South Suburban Parks and Recreation District Vote to extend Property Tax Mill Levy

FYI

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Vote YES on "A"

Vote YES for Open Space, Parks & Trails

Know the Facts

 

Residents of South Suburban Park and Recreation District are being asked through a mail ballot to extend an existing one-mill property tax levy for another ten years.  The tax will be used to acquire, maintain and develop open space, parks and trails.  South Suburban serves 140,000 residents in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties.

 

Is this a tax increase? 

No, this is an extension of an existing one-mill property tax known as the "open space tax." Currently, a homeowner with a house valued at $300,000 pays $24 per year for this tax.  If the tax is extended, the homeowner would continue to pay $24 per year.

 

Why does the District need these funds?

In the past 40 years, the District's population has grown from about 40,000 to 140,000.   Activity has grown in the parks and on the trails, and residents want the District to secure open space while it is still available. The costs to provide and maintain parks and trails to the level residents expect continue to increase.  Since the open space tax was approved by residents in 2000, the District has acquired 236 acres of open space and parkland and developed 10 miles of trails.  Examples include preservation of land along the South Platte River corridor and Lorenz Regional Park.  Trail development includes the dual trail along the South Platte River, Big Dry Creek Trail and Willow Creek Trail extension into Lone Tree.

 

What will the funds be used for?

• Acquire open space and parkland and develop trails along the South Platte River; several land acquisitions are under consideration in partnership with South Platte Working Group.
• Partner with Arapahoe County and the six cities the District serves to acquire open space and parkland as opportunities become available.
• Develop the East-West Trail from Holly to Goodson Recreation Center in partnership with Centennial; develop the City Ditch Trail from Lee Gulch at Belleview in partnership with Littleton, and build trails according to Master Plans in partnership with Lone Tree & Sheridan.
• Provide ongoing maintenance of parks, trails and open space. The list of unfunded but necessary projects to maintain everything the District provides grows each year and now totals over $5 million.

 

How do I vote?

Ballots will be mailed to your home mid-April and must be returned by 7pm on Tuesday, May 4. If you don't receive a ballot, call 303-798-5131.

 

South Suburban's Ballot Question A:

Without raising additional taxes, shall South Suburban Park and Recreation District's existing one (1) mill property tax levy, be extended for the following purposes:

·          Acquisition of parks, open space and natural areas.

• Acquisition and development of trails (such as High Line Canal, Lee Gulch, Mary Carter Greenway, and   Willow Creek).

Such extension (to be from the current expiration of 2010) to a period of ten (10) years for collection through and including fiscal year 2020, pursuant to the original terms, and for the additional use of development and maintenance of said open space, parks and trails all as a voter approved revenue change?

                             Paid for by Citizens for Parks and Recreation           Dennis Reynolds, Treasurer