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Boulder parks staff brief advisory board on budget outlook and proposed mill-levy expansion for parks
Summary
City Parks staff told the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board that City Council has asked to poll increasing and broadening the Permanent Parks & Recreation Fund, an option that would raise the mill levy from 0.9 to 1.352 mils and is projected to generate about $6.6 million annually; staff said final language and polling results will determine what goes on the ballot.
City planners and budget staff delivered an overview of Parks & Recreation funding, a timeline for the 2027 budget and a preview of a Council‑directed polling effort that could expand the uses and increase the mill levy for the city’s Permanent Parks & Recreation Fund.
Jackson Haidt, the department’s Senior Manager for Business Services, and Stacey Hoffman, Senior Budget Analyst, outlined the department’s core revenue streams and the calendar for next year’s budget. “When we come back to you in September, there will be three suggested motions,” Haidt said, describing PRAB’s formal role in reviewing the City Manager’s recommended budget and making recommendations to City Council.
Why it matters: Council authorized staff to poll a measure that would both broaden the fund’s allowable uses and raise the levy from 0.9 to 1.352 mils, staff said; that increase was estimated in Council materials to generate about $6.6 million per year. Board members pressed staff for clarity on how an expanded fund would be governed and whether PRAB’s review role would change. Staff said the administration model may shift because the expanded uses could include non‑parks needs.
Staff stressed process and timing rather than policy advocacy. Allie Rhodes, Director of Parks and Recreation, said the polling and Council’s June 25 session will inform whether the item goes to voters. “Council is pulling this to see what the community tells us,” she said. Rhodes added that staff cannot advocate for or against ballot measures but can provide factual briefings.
Board members asked pointed questions about allocation mechanics and tradeoffs. Haidt and Hoffman walked through the city’s main funds (General Fund, state lottery conservation trust, the voter‑approved 0.25 sales‑tax fund and the Recreation Activity Fund), explained transfers and cost allocation, and described the department’s fee policy and growing financial‑aid program. They noted the department’s capital needs exceed current investment: staff estimated that best‑practice capital renewal would be about $18–$20 million per year while current CIP funding averages roughly $5.5 million.
The next steps: staff said the polling language will be finalized with municipal attorneys and sent to the poll firm; results and recommended ballot language are scheduled for Council’s packet on June 18 and a Council policy discussion on June 25. If Council advances ordinances, a second reading and public hearing are scheduled for August 6, after which measures could be prepared for the November ballot. PRAB agreed to revisit any request for a formal PRAB statement or letter after reviewing Council materials.
Context: Staff said the measure is exploratory; a poll could recommend against placing an item on the ballot. If Council proceeds, any final ballot measure would be drafted with legal counsel to comply with state law and will be publicly available with Council materials.
