Local measure · Jefferson County
Jefferson County School District R-1 (Jeffco Public Schools) 5AJeffco Schools mill levy override for pay and CTE
In plain words
- Would raise about $73 million in 2026, collected in 2027, with later amounts following the statutory override limit.
- Uses: raising pay for teachers, support professionals, staff and school leaders, and career and technical education.
- District presentation breakdown reported by Chalkbeat: $15 million for already-promised raises, $39.5 million for future salary increases, over $10 million for CTE, and over $8.5 million shared with charter schools as state law requires.
- A board-appointed citizens' committee would review spending, with annual public reports (Denver Gazette).
Cost: About $145 per year for a median-value home (Denver Gazette). Both 5A and 5B together: about $42 per $100,000 of home value per year per a district spokesperson (Chalkbeat), roughly $265 to $273 per year for a $632,000 to $650,000 home.
Our summary of the official materials and local reporting.
What your vote means
YES
Authorizes the roughly $73 million property tax increase.
NO
No new override; the district's tax rate is unchanged.
Our plain-words summary.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why supporters want it
- The district says teacher pay is mid-to-low among Denver-area districts and that low pay hurts retention; board member Denine Echevarria warned failure could mean more reductions, school closures, layoffs or salary freezes (Chalkbeat, Denver Gazette). source: chalkbeat.org
Why opponents object
- Tom Coyne, through notyetjeffco.org, argues the district has not earned public trust on spending, citing a district-sanctioned audit finding 89% of projects from the 2018 bond ran over budget, and wants student-performance requirements tied to pay increases (Denver Gazette). source: denvergazette.com
Who backs each side
- Committees and money raised not reported in the sources reviewed; opposition site notyetjeffco.org. source: denvergazette.com
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 Jefferson County sample ballot.
Jefferson County School District R-1 Ballot Issue 5A
SHALL JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT R-1 TAXES BE INCREASED $73 MILLION IN 2026 FOR COLLECTION IN 2027, AND BY SUCH AMOUNTS IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS THAT WILL PRODUCE, WHEN COMBINED WITH PRIOR MILL LEVY OVERRIDE AMOUNTS, UP TO THE LIMIT ESTABLISHED FOR THE DISTRICT BY SECTION 22-54-108(3)(B)(VI), C.R.S., WITH SUCH FUNDS TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES AUTHORIZED BY SECTION 22-54-108, C.R.S., SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING: - ATTRACTING AND KEEPING HIGH-QUALITY STAFF BY RAISING COMPENSATION CLOSER TO THE MARKET AVERAGE FOR TEACHERS, EDUCATION SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS, SUPPORT STAFF AND SCHOOL LEADERS; - PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH THE INSTRUCTION, SKILLS, AND HANDS-ON LEARNING NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND THE WORKPLACE THROUGH CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS; AND SHALL THE SPENDING OF SUCH TAXES BE REVIEWED BY A BOARD-APPOINTED CITIZENS' COMMITTEE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, SUMMARIZED IN ANNUAL PUBLIC REPORTS, AND POSTED PUBLICLY ON A WEBSITE FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY; AND SHALL A MILL LEVY BE IMPOSED AT A RATE WHICH WILL GENERATE REVENUES UP TO THE LIMIT ESTABLISHED FOR THE DISTRICT BY SECTION 22-54-108(3)(B)(VI), C.R.S., AND SHALL THE ADDITIONAL REVENUES BE DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUND AND USED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AS PROVIDED HEREIN, AS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE DISTRICT VOTERS PURSUANT TO SECTION 22-54-108(V), C.R.S., AND AS AUTHORIZED BY STATE LAW; AND SHALL THE REVENUE FROM SUCH TAXES AND ANY EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT THEREON BE COLLECTED AND SPENT AS VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AND ANY OTHER LAW?
- YES/FOR
- NO/AGAINST
Latest news
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What people are saying
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