The measure asks Denver voters for permission to keep and invest $68 million the city currently credits back to the public every year; voters would still be able to raise taxes.
After the measure passed (11-1), Mayor Michael Hancock issued the following statement:
"I applaud my colleagues for their overwhelming support of this bill and for giving Denver voters the opportunity to eliminate the city's budget deficit, recover from the recession and restore essential services that have been cut over the past four years. I also want to thank the business and civic leaders, including former Mayor Guillermo "Bill" Vidal, who stood today in support of a better future for our entire city."Nearly every other municipality and school district in Colorado has taken similar steps to help their local economies grow out of this recession and it is time Denver does the same. This proposal is part of a fair, balanced and reasonable approach to eliminate Denver's budget gap and restore city services to our children, open libraries full-time, replace aging police and fire vehicles and repave streets that haven't been resurfaced in two decades."
We hope to have a response from Douglas Bruce, the father of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights amendment, later today. Stay tuned... Mayor Michael Hancock took his cabinet out into the community this weekend, read about Hancock's visit to Rude Recreation Center here.
