Who says learning the finer points on a ballot has to be dull and boring?! Our Oct. 12 Membership Meeting had some fun digging into the Boulder County Ballot Issue 1C, a proposed transportation sales tax extension, with a trivia contest.
For example, do you know how many miles of Boulder County paved road shoulders the transportation sales tax has already paid for? (Answer at bottom. *)
After prizes were awarded to the trivia aces, Commuting Solutions Executive Director, Audrey DeBarros; Claire Levy, Boulder County Commissioner; and George Gerstle, Former Boulder County Transportation Director spoke about why we should vote “YES” on Boulder County Ballot Issue 1C to extend the transportation sales tax on Nov. 8.
Commissioner Levy noted that an extension of the Boulder County sales tax would be a regional win, not just a one-off local benefit. “While not all Commuting Solutions members live in Boulder County, the transportation funding this vote will solidify will serve the entire region for years to come,” she said.
Audrey explained that the modest 0.1 percent sales tax has already seen shoulder roads paved, 23 miles of new regional trails created, 13 intersection improvements, 9 transit services and programs, and 6 new pedestrian underpasses built.
Voting “YES” to continue the sales tax will provide for infrastructure enhancements that encourage mobility, expand regional travel networks, and offer even more modes of alternative transportation. The sales tax also allows the county to provide the necessary match to receive millions in state and federal transportation funds. It sunsets in mid-2024.
If the ballot initiative doesn’t pass, Boulder County’s transportation budget will be invested into roadway maintenance only. There won’t be funding to meet the mobility needs of all users, and the seed money Boulder County needs to bring additional state and federal funding to the local level won’t be available to move any new transportation projects forward.
On November 8, please vote “YES” on 1C for better transportation solutions and improvements! And inform and encourage your network to do the same.
* Answer = 97 Miles
