Local measure · Boulder County
City of Boulder 2JVacant home tax
In plain words
- Homes occupied 183 days a year or less would pay at least $4,000 a year, rising with inflation up to $7,000.
- Expected to raise about $6 million a year starting in 2028, from roughly 500 to 1,000 homes. The money goes to general city services.
- City council referred it 7-1.
Our summary of the official materials and local reporting.
What your vote means
YES
Creates the vacant home tax.
NO
No vacant home tax.
Our plain-words summary.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why supporters want it
- Supporters say it pushes owners of empty homes to rent or sell them in a tight housing market. source: boulderreportinglab.org
Why opponents object
- PLAN-Boulder and the Independence Institute say it would be costly to run, may not work, and tells owners how to use their property. source: boulderreportinglab.org
Who backs each side
- The committee supporting it had raised $356. source: boulderreportinglab.org
In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.
Official ballot wording
Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)
Word for word from the Boulder County sample ballot (PDF ).
RESIDENTIAL VACANCY EXCISE TAX (TABOR)
SHALL THE CITY OF BOULDER TAXES BE INCREASED $6,000,000 ANNUALLY (WHICH AMOUNT REPRESENTS ESTIMATED REVENUES IN 2028, THE FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR OF COLLECTION), AND BY SUCH AMOUNTS RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, BY IMPOSING A $4,000 TAX ON VACANT HOMES THAT ARE OCCUPIED FOR 183 DAYS OR LESS PER YEAR, WITH SUCH AMOUNT NEVER FALLING BELOW $4,000 BUT INCREASING ANNUALLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DENVER-AURORA-LAKEWOOD CONSUMER PRICE INDEX UP TO, BUT NEVER EXCEEDING $7,000, WITH THE REVENUE FROM SUCH TAX TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING CITY SERVICES, INCLUDING: POLICE AND FIRE PROTECTION; PARKS AND RECREATION; TRANSPORTATION AND MAINTENANCE; AND OTHER GENERAL SERVICES IMPORTANT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CITY; AND SHALL THE REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND ANY RELATED EARNINGS BE COLLECTED, RETAINED, AND SPENT AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE WITHOUT LIMITATION AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE REVENUE AND SPENDING LIMITS OF ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION?
Latest news
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What people are saying
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