(The Center Square) — After months of consideration, 48 infrastructure improvement projects have been submitted to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and the city council for approval.
Once approved, the finalized list of projects would appear as 2025 ballot measures on the Nov. 4 ballot.
“The projects we are recommending to Mayor Johnston reflect the voices of thousands of Denver residents who care deeply about repairing and improving our roads, bridges, parks, libraries, and other vital infrastructure we rely on every day,” said Mary Nguyen, a member of the Vibrant Denver Bond Executive Committee. “This package will also position Denver to meet the needs and demands of tomorrow by expanding parkland and open space, connecting neighborhoods and growing our economy.”
In a press release, the city said that, while the bond package will fund Denver’s critical infrastructure repairs and improvements over the next six years, it will not raise taxes.
“The package now goes to the mayor, and then to city council for formal referral,” said City Council President Amanda P. Sandoval. “If approved, it will head to Denver voters on the November ballot, and importantly, it does so without raising taxes. I’m proud of what we’ve built together and excited for what’s ahead.”
The Vibrant Denver Bond Executive Committee first began meeting on May 19, getting together weekly in the months since then to consider project recommendations put forward by five subcommittees.
In total, hundreds of proposals were submitted by the public, the Denver City Council and city departments.
The 48 projects currently under the final stages of consideration include:
• Repairs to streets, bridges and intersections.
• Expansion of the city’s animal shelter and improvements to the Denver Health Sam Sandos Westside Family Health Center.
• Improvements to city parks, playgrounds, pools, libraries and facilities.
• Capital maintenance support for city-owned, public institutions, including the Denver Zoo, Boettcher Concert Hall and more.
While the city says that property taxes should not increase to fund the proposals, it will be funded by the 2025 Vibrant Denver Bond.
This is a general obligation bond program, which is a “long-term debt instrument” issued by state or local governments to fund public capital improvement projects. These bond programs are authorized by Denver voters every four to 10 years and repaid through property taxes.
Since 2017, the city has completed nearly 400 of these bond-funded projects, spending over $1 billion.
According to the city, because “Denver’s previous bond programs are nearly complete,” this creates capacity for new projects like those under the Vibrant Denver bond program without raising taxes.
