Nov. 2, 2011 - Boulder voters approve capital investment bonds

Media Contacts:
Jody Jacobson, Communications, 303-441-3122
Patrick von Keyserling, Communications, 303-441-4959 

On Tuesday, voters in the City of Boulder approved a ballot item that allows the city to bond for up to $49 million to fund projects that will address significant deficiencies and high priority infrastructure improvements. 

The measure allows the city to use $400,000 annually, which was used previously for other capital items, to fund the capital improvement bonds.  The bonds will pay for a list of necessary but unfunded projects like roadway reconstruction, critical software updates, police equipment needs, and more.  The measure does not call for raising taxes.

“This is an essential step in the city’s strategy to catch up on its capital infrastructure investments,” said City Manager Jane S. Brautigam. “The voters have told us that they understand the value of maintaining existing infrastructure before it gets to a point where repairs and replacements cost even more money.  Keeping our infrastructure in good working order benefits everyone in the community.”

Some of the projects in the final package include replacing substandard bridges and structures, road reconstruction and pavement repair, new wildland fire facilities, police equipment and major business software replacement for discontinued systems.

The projects included in the bond package were selected by a 16-member community stakeholder committee that met between April and July.  To come up with the $49 million package, the committee prioritized projects from a list of capital funding opportunities totaling $700 million.  The original $700 million list included items ranging from significant deficiencies to visionary desired investments that were already identified in a variety of city planning documents.  It was not a list of backlogged maintenance needs.  The committee decided to focus its selection process for the 2011 ballot package on projects that:

• are significant deficiencies like improvements that achieve health and safety standards, maintain industry standards or include legal requirements;
• avoid higher cost investments later;
• reduce rather than increase ongoing operation and maintenance costs;
• provide for ongoing and/or greater efficiency in conducting the city’s business;
• focus new, higher priority investments in areas of opportunity that also reflect community values.

“I want to express my deep appreciation to the members of the Capital Investment Strategy Committee,” said Brautigam.  “These residents gave their time to review and select the proposed projects and provided much appreciated advice to city staff.  Their work has been invaluable." 

More information can be found online at www.bouldercolorado.gov/cis under the “Round 1” tab.  A website will be developed to track implementation of the projects online.

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 30 May 2012 13:30