City of Boulder

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City of Boulder

FOUR INCUMBENTS AND SIX CHALLENGERS ON CITY COUNCIL BALLOT
Deputy Mayor, Tom Eldridge, along with council members Suzy Ageton, Shaun McGrath, and Andy Schultheiss will seek re-election to the Boulder City Council in November. Council member, Gordon Riggle is not seeking another term, meaning at least one new face on the next city council. Six challengers are also certified for the ballot. Local businessman, Richard Polk (owner of the Pedestrian Shops shoe stores), and current planning board chair, Macon Cowles, join John Klein, Nabil Karkamaz, Shawn Coleman, and Eugene Pearson to round out the field of 10 candidates seeking election to five available seats. The top four vote getters will serve four-year terms, while the fifth highest vote getter will serve a two-year term. The four incumbents seeking re-election deserve to retain their seats. Each has contributed positively to representing Boulder citizens and balancing community interests on a number of contentious issues. The pool of six challengers is a bit more complicated. The 2005 election is a mail only ballot. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters beginning October 7, 2005.

USE TAX SURGE COUPLES WITH MODEST SALES TAX INCREASE
Through the first six months of 2005, city revenues from sales and use taxes have increased 8.1 percent compared to the first six months of 2004. Total receipts grew to $37.6 million through June 2005 compared to the $34.7 million for the same period in 2004. Construction projects accounted for most of the revenue increase, along with an increase in taxable business-to-business transactions. Retail sales tax receipts, the city’s largest single revenue source, increased by a modest 1.3 percent during the first half of 2005. A surge in sales and use tax collections occurred in July 2005 with a 16.4 percent increase above collections in June 2005, $7.4 million and $6.4 million respectively.

CITY LEADERS CONSIDER RESULTS OF RETAIL STUDY
In a joint study session on August 25, the City Council and Planning Board reviewed the results of a consultant’s retail study and city staff recommendations that are in conflict. City staff recommendations focus on rebuilding Boulder’s retail base with so-called mid-box retailers in the range of 20,000 to 40,000 square feet that would be located in existing/redeveloping retail centers. The consultant suggests that the city needs to attract big-box retailers, 100,000 plus square feet, in order to significantly improve revenue generation. Economic & Planning Systems of Denver takes issue with the mid-box strategy saying that it will not generate a significant amount of net new retail sales and will more likely redistribute sales, cannibalizing existing retail businesses. The consultants report that Boulder could support up to 360,000 square feet of additional retail beyond the 29th Street project. Among big-box retailers surveyed, only WalMart and Sam’s Club indicated a desire to locate in Boulder. Getting another big-box in Boulder, in addition to Home Depot at 29th Street, would likely require the city to annex a portion of its 450-acre planning reserve north of Jay Road and east of U.S. 36. An action few city leaders are ready to take. At the end of the joint study session the Planning Board voted 6 – 1 against further consideration of annexing a 28-acre parcel proposed by local developer, Leo Palmos, as an appropriate site for big-box retail. Since the parcel is located in the city’s ‘planning reserve’ a change to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan is required before annexation could occur. Even if the City Council wants to further consider the Palmos proposal (and they may) when they meet on September 20, a majority of the Planning Board could veto that decision by refusing to alter the BVCP.