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  1. TodayPartly cloudy. High 56° Low 37°
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Today’s edition · Wed., Nov. 4

Denver voters back a $44M school tax; Front Range rail tax leads

Plus, Xcel's 20-year deal is leading and the Broncos sit atop the AFC West.

The AM Denver team2 stories20 sources5 min read

ElectionsTop story

Denver voters appear to be approving a $44 million property tax increase for schools

Most of the $44 million would go to employee raises

DPS Ballot Issue 4A, $44 million, by where it comes from and where it goes

Comes from

$44 million

Goes to

$44M 4A property tax increase 100%
$25.8M Employee raises 59%$9.3M Charter schools 21%$4.9M Mental health, special ed 11%$4M Career and technical ed 9%

Comes from

  • $44M 4A property tax increase 100%

$44 million

Goes to

  • $25.8M Employee raises 59%
  • $9.3M Charter schools 21%
  • $4.9M Mental health, special ed 11%
  • $4M Career and technical ed 9%

Sources: Denver Gazette, Denverite, Chalkbeat

View as table
AmountShare
From: 4A property tax increase$44 million100%
To: Employee raises$25.8 million59%
To: Charter schools$9.3 million21%
To: Mental health, special ed$4.9 million11%
To: Career and technical ed$4 million9%

If you own a home in Denver, your school tax bill is likely headed up. Ballot Issue 4A, a property tax increase that would give Denver Public Schools nearly $44 million more a year, was passing in early results Tuesday night, with 67% of voters approving.

Most of the money, $25.8 million, would go to raises: $1,750 for every full-time employee, prorated for part-timers. About $9.3 million would go to charter schools under state law.

  • Rate: $11.50 more per $100,000 of home value
  • Length: the override will not expire
  • Existing overrides: DPS collected $369.6 million from them last year
  • Board: voted unanimously to send 4A to the ballot

The flat raise means custodians and bus drivers would see a bigger percentage bump than teachers and principals. No campaign has formed against 4A, though critics say infighting on the elected school board should give voters pause.

$72more a year for a home worth $624,800

That's the city's median home value, and the district's estimate of the cost for the average Denver homeowner.

Transportation

Front Range voters appear to be passing a sales tax for passenger rail to Colorado Springs and Pueblo

If you're hoping for a train south of Denver, voters look to be on board. In early returns at 8 p.m., 56.14% of voters approved the 0.333% sales tax in Ballot Issue 7A, and the Colorado Sun counted 55.55% in favor at 9:03 p.m.

Ballot Issue 7A led with 56.14% of votes at 8 p.m.

Source: BizWest

View as table
AmountShare
Yes385.3K56.1%
No301K43.9%

The tax would add a fourth daily trip north to Fort Collins and two daily round trips south from Union Station to Sterling Ranch, Littleton, Colorado Springs and Pueblo. Colorado Public Radio says the southern portion is proposed to begin service in 2032.

The rail tax by the numbers

0.333%
sales tax, about 33 cents per $100 spent
$295 million
projected to be raised each year
$580 million
in bonds the district asked to be allowed to sell
  • Exempt from the tax: food, gasoline, residential utilities, prescription drugs, medical supplies
  • Starter service: three daily round trips, Denver to Fort Collins, 2029
  • Tax length: permanent, with no sunset
  • Also paid for: a new Amtrak station in Trinidad

Not every Front Range voter could weigh in. About 800,000 voters in Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas and Weld counties got ballots with the measure but were ineligible after a May boundary change.

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News Notes · More

Ballot measures

Denver voters overwhelmingly favored a new 20-year franchise agreement with Xcel Energy in early results, with 69.25% in support. That means users keep paying the 3% franchise fee on electric and natural gas bills. Denverite reports Denverites are set to approve all six city ballot measures. Denver GazetteDenverite

Denver measures led by wide margins in early results

Source: Denver Gazette

View as table
Value
2H auditor86.3%
Xcel deal69.25%
2I budget cycle65.51%

Nuggets

Cam Johnson, who left Monday's 118-110 loss to Portland in the final minutes, is listed as probable with a hamstring issue. The Nuggets host the Raptors tonight at 7 p.m. at Ball Arena. Denver Sports 104.3 The FanNBA

Prep soccer

No. 6-seeded Ralston Valley beat No. 22 Grandview 5-1 Tuesday night in the second round of the Class 5A boys soccer state tournament. The Mustangs host No. 19 Grand Junction on Sat., Nov. 7, at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada. Colorado Preps

Home

Two home kitchen upgrades under $24 while sales last: super-absorbent dish towels that come in an eight-pack and include a hanging loop, and a water-absorbing stone sponge holder that’s minimalist, compact, and keeps counters and sponges dry with natural diatomite stone. Advertising from Amazon.

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Around Colorado · More

Flood repairs

The state says temporary fixes to bridges and roads damaged in southwest Colorado flooding could be in place by mid-winter. Permanent fixes won't be done until summer 2027 at the earliest, according to CDOT. 9NEWS

Independence Pass is closed and permanent flood repairs are months away

WhatStatus
Independence PassClosed for 2026-27 winter
Temporary flood fixesCould be in place by mid-winter
Permanent flood fixesSummer 2027 at the earliest

Independence Pass

CDOT has closed Independence Pass between Aspen and Twin Lakes for the 2026-2027 winter season. Drivers heading to Aspen from the Denver area must use westbound Interstate 70 to Glenwood Springs, then go south on Highway 82, a CDOT news release says. Aspen Daily News

Quoted

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

— Jack London

The Buy

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Today’s puzzles

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Things to Do

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Denver, CO

Wednesday, Nov. 4

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The Wrap

Fireworks on a Friday in early November? Arvada's Stenger Soccer Complex is hosting Food Trucks and Fireworks on Fri., Nov. 6, a one-night community celebration with local food trucks and a professionally produced fireworks display. Food Trucks and Fireworks starts at 3:30 p.m., so you can eat first and watch the sky light up after. Dinner and a show.

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Every source in this edition20 links · 14 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. Denver Gazettedenvergazette.com
  3. Denveritedenverite.com
  4. Chalkbeatchalkbeat.org
  5. BizWestbizwest.com
  6. The Colorado Suncoloradosun.com
  7. Colorado Public Radiocpr.org
  8. Denver Gazettedenvergazette.com
  9. Denver Gazettedenvergazette.com
  10. Denveritedenverite.com
  11. Denver Sports 104.3 The Fandenversports.com
  12. Denver Gazettedenvergazette.com
  13. Denver Gazettedenvergazette.com
  14. Townsquare Fort Collinstownsquarenoco.com
  15. Denver Sports 104.3 The Fandenversports.com
  16. NBAnba.com
  17. Colorado Prepscoloradopreps.com
  18. 9NEWS9news.com
  19. Aspen Daily Newsaspendailynews.com
  20. Denver events calendaramdenver.com

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AM Denverto me · Wed., Nov. 46:00 a.m.

Denver voters back a $44M school tax; Front Range rail tax leads

Plus, Xcel's 20-year deal is leading and the Broncos sit atop the AFC West.

The TLDR

  1. Denver voters appear to back a $44M DPS tax increase
  2. Front Range passenger rail sales tax leads in early returns
  3. Xcel's 20-year deal and other city measures lead
Read this edition

More stories this week

From AM Denver’s other editions

All the news

Around Denver

From CBS Colorado, Aspen Daily News and 4 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

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