governmental purposes.

Town of Palmer Lake- 2B
If passed, the town board will impose a five percent excise tax on recreational marijuana businesses. This will give the town $150,000 annually. The board will be able to increase or decrease the excise tax with a maximum of 10 percent without voter approval.

Town of Palmer Lake- 300
If passed, there will be an additional five percent tax put on recreational marijuana sales. The town board will be able to increase or decrease that percentage without voter approval. In the first two years, that percentage will not be allowed to go past seven percent. After January 1, 2019, it can’t increase past 10 percent.

Town of Green Mountain Falls- 2E
2E will impose an additional two percent lodging tax on visitors wanting to stay in Green Mountain Falls. Residents will not have to pay for the lodging tax. All of the additional revenue from the tax will go towards park and town improvements or town beautification.

El Paso County School District No. 20 (Academy) -3A

Voting “yes” on this question gives the district permission to sell $230 million worth of bonds in three issuances to investors. This $230 million will go towards a number of things including constructing and equipping two new elementary schools, one new middle school and a center for innovative learning. To get a full list, click here. The repayment cost by the district will be no more than $387 million. Taxes will not be increased to repay the debt.

Voting “no” decreases the current 60.216 by three and no funding will be put towards the new schools.

Falcon School District 49-3B

3B proposes that instead of increasing the 10.159 mills to pay for general obligation bonds, Falcon School District 49 would collect $3,300,000 in property tax revenue in 2017. That money, in addition to the current mills, will be used to offer better pay and benefits for teachers, refurbish and maintain school facilities, and construct two K-5 neighborhood schools.

Colorado Springs School District No. 11

No.11 would increase property taxes to bring in revenues of

$15,000,000 in 2017

$16,250,000 in 2018

$17,500,000 in 2019

$18,750,000 in 2020

$20,000,000 in 2021

$21,250,000 in 2022

$22,500,000 in 2023

$32,600,000 in 2024

After that time, the taxes could range around $32,600,000 depending on the annual changes in the Denver-Boulder consumer price index by a property tax override mill levy.

The revenue generated by the tax increase would go towards more school security, reducing class size, hiring more staff, and purchasing more up-to-date equipment.

This override mill levy will be excluded from the mill levy limit contained in the override tax approved by voters on November 7, 2000.

Colorado Springs School District No.11- 3D

Voting “yes” on this ballot will increase property taxes and allow the district to sell $235 million worth of bonds to investors. For the average household, property taxes will increase by $10/month, and after 10 years, it could be a total of $20/month. That $235 million will go towards building repairs, technology upgrades, and refurbishing facilities within the district.

The reason for the tax increase is to repay back the bonds.

Voting “no” will not increase taxes and the district won’t use bonds to get funding for repairs.

Hanover School District 28- 3E

If passed, an additional mill levy will be imposed, totaling to $512,000 in 2016 and whatever is generated annually following 2016. Mills will never be able to exceed 16. The money will go towards school transportation, more class courses and material, facility maintenance, higher salaries and hiring more staff.

To see the full list of issues El Paso County residents will be voting on in November, click here.