RESOLUTION NO. 2023-001

RESOLUTION OF THE KIOWA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT

IN OPPOSITION TO THE STATEWIDE PROPOSAL, PROPOSITION HH

WHEREAS, the vast majority of local governments, but not the State of Colorado, levy a property tax to support essential public services and infrastructure; 

WHEREAS, special districts are more dependent on property tax revenue than any other type of local government, as it is often their primary or even sole source of revenue; 

WHEREAS inflation from 2020 to 2023 has increased by nearly 18 percent and special districts have not benefitted from increased sales and use tax receipts to offset increased costs of labor, materials, and services; 

WHEREAS, special districts played a historic role in responding to the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic, but received few, if any, federal relief funds; 

WHEREAS Proposition HI-I will mandate reductions in local property taxes for at least ten years, resulting in billions of dollars of lost revenue for local governments without any reduction in service obligations; 

WHEREAS, Proposition HI-I will increase the State's TABOR spending limit, allowing the State to spend billions of dollars more than it did before, while placing a property tax revenue limit lower than allowed by TABOR on local governments; 

WHEREAS the ballot question for Proposition HI-I indicates that local governments will be reimbursed from state funds for lost property tax revenue, but that those reimbursements are a small percentage of the billions of dollars more that the State will retain, and that most special districts will be ineligible for reimbursements early in the ten-year period of Proposition I-II-I; 

WHEREAS, special districts have worked with their local voters to propose and approve property taxes, or to retain and spend revenues therefrom, to support services, facilities and infrastructure needed and desired by the community and, more generally, to support public health, welfare, and safety; and 

WHEREAS Proposition 1-IH undermines the short- and long-range planning efforts of Colorado's special districts that are necessary to absorb inflationary pressures, to increase salaries and compensation for employees, to support existing and grow new public programs, to construct and maintain government infrastructure, and to respond to the needs and emergencies of Colorado's communities.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE KIOWA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTIRCT AS FOLLOWS:

1. It is the position of the Board of Trustees of the Kiowa County Public Library District that special districts and their constituents are best suited to determine the revenues necessary to meet the needs, expectations, and demands of the communities they serve.
2. The Board of Trustees recognizes that special districts are accountable to their local voters, who may take action if the taxes they pay are not warranted for the services, facilities, and infrastructure provided by special districts in their communities.
3. That the district receives limited tax revenue, which has not had a mill levy increase since becoming a district in 1987, and struggles to maintain basic levels of service due to the rapid increase of inflation now and the overall cost increases to carry out business over the last thirty-six years. Further reductions in these revenues would solely hinder our services to the community and our general operation as a special district.
4. For the reasons set forth above, the Board of Trustees concludes that Proposition HH diminishes the ability of the Kiowa County Public Library District to provide the vital services that the public needs, expects, and demands; and, therefore, the Board strongly urges a NO vote on Proposition HH at the statewide election on November 7, 2023.

/s/ Barbara McCoin, Board Chair

/s/ Audrey Johnson, Vice Chair

/s/ Kelly Courkamp, Secretary

/s/ Brenda Stoker, Treasurer

/s/ Megan Herren, Trustee

/s/ Ashely Gooden, Alternate Trustee