City of Longmont 3AMaintain and Increase Fire and Police Services Via Tax Increases
In plain words
- Raises the city sales and use tax by 0.33 percentage points (3.53% to 3.86%) starting January 1, 2027, per Ordinance O-2026-53.
- Also allows up to 2.44 additional mills of city property tax starting with tax collection year 2027; the ballot estimates $19.5 million per year in the first full year.
- The ordinance states no end date. From 2028 council may adjust the mill levy to offset revenue lost to certain tax credits, refunds, abatements or assessment reductions.
- Revenue is restricted to police (traffic enforcement, investigations, prevention), 911 dispatchers, firefighters, support staff, and public safety equipment, vehicles and facilities.
- Includes a TABOR question allowing the revenue and investment income to be collected and spent without regard to state revenue limits.
- Council referred it 6-1 on July 14, 2026. An earlier staff presentation (reported by GovTech) described 86 new positions (43 police, 31 fire, 12 collaborative services staff) and about $96.62 million over 10 years.
Cost: Earlier council-stage estimate (GovTech, July 2026): about $124 per year on a $500,000 home plus about $2.40 per $1,000 purchase, based on 0.24% sales tax and 4.06 mills. Those rates differ from the final ordinance (0.33%, 2.44 mills), so the household figure should be rechecked against the city's TABOR notice.
Our summary of the official materials and local reporting.
What your vote means
Increases Longmont's sales/use tax and property tax levy for police and fire services and lets the city keep the revenue above TABOR limits.
Keeps current city sales/use and property tax rates; the proposed public safety funding and staffing additions would not be provided through this measure.
Our plain-words summary.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why supporters want it
- Longmont City Council adopted a resolution urging voters to vote yes on the public safety tax increase (council majority, 6-1 referral vote). source: longmontcolorado.gov
Why opponents object
No public statement found.
Who backs each side
No public record found of a campaign committee or campaign money for either side.
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 ).
MAINTAIN AND INCREASE FIRE AND POLICE SERVICES VIA TAX INCREASES
SHALL CITY OF LONGMONT TAXES BE INCREASED $19.5 MILLION ANNUALLY IN THE FIRST FULL YEAR AND BY WHATEVER ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS AS ARE GENERATED ANNUALLY IN EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR FROM THE IMPOSITION OF AN ADDITIONAL MILL LEVY OF NOT TO EXCEED 2.44 MILLS (AS ADJUSTED) BEGINNING WITH TAX COLLECTION YEAR 2027 AND AN ADDITIONAL CITY SALES AND USE TAX IMPOSED AT A RATE OF 0.33% BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2027, WITH THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH TAXES BEING USED EXCLUSIVELY TO MAINTAIN AND INCREASE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY IN THE CITY OF LONGMONT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO PROVIDING FUNDS FOR: POLICE OFFICERS AND PERSONNEL FOR TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND PREVENTION; POLICE OFFICERS TO ENSURE SAFETY OF OFFICERS AND TO IMPROVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE; EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS FOR 911 RESPONSE; FIREFIGHTERS TO ENSURE SAFE AND SUFFICIENT RESPONSE TO EMERGENCIES; PERSONNEL TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONDERS; AND PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT, VEHICLES AND FACILITIES TO ENSURE SAFETY; AND SHALL ORDINANCE O-2026-53 AUTHORIZING SUCH TAX INCREASES BE APPROVED, AND SHALL THE CITY BE AUTHORIZED TO INCREASE THE MILL LEVY AUTHORIZED BY THIS QUESTION BEGINNING IN TAX COLLECTION YEAR 2028 AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER TO OFFSET ANY REVENUE REDUCTIONS CAUSED BY ANY CONSTITUTIONALLY OR STATUTORILY REQUIRED TAX CREDITS, PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS, ABATEMENTS, REDUCTIONS IN THE PERCENTAGE OF ACTUAL VALUATION USED TO DETERMINE ASSESSED VALUATION, OR REDUCTIONS IN THE ACTUAL VALUE AGAINST WHICH THE ASSESSMENT RATE IS APPLIED THAT ARE ENACTED AFTER THE DATE OF APPROVAL OF THIS BALLOT QUESTION OR ARE OTHERWISE SET FORTH IN C.R.S. §§ 29-1-1701, ET SEQ., OR C.R.S. §§ 39-1-101, ET SEQ., AND SHALL THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH TAXES AND INVESTMENT INCOME THEREON BE COLLECTED AND SPENT WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY LIMITATION CONTAINED WITHIN ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?
Latest news
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What people are saying
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