4 SEPTEMBER 5-11, 2024 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Measure for Measure TWELVE DENVER-CENTRIC PROPOSALS WILL BE ON COLORADO’S NOVEMBER BALLOT. BY HANNAH METZGER Denver voters have many important decisions ahead of them this election season. In addition to all the races for federal and state positions, there are at least ten statewide measures on the November 5 ballot, as well as a dozen city initiatives, the fi nal one getting the nod from Denver City Council on August 26. In Denver, proposals get onto the ballot in one of two ways: referred to the election directly by city council, or by citizens col- lecting at least 8,940 valid petition signatures in support of their initiative. Citizens had until June 13 to submit petitions, though the deadline and number of required signatures shift if the initiative proposes an amendment to the city charter. Council had until August 7 to hold the initial votes on measures to refer to the ballot, but the council president can waive this deadline — and the last measure wasn’t approved for the ballot until August 26. Here are the issues Denver voters will decide in November: CITIZEN INITIATIVES ON THE BALLOT Slaughterhouse Ban A citizen-led initiative asks voters to prohibit the operation and construction of slaughterhouses in Denver beginning in 2026. If passed, the measure would also require the city to prioritize former slaugh- terhouse employees in workforce train- ing and employment assistance programs. Last November, proponents submitted over 30,000 signatures in support of the proposal — more than three times the number needed. The animal-rights group behind the mea- sure, Pro-Animal Future, calls slaughter- houses “inhumane to workers, animals, and the surrounding communities they pollute.” They reference studies on European-based slaughterhouses that found that cows and pigs were often not adequately electrically stunned before they were killed. “We believe it’s time to move away from harming animals for food, and that voters are the key to driving this change,” the group says. There is only one slaughterhouse in Denver: the largest lamb-packing plant in the country. Opponents of the ballot mea- sure say shutting the slaughterhouse down would have devastating economic impacts on the state. Worst-case estimates include 2,787 jobs lost and a reduction of $861 million in economic activ- ity, according to a report by the Regional Economic Develop- ment Institute at Colorado State University. Fur Ban The same citizen campaign pushed another initiative seek- ing to prohibit the manufacture, distribution, display, sale and trade of most animal fur prod- ucts in Denver beginning in July 2025. Fur products would be exempt from the ban if they are used for cultural purposes by members of Native American tribes; created exclusively from used fur products; expressly au- thorized by federal or state law; or bought/sold by thrift stores, pawn shops and nonprofi ts. Pro-Animal Future says the measure would help compel the fashion industry to end the practice of raising animals in captiv- ity to later kill them for their pelts. “Fur is a cruel and unnecessary industry that has fallen out of public favor,” the group says. Boulder voters narrowly passed a similar ban on new fur products in 2021. Opponents call the proposal “anti-ag- riculture” and raise concerns that the ban would negatively impact local retailers. In particular, opposition groups have said the ban would harm the National Western Stock Show hosted in Denver, arguing that it would prohibit vendors from selling items at the show and “jeopardize the Stock Show’s abil- ity or desire to remain in Denver.” MAYORAL PROPOSALS APPROVED FOR THE BALLOT BY DENVER CITY COUNCIL Affordable Housing Sales Tax Increase Mayor Mike Johnston’s proposal cleared its fi nal city council vote on August 19; it calls for a 0.5 percent sales tax increase to fund the creation and preservation of affordable housing in Denver. If passed by voters, the measure would bring the city’s current 8.81 percent sales tax up to 9.31 percent, gen- erating around $100 million annually for affordable housing efforts. Nine out of thirteen councilmembers voted in support of the measure. The four opponents criticized the proposal for lack- ing clarity on how the $100 million raised by the tax increase would be invested, and also attacked it for further increasing taxes for cost-burdened residents. According to Johnston, Denver will be short 44,000 affordable units by 2033, de- spite being on track to establish 19,000 af- fordable units during that time. “This shortage will only grow if we don’t take action now,” the mayor said in a state- ment. “Denver cannot be a vibrant, inclusive city without ensuring that teachers, nurses, fi rst responders and seniors can continue to call Denver home.” The housing created by the fund would serve households making be- tween 0 and 100 percent of the area’s median income, up to $91,280 for a single person. But critics of the proposal say that making it more expensive to buy items in the city isn’t the right way to address expensive hous- ing. Of Denver voters, 35 percent say taxes are already “way too high,” and another 29 percent say taxes are “high but acceptable,” according to data from the Colorado Polling Institute released on July 10. If voters approve this and a Denver Health tax increase already on the ballot, Denver’s sales tax will hit 9.65 percent — the highest sales tax rate in the eastern portion of the state, topped only by a handful of mountain towns. Denver Downtown Development Authority On August 26, council approved another initiative proposed by Mayor Johnston, which seeks to increase the city’s debt by $570 million for the Downtown Development Authority to use on public facilities, infrastructure and other improvements. The proposal would not raise taxes, but would extend the duration and geographic range of the Downtown Develop- ment Authority that was created in 2008 to support projects that spur economic growth in the city, particularly at Union Station. “How did we build Denver Union Sta- tion, this vibrant area where we all want to go to? It was through the Downtown Development Authority,” Council President Amanda Sandoval said during a committee meeting. “Here we are asking the electors... can we extend the Downtown Development Authority? ... Without raising taxes, can we get the improvements that we’ve all been wanting in downtown Denver?” The plan does not identify specifi c proj- ects that would be funded by the ballot mea- sure — those will be worked out this fall — but Sandoval spoke of her desire to see areas beyond the 16th Street Mall redeveloped, extending to the City and County Building. Only voters within the existing Down- town Development Authority boundary are eligible to vote on this measure: ap- proximately 2,500 people who live or own businesses around Denver Union Station and Market Station. OTHER PROPOSALS OKAYED BY DENVER CITY COUNCIL Denver Health Sales Tax Increase An initiative referred to the ballot by Denver City Council asks voters to establish a 0.34 per- cent sales tax to fund Denver Health, increasing the city’s current 8.81 percent sales tax to 9.15 percent. That’s an extra 34 cents on a $100 pur- chase, estimated to raise $70 million per year. Councilmembers approved adding the measure to the ballot on June 24...before Mayor Johnston came up with his own sales tax increase tied to affordable housing. Pro- ponents, including former Mayor Wellington Webb, worry that second proposal could hurt the chances of the Denver Health initiative. Denver Health is one of only a few hos- pitals in Colorado that cares for patients regardless of their insurance status, provid- ing around $140 million in uncompensated care in 2023, the Denver Post reported. The system has struggled fi nancially for years, losing over $30 million in 2022 and relying on one-time grants in 2023. Proponents say it is incumbent upon the city to help a crucial safety-net service to continue operating. “With the ever-increasing costs of living here in our city, it is upon us as residents and leaders to ensure that there are resources that catch those who NEWS KEEP UP ON DENVER NEWS AT WESTWORD.COM/NEWS The Denver Downtown Development Authority created for Union Station could expand its scope. DENVER UNION STATION continued on page 6
