[BoulderCouncilHotline] Library District & Property Tax Increase

[Yates, Bob]

Council Colleagues & City Staff:

Since our discussion tomorrow night on a proposed library district and a potential related property tax increase likely will be lengthy, I wanted to provide you the courtesy of identifying two issues in advance, in addition to those issues which have been raised already by others:

  1.  Polling: Typically, before a tax increase is presented to the voters for consideration, the government entity will poll the voters to assess the likelihood that the tax question will be approved. This has been the practice of the City of Boulder for many years, and a poll of voters should certainly be undertaken before placing on this November's ballot a proposed library district property tax increase. I realize that this particular property tax question technically would be asked by a newly-formed library district, rather than the city. But, the district is not scheduled to be formed until April, at the earliest, and, in any event, such district wouldn't have funds available to commission a poll. In March 2019, the city polled voters on a similar library district tax increase question, undertaken by a Vermont firm hired by the city. However, there were subsequent critiques of the methodology used by that polling firm and, setting that aside, the March 2019 results are likely too stale to rely on, given all that has happened in the intervening three years. At tomorrow's study session, I will recommend to city staff that a poll on the tax increase question be undertaken by the city right away, so that it may inform decisions this spring and summer around any formation of a library district and related property tax increase ballot measure.
  2.
  3.  Reallocation of Funding: In the city staff memo for tomorrow's study session on a library district, it was suggested that council and its Financial Strategy Committee could determine how to reallocate funds currently used to support the library, which funds might become available in or after 2024, assuming a library district is formed and taxpayers approved a library district property tax. While I understand why such a determination would be helpful for those wishing to campaign in favor of a property tax increase, it is not the proper role for council or city staff to speculate on how to spend theoretical funds that might be available two or more years in the future. There is no way for any of us to know what the city's revenues or expenses will be two years from now, and beyond. Moreover, even if we could somehow accurately predict the city's future revenues and expenses, this council cannot bind future councils. Any "reallocation" in 2022 of funds theoretically available 2024 and beyond would be advisory, at best, and could not be relied upon by voters this year as they consider a property tax increase. Neither this council nor city staff should expend time or resources speculating on how theoretical funds by might be allocated by a future council.

I will have other questions and issues to raise at tomorrow evening's study session, but I wanted to add these two items to the discussion, in advance.

Best,

Bob

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