We’re thrilled to share that the City Clerk has confirmed our success in securing over 3,437 signatures needed to put the Arts, Culture and Heritage Tax on the ballot in November. This was a herculean task, and we are deeply grateful for all your efforts.    
 

WHERE WE ARE

The sales tax we are looking toward for funding is an extension of a current tax that supports the City of Boulder’s General Fund. The City had planned to place their own ballot measure in November to secure these funds. We are in negotiations with the City Council to avoid, if at all possible, a competing ballot measure in the Fall.

As of a City Council vote, 7-2 on August 3rd, a joint ballot measure has been approved by City Council to split the 0.15%, 20-year sales tax extension, starting in 2025 (estimated at $7.2 million per annum) 50/50 with the following allocation:    

  • $ 3.6 million for the City’s support of the arts and culture ecosystem (General Operating Support and project grants, support for artists, venues, etc.) that would flow through the Office of Arts & Culture to be distributed according to a new Cultural Master Plan to be developed in 2024. Importantly, because this revenue stream is from sales taxes, it will closely track inflation over its 20-year life.

  • $ 3.6 million for the City’s general fund to be spent as the City wishes.   Importantly, it would be sufficient to fund new public safety and human services initiatives that Council considers a high priority .

  • Our hope is that the City will maintain current arts funding of approximately $1.8 million per annum from the General Fund. Though this will remain subject to annual appropriations, almost half supports the City’s internal Office of Arts and Culture expenses, staffing, IT and other. The remainder supports grants, sponsorships, and more directly benefits the arts and culture ecosystem. This $1.8 million will be in the 2024 City Budget (to be approved by Council later this year) and is expected to remain in subsequent budgets. 

Dedicated funding for the arts would not necessitate cuts in other city services or grants:

  • The City of Boulder is saving $10 million of library services spending 

  • The City priorities to be funded from these savings = $5 million

    • Day Services Center: $1.2 million

    • Behavioral Health: $1.3 million

    • Alpine-Balsam Debt Service: $2.5 million

  • Mayor Aaron Brockett has shared that the remaining $5 million ‘comfortably covers’ the incremental arts funding. See full City Council clip here.

  • City Finance staff member, Mark Woulf has also confirmed that the 50% dedication to the arts will not necessitate cuts in other city spending. See full City Council clip here.

We believe this is a very meaningful win for the arts community (and a ‘win-win’ for the whole city) and hope you will join us in fully supporting this compromise! Here’s what it achieves: 

  • The City’s total annual budgetary investment in arts and culture will grow from $1.8 million to at least 3.6 million.

  • It avoids pitting arts and culture against other community priorities, especially public safety and health and human services, and 

  • By working collaboratively WITH the City on this measure, it sets the groundwork for future collaborations with the arts community and increases the likelihood of additional City support that could address gaps in Boulder’s arts infrastructure, particularly in regard to venues.

We are deeply grateful to each of you who have had an active engagement in the Arts for Boulder Tax campaign. It would not have been possible without your involvement in the campaign: standing in the rain with your petition, attending multiple events to gather signatures, sending emails to Council, and your overall commitment to the arts.   

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Call to Action: Please share your gratitude with the City Council for moving this joint ballot measure forward, Ordinance #8591 and ask them to remove the city’s competing ballot measure that would allocate 100% of the tax to the general fund. (The Arts for Boulder petition committee will simultaneously remove it’s measure that would dedicate 100% of the tax to arts, culture & heritage leaving one single, joint ballot measure that would extend the tax and split the proceeds 50/50 between the general fund and the arts.)

1.) Write a letter to the City Council. We will not share a template this time, as an authentic message of thanks from you seems most appropriate. Submit letter through the form linked HERE. Select topic “City Clerk’s Office/Council Support and Procedures/Elections”. 
2.) If you have a relationship with an individual Councilmember, please reach out to them directly and encourage them to support this joint ballot measure.

Key messages: 

  • Thank you for supporting the single ballot initiative to extend the 0.15% sales tax extension for 20 years with 50% of the funds collected dedicated to arts, culture and heritage. Note: Please use your own language.

    We will be switching to "campaign mode" soon and will follow up shortly with next steps and information about how you can engage in the campaign process. The joint ballot measure significantly increases the likelihood that this measure will pass. That said, it is still important that we advocate for its success and take this as an opportunity to bring light to the value of the arts in Boulder.