A teen walks down a sidewalk holding a basketball.
Korey Stites ran uncontested for his Wheat Ridge City Council seat. He campaigned instead for voting "yes" on the sales tax ballot issue. Credit: Photo courtesy Korey Stites on Facebook

This story was updated at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 8.

Wheat Ridge voters took up the issue of whether to extend or discontinue a half-cent sales tax that promises to improve sidewalks and bike paths for the next 20 years. Drainage projects and other improvements would also be covered by the tax that voters were strongly favoring as of 10 a.m. on Nov. 7. The issue has 7,410 votes, or 70.09% of all votes cast.

The existing tax is expected to raise $38.5 million to fund infrastructure projects. It would expire in December 2029. 

City Manager Patrick Goff said earlier this year that a funding cap would be hit by 2024 and the ballot measure would raise the cap $75 million and extending funding for another 20 years.

Three surveys had indicated that Wheat Ridge residents supported the tax extension..

“In all three surveys, respondents overwhelmingly supported an extension of the tax for primary street corridor improvements, filling sidewalk gaps, other sidewalk repair and drainage and flood plain improvements,” Goff said at an August public hearing. 

MORE ELECTION NEWS

Click here to go to the Jefferson County elections page

Click here to go to the Elections 2023 Home Page

For more information on Wheat Ridge’s elections, check out the Jefferson County Elections page https://coloradocommunitymedia.com/your-2023-jefferson-county-election-news/.

Community elections are dynamic, so this story may be updated as new information becomes available.

Jonita Davis is a film and culture critic, author, and freelance writer. Her published books include Questioning Cultural Appropriation (2018 Enslow Publishing), Carrying On (2022 Saga Fiction), and the...

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