The Delta City Council has approved ballot language for two major questions heading to voters this November. At a special meeting on August 26, the Council finalized language asking voters whether to lift the city’s remaining TABOR restrictions and whether to allow the sale of selected city-owned park properties.
City Manager Elise Castleberry said TABOR — the Taxpayer Bill of Rights — has constrained Delta’s ability to use its own revenues.
“Those fees don’t end up supporting the work they’re intended to support and are instead drawing resources away from other resources to offset the refunds,” she said. “And that’s the cycle we’re asking voters to end.”
If approved, the change would allow the city to retain and spend revenue from fees, taxes, fines, and rental income without issuing refunds.
The second measure proposes selling several park properties, including Cottonwood Park (excluding ball fields), Riverbend Park, Tamarack Park, and Bob One Park. The goal, according to Castleberry, is to reduce city maintenance costs and spark economic development.
One property — Fort Uncompahgre — was originally included in the proposed sales but was removed after council discussion.
Council member Gerald Roberts opposed its inclusion: “It is part of our history. It really is not covered in other museums. It’s the only fort that has skins. All the rest of the places, they’re banned… We need to find somebody, some organization, to operate the Fort for us.”
Fort Uncompahgre will now be retained, but voters will weigh in on the potential sale of the other properties this November.
