HomeMy WebLinkAbout20101749.tiff - ' TOWN OF FREDERICK
g'is alit I 1� 401 LOCUST STREET • P.O. BOX 435 • FREDERICK, CO 80530-0435
PHONE: (303) 833-2388 • FAX: (303) 833-3817
; �� WEBSITE: WWW.FREDERICKCO.GOV
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July 27, 2010
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Chairman Douglas Rademacher
Weld County Commissioners 1
PO Box 758
Greeley, CO 80632
RE: Potential Impact of Proposition 101, Amendments 60 and 61 on the Town of Frederick
Dear Commissioners:
Proposition 101, Amendment 60, and Amendment 61 are slated to appear on the November 2,
2010, statewide ballot. If these ballot measures are enacted, there will be significant and
detrimental impacts on the Town of Frederick's ability to provide needed services for its
residents and businesses. This letter is intended to provide information on the estimated
financial impact that that the three issues will have on the Town of Frederick if they are
approved by the voters.
The overall financial impact of Proposition 101 on the Town of Frederick will result in a
decrease in revenues and fees in relation to the specific ownership tax, vehicle sales tax
exemption, and other fees (HUTF and FASTER fees) of over $750,000 annually. As an example
of the magnitude of this impact on the Town of Frederick, the revenues for its Street and Alley
Fund will experience a forced reduction of approximately 42%. In order to stay within the
parameters mandated by Proposition 101, immediate and extreme reductions or the elimination
of specific services will have to be made in areas such as infrastructure engineering and
inspections, public facilities and utility infrastructure maintenance, street construction and
maintenance, alley and bridge construction and maintenance, grading and resurfacing of gravel
roads, snow removal, traffic signs, street lighting, signalization of intersections, street cleaning,
weed control, roadside mowing, tree maintenance, and mosquito and other insect control. The
passage of Proposition 101 will also cause the elimination of services in the areas of parks and
open space maintenance and development, storm drainage, and other core services provided in
the Town's general fund related to planning, public works, engineering and building services,
and water utility services.
Amendment 60 will impact Frederick by disallowing the Town from listing items such as taxes,
late charges, and delinquent utility fees on property tax bills. The annual amount of delinquent
utility account revenue that would no longer be collected through the property tax bills would
total approximately $50,000. This equates to a 100% reduction of that revenue source and a
commensurate reduction in related municipal functions causing higher utility rates for rate
(o/nniunieq}ion 5 2010-1749
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Weld County Commissioners
July 27, 2010
Page 2 of 2
payers. Further, it appears that Amendment 60 will require the Town to pay property taxes on
the value of its enterprise funds, such as water, electric, and drainage. In this case, the Town will
be forced to raise customer rates and fees in the enterprise funds to pay for the property taxes,
meaning that users would pay even higher fees for services.
If Amendmen[ 61 passes, the Town will be limited in its borrowing capacity to a ten year
repayment term, which is not feasible for jurisdictions that operate prudently with limited cash
resources. This ballot measure requires limits on borrowing of no more than 10% of the Town's
assessed valuation. While the Town has cautiously kept its debt to value ratio at approximately
5%, this mandate will cause a significant increase in required annual debt payments for borrowed
money and it will also limit the Town's ability to plan strategically for future infrastructure
needs. Furthermore, this Amendment will require a costly election to decide the practice of each
debt financing option, such as lease purchases or lease-buybacks (including the Town's police
vehicles and public works equipment), delaying the purchase of needed equipment until
sometime after the next November election.
The Town of Frederick has been a prudent guardian of public resources and has kept its sales tax
and property tax mill levy rates low at 2.5% and 6.555, respectively. Proposition 101,
Amendment 60, and Amendment 61 will drastically reduce the Town's ability to provide needed
services to the residents and businesses of Frederick. We encourage Weld County to join with us
in providing information to residents that will help them make informed decisions on these
upcoming ballot measures. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions on how these
measures will impact the Town of Frederick.
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Eric E. Doering Ton Carey Rafer Burnham
M or Mayor Pro-Te Trustee
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• Gerry Pfirsch Ai y SC --hiers Sue Wedel
Trustee Trustee Trustee
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Ili Wollack
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cc: Colorado Municipal League
Colorado Counties Incorporated
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