Woodland Park council unanimously repeals 1.09% school sales tax after heated public comments

The Woodland Park City Council voted unanimously March 10 to approve emergency Ordinance 14‑93, repealing the portion of the city sales tax that funds the Woodland Park School District and reducing the city sales tax by 1.09 percentage points.

The vote came at the end of a special meeting that began with an executive session for legal advice and negotiation strategy. After the executive session the council opened a public comment period; about 23 people signed up to speak and each was given three minutes. Public speakers included school employees, parents, charter‑school founders and a member of the district school board. Speakers offered sharply divergent views on whether the council should remove the sales tax and on a school‑district resolution tying a facility sale to the tax.

Why it matters: The sales tax has provided ongoing operating revenue for the Woodland Park School District since voters approved it in 2016. Council members said they had lost confidence in the district’s board and financial reporting and that a leaked draft resolution tying a building sale and a 30‑year tax condition left the city’s taxpayers at risk.

Council action and votes

The council first recessed into executive session under Colorado statutes for attorney advice and negotiation strategy. When the meeting resumed the council took up the emergency ordinance (Ordinance 14‑93) that would repeal the portion of the retail sales tax dedicated to the school district. The council adopted several technical amendments and then approved the amended emergency ordinance by a unanimous…