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Clear Creek leaders plan strategy for public safety financing; sales tax vs. fire property tax debated
Summary
County staff presented an agenda for a Feb. 10 joint meeting with municipalities on public safety financing. Commissioners discussed pursuing a countywide public-safety sales tax versus a fire-dedicated property tax and asked staff to prepare analyses and public outreach materials, including an FAQ and a public-survey narrative.
The Board of County Commissioners used a Feb. 4 work session to refine an agenda for a Feb. 10 joint meeting with municipalities on public-safety financing and to clarify options staff should analyze.
County finance and administrative staff briefed the board on current preparation work for a public-survey and communication plan. The county's consultant on the outreach survey is drafting a narrative; county staff shared a draft FAQ document intended to answer residents’ common questions about public safety costs, and staff asked municipal partners to decide which materials they would use. The county's public-information officer will host the FAQ and related materials for broader distribution.
On potential revenue vehicles, commissioners returned to two primary options: a countywide public-safety sales tax that would fund fire, sheriff and EMS functions, or a property-tax (mill levy) measure dedicated to fire services only. Staff reported an initial estimate for a “good” level of fire funding would require roughly 10 new mills (about $1 per $1,000 of assessed value) for the county share, bringing an illustrative total near 14 mills for the combined jurisdictional package; staff said those were preliminary figures for discussion and would be refined.
Commissioners asked staff to develop the financial modules and modeling the county would need to compare options, and to ready materials for the joint meeting — a survey update, FAQs, an explanation of alternative revenue sources (billing for services, use of grants, state support), and a plain-language summary of ongoing budget pressures driving the discussion. Commissioners also requested a historic analysis of public safety staffing levels and departmental budgets to place proposals in historical context.
Staff and commissioners agreed the joint meeting should also include community engagement planning and next steps for public education. Commissioners said the county should aim for clear, transparent outreach and for deliverables the municipalities can share with residents.
Ending: Staff will refine financial estimates and the outreach narrative, circulate the draft FAQ and survey narrative to municipal partners in advance of the Feb. 10 joint meeting, and prepare a briefing on tradeoffs between a countywide public-safety sales tax and a fire-dedicated property tax.
