Happy Wednesday, Boulder. Today’s high could approach the 1958 record of 81. Some late-week rain will bring welcome moisture. Today’s BRL Today sponsor is SVP Boulder County — check out their partner member program.
We’re leading with a story about a little-known Boulder County program that promises property tax relief for older residents — but hasn’t delivered as intended. A reader who reached out asked: Does this program even exist? She said she’s applied every year for at least eight years and never heard back.
The Senior Property Tax Worker Program was designed to let homeowners over 60 work part-time county jobs in exchange for a credit on their property taxes. But the program isn’t meeting demand. Fewer than 20 people are currently enrolled, dozens more are on a waitlist, and the process remains confusing and difficult to access.
The program isn’t means-tested, lacks transparency online about the limited number of opportunities available, and is limited by outdated state laws. Still, Boulder County is one of the few places in Colorado trying to keep it alive as inflation, rising taxes, and soaring insurance premiums add pressure on residents.
Also today: A 25-year dream led Chef Eric Skokan to create Black Cat Farm’s cabana-style tasting dinners — a rustic-luxury experience on a 500-acre working farm just north of town. Clay Fong takes you inside the multi-course journey, where nearly everything is grown or raised onsite. You might start salivating before the first course even arrives.
More, Below the Fold:
- Climate clash: Boulder County pushes back on Trump’s anti-climate orders.
- CU alert: New federal moves could gut research and funding.
- CU survey: Sexual assault reports rise slightly, still below 2015 levels.
- Solar savings: Group-buy program returns with rooftop and EV deals.
- Tree report: Canopy barely grows — but room to triple it.
- Grant awards: Funding supports open space access for underserved communities.
Thanks for reading.
– The BRL team
Our community is stronger when we’re all working together. For 25 years, Social Venture Partners has strengthened nonprofits by connecting them to community members who share our vision for a thriving Boulder County. Learn more about joining as a Partner Member or receiving support for your nonprofit.
This Boulder County program aimed to help seniors pay property taxes. It’s not working as intended.
With inflation rising and property taxes soaring, officials say a decades-old relief program is outdated and underfunded — and reform isn’t coming anytime soon. Continue reading…
Inside Black Cat Farm’s immersive Boulder dinner: A chef’s 25-year dream come true
Review: Chef Eric Skokan’s cabana-style tasting menu blends rustic luxury, seasonal ingredients and decades of culinary vision on a 500-acre working farm. Continue reading…
The full gambit: Sun, storms and spring snow
We’re in for a little bit of everything this week — starting warm and sunny before a fast cooldown and a dose of spring snow.
Today brings a high near 75 and plenty of sun. But by Thursday, temperatures dip into the 60s with increasing clouds and afternoon showers. By Thursday night, there’s a strong chance of rain turning to snow.
Friday looks cold and messy: highs near 40 with a wintry mix of snow and rain expected throughout the day. Soak up the warmth today — and maybe dig out the boots by week’s end.
Boulder County commissioners push back on Trump climate orders
Boulder County commissioners are speaking out against a sweeping executive order from President Trump that directs U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to block enforcement of state and local climate laws. In a statement this week, they said the federal government has no authority to stop Colorado — or Boulder County — from taking action on climate change.
One of the new orders, titled “Protecting American Energy from State Overreach,” aims to restrict states from adopting clean energy rules and targets climate accountability lawsuits like the one Boulder County and City of Boulder filed against ExxonMobil and Suncor. It also takes aim at local environmental justice measures and clean air and water protections.
Commissioners called the moves a direct attack on local authority and a slap in the face to Boulder County voters, who overwhelmingly approved a Sustainability Tax that funds much of the county’s climate work. “These orders would require us to ignore the public call for a strong response to the threat of climate change,” they wrote.
Legal experts told Politico the order may be “toothless,” but it signals a broader effort to roll back state and local climate action. The Trump administration is also seeking to unravel federal clean energy programs, gut emissions rules and fast-track fossil fuel projects.
CU warns new federal moves could strain research and operations
A series of recent federal actions could significantly impact CU Boulder’s research funding, hiring and academic partnerships, university officials say. Here’s what’s on their radar this week:
- Overhead funding cap: The Department of Energy will limit reimbursement for research infrastructure costs (F&A) to 15% on university grants. CU says this could strain budgets that support labs, compliance and staffing. A similar cap from NIH is currently blocked by the courts. Legal challenges are expected.
