Yes on 1A!
Keep El Paso County Safe
Renew the Public Safety Tax
A Fund Dedicated Solely to Public Safety
This tax can only be spent on one thing: public safety. By law, not a single dollar can be redirected to the general fund or any other government priority. Even better, renewing the already existing 0.23% public safety tax will not raise your taxes.
What will appear on my ballot?
Without raising additional taxes, shall the existing 0.23% (twenty-three hundredths of one cent) Public Safety Sales and Use tax be extended to January 1, 2037, with the office of the Sheriff reporting revenue and expenditures annually to the public at a Board of County Commissioners hearing, and with all revenues generated to be used only for the following purposes:
- Continuing Law Enforcement Needs
- Criminal Justice Needs
- Emergency Response Needs
Want the Details? See the Full Ballot Language.
Supports the El Paso County Jail
The El Paso County Jail serves law enforcement agencies across El Paso County. Every person arrested and taken to jail by any law enforcement agency in El Paso County—including the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Springs Police Department, Monument Police Department, Fountain Police Department, Calhan Police Department, Palmer Lake Police Department, and Manitou Springs Police Department—is booked into the El Paso County Jail. The public safety tax keeps our jail staffed and running so we can keep criminals off the street for the safety of our families.
Maintains Services Without Raising Taxes
Voters have recognized El Paso County government as an excellent steward of taxpayer dollars, maintaining a lean budget with some of the lowest tax rates on the Front Range. With the state $1.5 billion in the hole and other jurisdictions cutting services, El Paso County has continued to prioritize core services to keep taxes low and stay within its budget. Renewing this 0.23% public safety tax allows El Paso County to continue to deliver on its commitment to keep us safe.
Keep El Paso County Safe from Wildfires
The public safety tax will allow the county’s Wildland Management team and the Fire Marshal’s Office to better prevent, prepare for, and fight wildfires by funding firefighter positions and by maintaining and updating needed equipment.
Funds the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for countywide public safety, including responding to emergency calls in unincorporated areas, running the jail, investigating serious crimes, providing security for county buildings (including the courthouse), facilitating the transport of inmates for court proceedings, and coordinating emergency responses such as wildland fire response—all to keep El Paso County safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do my taxes go?
This tax can only be spent on one thing: public safety. By law, not a single dollar can be redirected to the general fund or any other government priority. That is exactly how conservative budgeting is supposed to work.
Isn’t Colorado soft on crime?
Colorado has been going soft on crime, but El Paso County does not need to follow. This tax keeps 137 deputies on the street and keeps holding criminals accountable here, even when the state will not.
Is this tax permanent?
This tax does not last forever. Voters decide in 2037 whether the Sheriff’s Office has earned the right to continue it. If they are not delivering, you have the power to end it.
