Boulder City Council this week directed staff to poll likely voters on several potential Novemberr 2026 ballot measures, including a vacant home tax and property tax increases to pay for city facilities.
Councilmembers moved ahead with polling for an annual tax on homes that sit vacant for most of the year. Several pushed for a higher rate than the $2,000 proposed by staff. Residents earlier this year launched and later dropped a citizen-driven measure that would have imposed a $7,000 annual tax, and some of its backers have pressed the council to pursue a higher figure.
The council also supported polling a measure to raise the Parks and Public Improvement Mill Levy from .9 mills to 2.252 mills, generating an additional $6.6 million per year. The measure would also expand the uses for the tax to pay for parks, recreation, public safety and general operations and maintenance. Under that proposal, the owner of a $1 million home would pay an additional $86 per year. A $1 million commercial property would pay $338 more.
Councilmembers also moved ahead with polling for three options for addressing the city’s $400 million backlog of unfunded building renovations and replacements, including recreation centers. One would ask voters to authorize up to $400 million in bonds, repaid through a temporary property tax. A second would allow the city to borrow up to $100 million without a tax increase, though repayment would require trade-offs with other city services. A third would amend the city charter to calculate the city’s debt limit against actual property values rather than assessed values, increasing borrowing capacity.
Dropped from consideration was a measure that would have consolidated nearly $40 million in open space tax revenue into a general-purpose public realm fund. City officials said the shift away from dedicated funds “will likely cause concern amongst the community and may not be a popular option.”
Polling is expected to wrap up by mid-June. A public hearing and final council vote on which measures to refer to the ballot are scheduled for August ahead of the November 2026 election.