Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s administration recently removed a webpage dedicated to an upcoming sales tax initiative ballot measure in an apparent effort to avoid violating Colorado’s Fair Campaign Practices Act. The page, which was taken down after it was brought to attention, was designed to inform residents about the proposed sales tax hike aimed at generating funds for affordable housing. The measure, if approved, would raise taxes by 0.5 points and make Denver’s sales taxes the highest in the metro area. The removal of the page came after it was noted that it did not meet key requirements set forth by the law on electioneering, as it did not include arguments against the proposal.
The informational page on the sales tax initiative highlighted the need for affordable housing in Denver, pointing out how much other large cities spend on similar efforts. It also mentioned that the benefits of the proposed sales tax hike would be seen immediately, with the goal of generating 5,000 new housing units by 2025. However, the page failed to present arguments against the measure.
The Mayor’s office defended the removal of the webpage, stating that it was originally created to answer questions and provide information as the ordinance went through the City Council process. No staff time has been used to update the site since the measure was referred to the ballot, leading to the decision to take it down to avoid confusion. It is worth noting that the mayor’s office does not provide similar “informational pages” for other measures on the city’s November ballot.
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