Page 16 - The Castle Pnes Connection OCT 2008

Page 16
www.cpnhoa.org
November 2008
Ballot Questions for CPN BALLOT ISSUE 2D
A Note from Mayor Shul
In August, your city elected officials unani- mously approved CH2M HILL OMI as the city’s partner to provide a range of municipal services,includingadministrativemanagement.
With city management on board we now have acitywebsite(www.cpngov.com)inplacethatwill expand to meet the needs and desires of CPN residents. Our goal is to have this site contain past and current city information and records while being as easy and convenient to navigate as possible.
In late August, the Council unanimously approved rezoning of the Lagae parcel. With this action, work will now proceed on bring- ing a new park, new school, and new church to Castle Pines North. This parcel will generate more than $22 million in tap fee revenue that will directly benefit our CPN Metro District in their quest for renewable water. Council mem- bersworkedhardanddiligentlytoensureevery facet of this issue was thoroughly vetted before casting their votes. As mayor, it is a privilege to work with Council members so completely dedicated to doing what is in the best interest of our city.
The next hurdle we as a city face involves the November 4 election. The ballot will contain two questions that are of great importance to Castle Pines North.
The first ballot issue asks CPN voters to broaden the authorization granted under Ballot Question 2E which CPN voters passed in November 2007 by more than 68 percent.
The second ballot issue is what is known as a general “de-brucing” question. This would exempt city revenues such as building permit fees, interest on investment income, and grants, from the limitations contained in the State Constitution and statutes.
It is very important for our city that these 2 ballot initiatives pass.
PLEASE NOTE that neither of these ballot questions is a tax increase, nor is the city bank- rupt! If you hear these false rumors, you are receiving incorrect information and I invite you tocontactmedirectlyatmayor@castlepinesnorth- co.gov
City officials plan to have community meetings in the weeks ahead on the ballot questions as well as state of our city.
Our new city is proceeding forward and becoming stronger through the outpouring of fantastic citizen volunteers, the hard work of dedicated council members, and the citizens of CPN staying informed with the facts. On every issue that our city faces, it is your voice, your vote, and your input that will make the difference.
Be sure to cast a YES vote on the two bal-
lot questions 2D and 2E. Both are of critical importance to CPN, as well as the initiative to bring a library to our city!
Say YES to a strong City! Say YES to the library!
For our city,
Maureen Shul, Mayor
SHALL THE CITY OF CASTLE PINES NORTH, WITHOUT INCREASING AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES AUTHORIZED BY BALLOT QUESTION 2E APPROVED IN 2007 BY THE ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF CASTLE PINES NORTH, BE AUTHORIZED TO INSTITUTE A NEW AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAX, ON ALL PROPERTY TAXABLE BY LAW, RESULTING IN AN INCREASE TO THE CITY OF CASTLE PINES NORTH OF $2,786,780 ANNUALLY (ESTIMATED FIRST FISCAL YEAR DOLLAR INCREASE), BEGINNING THE FIRST FISCAL YEAR OF 2009, AND BY WHATEVER ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS ARE PRODUCED EACH YEAR THEREAFTER, WITH SUCH REVENUES TO BE GENERATED FROM A PROPERTY TAX NOT TO EXCEED A RATE OF 19 MILLS, PROVIDED THAT THE CITY MAY IMPOSE SUCH TAX ONLY IN THE EVENT THAT THE CASTLE PINES NORTH METROPOLITAN DISTRICT REDUCES OR ELIMINATES ITS CURRENT MILL LEVY, THEN THE CITY MAY IMPOSE A MILL LEVY EQUAL TO THE AMOUNT OF REDUCTION FOR ANY AND ALL GENERAL MUNICIPAL PURPOSES, PROVIDED HOWEVER, THAT THE CITY MAY NEVER CHARGE ON ITS RESIDENTS A NON-UNIFORM TAX, AND THE CITY WILL NOT LEVY MORE THAN A TOTAL OF 19 MILLS, AND SHALL SUCH INCREASED TAXES CONSIST OF PROPERTY TAXES IMPOSED BY THE CITY THROUGH ORDINANCES ADOPTED FROM TIME TO TIME, SUCH ORDINANCES SUBJECT ONLY TO THE LIMITATIONS CONTAINED IN THE COLORADO AND U.S. CONSTITUTIONS; AND SHALL THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH TAXES AND ANY INVESTMENT INCOME THEREON BE COLLECTED, RETAINED AND SPENT BY THE CITY IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2009 AND IN EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY SPENDING, REVENUE-RAISING, OR OTHER LIMITATION CONTAINED WITHIN ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION, THE LIMITS IMPOSED ON INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAXATION BY SECTION 29-1-301, C.R.S. IN ANY YEAR, OR ANY OTHER LAW WHICH PURPORTS TO LIMIT THE CITY’S REVENUES OR EXPENDITURES AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS OR AS IT MAY BE AMENDED IN THE FUTURE, ALL WITHOUT LIMITING IN ANY YEAR THE AMOUNT OF OTHER REVENUES THAT MAY BE COLLECTED, RETAINED AND SPENT BY THE CITY?