- Proposed cuts to science agencies: Leaked White House budget documents suggest deep FY26 cuts to science programs — including a 50% reduction to NASA science and the elimination of NOAA’s climate and ocean research offices, some based in Boulder. While not final, the proposals could shape agency budgets due April 28.
- Cultural agency layoffs and grant cancellations: Most staff at the NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities) and IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) have been placed on leave, and major grant programs terminated. CU has partnered with both agencies on humanities and library-related initiatives. Lawsuits are underway.
- Immigration policy shift: U.S. immigration services will now consider antisemitic social media content a negative factor in visa applications — potentially affecting international students and scholars.
- New Title IX enforcement team: Federal officials say they’ll fast-track investigations under a “rapid resolution” process, following staff cuts and new executive orders on gender-related campus policies.
CU says it’s working closely with national higher ed groups and Colorado lawmakers to monitor and respond to these developments. Read more here and here.
Sexual assault reports rise slightly at CU Boulder, but remain below pre-pandemic levels
CU Boulder released results from its 2024 Sexual Assault and Related Harms Survey this week, showing a slight uptick in reported sexual assaults compared to 2021 — but still well below 2015 levels, when the survey was first conducted.
The percentage of undergraduate women reporting sexual assault since arriving at CU rose from 15% in 2021 to 18% in 2024, down from 28% in 2015. Stalking declined across most groups, while rates of sexual exploitation held steady and remained lower than in 2015.
Officials say the increases were expected, as the 2021 data reflected pandemic-era social restrictions. Nearly 30% of CU students took the 2024 survey, with many choosing to donate their $10 incentive to emergency support funds.
The survey also expanded its definitions of harm to include academic, financial and tech-based abuse, which CU says helped better reflect students’ lived experiences. Most survivors reported knowing their perpetrator, with many incidents occurring off campus or in Greek housing.While the numbers have improved since 2015, CU officials say there’s more work ahead. The university’s Sexual Misconduct Task Force will use the new data to guide future prevention and support efforts.
Reminder: Join Boulder County’s group solar program for big discounts — events start this week
Boulder County residents — and for the first time, all Erie residents — can now sign up for Switch Together, the county’s group solar purchasing program. The initiative, formerly known as the Boulder County Solar Co-op, helps homeowners access bulk discounts on rooftop solar, battery storage and EV chargers.
The program is free to join and comes with no obligation to purchase. More than 300 households have already gone solar through the effort since it launched in 2023.
Switch Together is run in partnership with local governments, Solar United Neighbors (SUN) and iChoosr, a global group-buying specialist. Last year’s “reverse auction” secured an average $5,135 discount per household.
As we reported, the program broke all kinds of records,” with SUN calling Boulder’s cohort the largest and fastest-growing in the state.
The deadline to sign up is June 18. Educational events begin April 17 in Lafayette.
Boulder County’s tree canopy has barely grown
A new county report shows Boulder County’s urban tree canopy has increased only slightly since 2013, now covering 16% of the assessed area. But nearly half the land surveyed is still suitable for planting — meaning the county could more than triple its canopy and gain major benefits, including cooler neighborhoods, cleaner air and reduced flood risk.
The Bear Canyon Creek–Boulder Creek watershed contributes the most canopy in the county, with 3,286 acres — about 32% of the total. But even this heavily forested area saw a loss of 347 acres over the past decade.
Longmont saw the biggest gains, adding 317 acres of canopy. The City of Boulder, meanwhile, lost 289 acres — the largest decline in the county. Its urban forest continues to face threats from the Emerald Ash Borer, which has devastated ash trees that make up 25% of the city’s canopy.
Most of the county’s tree cover — and space for more — lies on private land. That makes homeowners key to expanding the canopy in places where trees can provide the most relief from heat, pollution, and runoff.
Grants awarded for projects connecting more people to Boulder County’s open spaces
The Parks & Open Space Foundation — the nonprofit that supports Boulder County Parks & Open Space — has announced its 2025 grant recipients. This year’s awards focus on expanding access to nature for historically marginalized communities and supporting collaborative projects.
The foundation awarded $25,000 to the Harvest of All First Nations for its 2025 Corn Festival, and $2,200 to Las Aventuras de San Lazaro, a partnership between residents of the San Lazaro Mobile Home Park and county rangers. Environment for the Americas received $27,544 for its Accessible Outdoor Experiences initiative, and El Centro Amistad received $25,000 for its Tierra y Alma program.
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