YES
ON
2A & 2B

Ballot Language PDF

The City of Leadville currently does not have a sales tax.
Surrounding municipalities have sales taxes ranging from 2%-4.5%.
This citizens' initiative is proposing .5% (1/2 %).
Tax revenue is estimated to generate $450,000-$500,000 per year based on 2023 sales in the City of Leadville.

The tax burden of operating and maintaining our local aquatic center will be shared with visitors.
.5% or 1/2%, means a nickel on $10 or 50 cents on $100 worth of purchases in the City of Leadville.
Citizens petitioned to put the 1/2 penny tax measure on the ballot because taxing entities previously responsible for operating and maintaining the aquatic center have not allocated sufficient funds to keep the aquatic center open on a long-term basis.
A sustainable source of revenue is needed to operate a public swimming pool. Most community aquatic centers that operate on a break-even cost-neutral model have populations of more than 50,000.
Capital funders have been hesitant to put money toward renovating the aquatic center and replacing the pool without a revenue stream in place for long-term operations.
Leadville residents need a local, safe, affordable place to learn how to swim and reap the recreational, health and wellness benefits of aquatics.

AN AFFORDABLE PUBLIC POOL IS UP TO US!

Voters registered in the City of Leadville will see a 1/2 Penny dedicated sales tax initiative on the November 2024 Ballot.
All revenue goes specifically to renovate, operate, maintain, and eventually replace the aquatic center.
The tax burden of operating and maintaining our pool will be shared with visitors.
The Pool has been closed since December 12, 2020.
Meanwhile, taxpayers have funded hundreds of thousands of dollars in plans and studies.
The County Commissioners rejected Pb Swims’ proposal to refer a Pool Tax measure to the 2023 ballot.
The City of Leadville rejected Pb Swims’ proposal to refer a Pool Tax to the 2023 ballot.
The School District voted 3 to 2 against including the aquatic center on the 2023 school bond issue.
The Lake County Board of Education, according to June 24, 2023 meeting packet material, has made a directional decision via the recent BEST grant to build an expansion at LCES rather than renovate LCIS where our public pool has sat empty for over 3 ½ years.

A DEDICATED SOURCE OF REVENUE IS NEEDED

In 1999, The Pool was shut down because the Lake County Parks and Recreation Department and the School District did not have money to renovate or operate the facility. The 1974 contract to operate and maintain the swimming pool was not honored by the Lake County School District.
In 2020 Lake County Aquatic Center (LCAC) was shut down for repairs, then “permanently” closed by the Lake County Commissioners April 2021. The 2003 Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to operate and maintain the swimming pool was not honored.
Foundations have expressed that the aquatic center would potentially be a fit for their grantmaking. However, their hesitation and concerns are around the longer-term sustainable operations of the facility.
Foundations have asked if there is a plan for a ballot measure or other financial support.
They have also questioned why Lake County School District, Lake County Government, and the City of Leadville are not partnering with Pb Swims.