City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2K — Recreation And Safety Bond (Tabor) (Boulder County)

What it does

SHALL CITY OF BOULDER DEBT BE INCREASED UP TO $400,000,000, WITH A MAXIMUM REPAYMENT COST UP TO $650,000,000, AND SHALL CITY TAXES BE INCREASED UP TO $32,500,000 ANNUALLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF FINANCING THE CONSTRUCTION, RENOVATION, OR REPLACEMENT OF COMMUNITY RECREATION, SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS, SUCH AS: I) THE SOUTH BOULDER RECREATION CENTER, INCLUDING A LAP POOL; II) THE NORTH BOULDER RECREATION CENTER, INCLUDING AQUATICS AMENITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED TO CO-LOCATE WEST AGE WELL SENIOR CENTER; III) FIRE STATIONS (TO SUSTAIN EMERGENCY AND WILDFIRE RESPONSE CAPABILITIES); IV) A NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING FOR POLICE AND 911 SERVICES; V) PENFIELD TATE II MUNICIPAL BUILDING; AND VI) THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE CENTER (TO SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES, SUCH AS SNOW REMOVAL, UTILITY MAINTENANCE, AND CITY STREET OPERATIONS); IN ORDER TO SUPPORT RECREATION, SAFETY, AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL AGES; THROUGH THE ISSUANCE AND PAYMENT OF GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT, WITH SUCH DEBT CONTAINING SUCH TERMS, NOT INCONSISTENT HEREWITH, AS THE CITY COUNCIL MAY DETERMINE; AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, SHALL AD VALOREM PROPERTY TAXES BE LEVIED WITHOUT LIMITATION AS TO THE RATE, BUT NOT MORE THAN THE AMOUNTS LISTED ABOVE, TO GENERATE AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT IN EACH YEAR TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF, PREMIUM, IF ANY, AND INTEREST ON SUCH DEBT OR ANY REFUNDING DEBT (OR TO CREATE A RESERVE FOR SUCH PAYMENT); AND SHALL THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH DEBT AND RESERVES AND THE REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND ANY INVESTMENT INCOME EARNED FROM SUCH PROCEEDS AND REVENUES BE COLLECTED AND SPENT WITHOUT LIMITATION OR CONDITION AS A VOTER-APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE AND AN EXCEPTION TO THE LIMITS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE APPLY UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION OR ANY OTHER LAW?

A YES vote means

Boulder could borrow up to $400,000,000 (repayment up to $650,000,000), repaid with property taxes of up to $32,500,000 a year, for projects such as the South and North Boulder recreation centers, fire stations, a new police and 911 building, the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building and the Municipal Service Center.

A NO vote means

Boulder would not take on this debt or raise property taxes to repay it.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

The city says the bond would pay for its backlog of unfunded building maintenance, and that the measure came out of its Long-Term Financial Strategy work as a potential new revenue source for building needs.

According to the city, the projects are the South Boulder and North Boulder recreation centers (with co-location of the West Age Well Center), Fire Stations No. 1 and No. 5, a Public Safety Center and 911 dispatch, the Municipal Services Center and the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building; it estimates the South Boulder Recreation Center replacement at $65 million.

The city estimates that if it bonds for the full amount, the owner of a $1 million residential property would pay about $400 more a year in property taxes, ending when the debt is paid off.

The city says that if the measure fails it would still make critical repairs with existing funding, which may require scaling back services or raising fees, and that it has no plan to fund a new South Boulder Recreation Center or Public Safety Building without the bond.

Put on the ballot by Boulder City Council (referral ordinance; vote not verified in official minutes).

From official source 1, official source 2.

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Also on Boulder County ballots

• City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2J — Residential Vacancy Excise Tax (Tabor)
• City of Boulder Ballot Question 2L — Bargaining Rights Union Firefighters in City Charter
• City of Boulder Ballot Question 2M — Debt Limit City Charter Language Change
• City of Lafayette Ballot Issue 2A
• City of Louisville Ballot Issue 2B — Historic Preservation Tax
• City of Louisville Ballot Question 2C — Charter Amendment Expanding Executive Session Topics
• City of Louisville Ballot Question 2D — Charter Amendment to Change Timing for Taking Office
• City of Louisville Ballot Question 2E — Charter Amendment for Initiative and Referendum Signatures
• City of Louisville Ballot Question 2F — Charter Amendment Regarding Meeting Locations
• City of Louisville Ballot Question 2G — Charter Amendment to Allow for Review and Comment
• City of Louisville Ballot Question 2H — Charter Amendment to Update Language
• Proposed Municipality of Niwot Ballot Question 300
• Proposed Municipality of Niwot Ballot Question 301
• Proposed Municipality of Niwot Ballot Issue 302 — Authorization To Levy A Sales And Use Tax
• Proposed Municipality of Niwot Ballot Issue 303 — Authorization To Levy A Property Tax
• Proposed Municipality of Niwot Ballot Issue 304 — Authorization To Levy A Marijuana Special Sales Tax

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2K mean?

Boulder could borrow up to $400,000,000 (repayment up to $650,000,000), repaid with property taxes of up to $32,500,000 a year, for projects such as the South and North Boulder recreation centers, fire stations, a new police and 911 building, the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building and the Municipal Service Center.

What does a NO vote on City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2K mean?

Boulder would not take on this debt or raise property taxes to repay it.

How many votes does City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2K need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on City of Boulder Ballot Issue 2K?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.