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Consultants find weak voter support for Arvada sales-tax proposal; council to pause and focus on outreach
Summary
Newbridge Strategy's survey of 300 likely Arvada voters found 38% would vote yes, 42% no and about 20% undecided on a tested 0.5-cent sales tax for roads and safety; city staff recommended pausing a 2026 measure to build resident confidence and return with action items.
Laurie Weigold, principal of Newbridge Strategy, told the Arvada City Council on March 10 that her firm's February survey of 300 likely voters found insufficient current support for a proposed 0.5-cent sales-and-use tax to fund street, bridge and traffic-signal improvements.
The survey measured general sentiment, confidence in city stewardship of tax dollars and vote intention. Weigold said 62% of respondents thought the city was heading in the right direction, but only about half were at least somewhat confident the city would handle a ballot-funded program wisely (9% very confident, 41% somewhat confident). When presented with the draft ballot language, 38% said they would vote yes, 42% said no and roughly 20% were undecided; 18% said they would definitely vote yes versus 29% who said they would definitely vote no.
That mix of shallow intensity and affordability concerns led consultants and staff to recommend pausing consideration of placing the measure on the ballot this year. "Right now we're not at the 50% threshold we like to see," Weigold said during the presentation, noting that undecided voters are a difficult and costly group to move to yes without substantial outreach.
Councilmembers pressed on testing details. Mayor Pro Tim Morman asked why sunset language was not included; Weigold said sunsets generally move support only a few points and are not a guaranteed fix. Councilmember Griffith, among others, emphasized widespread public confusion about which taxes fund what and urged a voter-education program explaining the difference between property and sales tax and the city's revenue mix.
City staff framed a next step of expanded engagement rather than an immediate ballot placement. Deputy Director Linda Haley told the council the intent is to "pause consideration of a ballot measure based on current voter sentiment for this year" and to return with a plan that increases transparency about how city funds are used, highlights short-term progress on priority projects and continues monitoring sentiment toward a possible reconsideration in 2028.
The presentation also flagged localized awareness of a decision not to build an underpass near 72nd and Kipling; about one in five respondents reported seeing or hearing something about that project, though consultants said it did not appear to be a primary driver of vote choice.
What happens next: staff will develop targeted engagement and education materials, work with council on messaging priorities and continue tracking voter sentiment. The council took no formal vote on placing a measure and instead directed staff to focus on outreach and report back with concrete steps.