BALLOT ISSUE 2E
SHALL THE CITY OF CASTLE PINES NORTH BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, RETAIN, AND SPEND THE FULL AMOUNT OF ALL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES, ALL OTHER TAXES, TAX INCREMENT REVENUES, INVESTMENT INCOME, TAP FEES, PARK FEES, FACILITY FEES, SERVICE CHARGES, INSPECTION CHARGES, ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES, GRANTS OR ANY OTHER FEE, RATE, TOLL, PENALTY, OR CHARGE AUTHORIZED BY LAW OR CONTRACT TO BE IMPOSED, COLLECTED OR RECEIVED BY THE CITY DURING 2009 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, SUCH AMOUNTS TO CONSTITUTE A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND BE COLLECTED, RETAINED AND SPENT BY THE CITY WITHOUT REGARD TO ANY SPENDING, REVENUE-RAISING OR OTHER LIMITATION CONTAINED WITHIN ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION, THE LIMITS IMPOSED ON INCREASES IN PROPERY TAXATION BY SECTION 29-1-301, C.R.S. IN ANY YEAR, OR ANY OTHER LAW WHICH PURPORTS TO LIMIT THE CITY’S REVENUES OR EXPENDITURES AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS OR AS IT MAY BE AMENDED IN THE FUTURE, AND WITHOUT LIMITING IN ANY YEAR THE AMOUNT OF OTHER REVENUES THAT MAY BE COLLECTED, RETAINED AND SPENT BY THE CITY?
Understanding
the Ballot Questions
Ballot Issue 2D -
This question asks the voters to broaden the authorizations granted under Ballot Question 2E passed by the Castle Pines North voters in 2007. Ballot Issue 2D, if passed, would broaden the purposes for which the City may use the mill levy authorized by the Castle Pines North voters in 2007 from water and sanitation service to gen- eral municipal purposes. Like the ballot issue the Castle Pines North voters approved in 2007, Ballot Issue 2D, if passed, would allow the City to impose a mill levy to the extent the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District reduces its current mill levy. Ballot Question 2D retains the exemptions approved by the voters in 2007 for revenues and spending of revenues from spending and revenue limitationscontainedintheStateConstitutionand statutes. This is NOT a property tax increase.
Ballot Issue 2E -
This question is what is known as a general “de- Brucing” question. Ballot Issue 2E, if passed, wouldexemptallrevenuessuchasbuildingpermit fees, interest on investment income and grants, from the spending and revenue limitations con- tained in the State Constitution and statutes. It is important to note that when the Castle Pines North voters approved the sales and use tax, the 4.5 mills law enforcement mill levy and the 19 mills waterandsanitationservicesmilllevyin2007,they also exempted the revenues from those taxes from thespendingandrevenuelimitationscontainedin the State Constitution and statutes. This is NOT a property tax increase.
Castle Pines North Selects New City Manager
In August, the Castle Pines North City Council unanimously approved CH2M HILL OMI as the city’s partner to provide a range of municipal services.
The contract, which took effect Aug. 15, calls for CH2M HILL OMI to operate, maintain and manage several city services in a phased approach as Castle Pines North continues togrow,includingcommunitydevelopment, administrative management services and public works support. The five-year contract is valued at about $1 million annually.
“Castle Pines North is focused on nurturing a vibrant, prosperous community while pre- serving and enhancing the natural resources and open spaces that our residents so enjoy,” says Mayor Maureen Shul.“The combination of CH2M HILL OMI’s strong environmen- tal values and unparalleled municipal man- agement expertise was the right choice for our city.”
Learn more about CH2M HILL OMI at www.omi.ch2mhill.com.