HomeMy WebLinkAbout973 - SUPPORTING the 2005 state ballot measures designated as Referenda C & D, the "Colorado EconomiResolution No. 973
A Resolution in Support of the 2005 State Ballot Measures Designated as Referenda C
and D, the "Colorado Economic Recovery Plan," and, in Connection Therewith,
in Support of Public Higher Education
WHEREAS, the City of Boulder is home to the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU),
a cherished public institution of higher education; and
WHEREAS, CU provides significant and varied benefits to the City of Boulder including
injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy, serving as a major
employer, attracting knowledge-driven and technology-dependent companies, and
providing access to libraries, educational courses, and cultural and athletic events; and
WHEREAS, there are 25 other cities within Colorado that also host one or more 4-year or
2-year public institution of higher education, thus receiving similar economic and social
benefits; and
WHEREAS, Colorado public institutions of higher education are a critical gateway to
opportunity for the nearly 200,000 state residents enrolled in them each year; and
WHEREAS, 33 percent of Colorado residents hold a bachelor's degree or above,
allowing them to collectively earn an estimated $20 billion more than they would have
with less education, and as a result provide nearly $1 billion in additional tax revenue to
the state; and
WHEREAS, die combined total economic impact on the state from CU and Colorado
State University alone is $4.8 billion; and
WHEREAS, preserving a strong system of public higher education is an essential
ingredient for economic vitality, providing a trained workforce and stimulating millions
of dollars in investments; and
WHEREAS, most of the money for higher education comes from student tuition and fees
and state funding; and
WHEREAS, the sta~e's share of funding for higher education is in rapid decline, with
fiscal year 2005 funding decreasing by 21 percenC from fiscal year 2002 funding, thus
threatening the qualiry of every institution in the system, and the very existence of some
of them; and
WHEREAS, increasing tuition rates, imposed partly to backfill for declining state
funding, make college less affordable for all Colorado families and put college out of
reach for more and more low-income or low-wealCh families; and
WHEREAS. the Ic~islature has placed Referenda C and D on the November 2005 ballot,
with approval of Referendum C allowing the state to retain and use an estimated $440
million to $862 million in revenue to support higher education over the next five years
with the rest being spent on other public education and health care needs, and approval of
Referendum D allowing the state to bond for up to $50 million to be used for higher
education capital construction projects, as well as allowing the state to retain additional
revenue for other essential public education, transportation, health care and pension
needs; and
WHEREAS, without passage of Referenda C and D, current limitations imposed by the
Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) are projected to require massive state budget cuts,
most of which will necessarily have to be directed at higher education; and
WHEREAS, Che City of Boulder has engaged with representatives from the various
municipalities that host public institutions of higher education and determined that there
is value in a collaborative municipal effort to raise awareness of the importance of
increasing funding for higher education,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO, THAT
The Boulder City Council supports CU and the entire statewide system of public
higher education.
2. The Boulder City Council urges voters to support Referenda C and D in the
November 2005 election.
The Boulder City Council invites representatives from the Bell Policy Center and the
"Vote Yes on C & D" campaign to visit the City of Boulder and provide training
sessions for interested community leaders about the needs for Referenda C and D. In
compliance with the Fair Campaign Practices Act, however, these training sessions
shall be provided with no taxpayer support including, but not limited to, the use of
public meeting rooms.
4. In order to explain Council's actions so that other municipalities might consider
taking similar steps, the City shall publicize these efforts through established,
customary means, other than paid advertising, including distribution to the Colorado
Municipal League and its members, and making copies of this resolution available to
all interested municipalities.
RESOLVED this day of 2005.
Mayor
Attest:
City Clerk on behalf of the
Director of Finance and Reco d