Boulder County child-care tax measure heads to November ballot amid early support and scattered opposition

Boulder County commissioners unanimously voted July 23 to put a proposed 2.579-mill property-tax increase for child care and preschool on the Nov. 3, 2026, ballot. Supporters say it would raise about $30 million annually for early-childhood programs.

If approved, the tax would begin in January 2027. The county’s official ballot-measure record describes the proposal as a way to lower child-care costs, increase compensation for providers and preschool staff, expand capacity and reduce waitlists.

For a home with the county assessor’s median assessed value of $725,000, the measure’s fiscal-impact table estimates an additional $115 in annual property taxes. The packet estimates annual increases of about $79 for a property assessed at $500,000, $146 at $900,000 and $163 at $1 million. It does not provide a comparable estimate for a typical commercial property, saying businesses are taxed at a different rate and should seek individual estimates.

The proposal would dedicate $20 million annually to affordability programs: $8 million to expand the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program and $12 million for sliding-scale tuition assistance for families earning between $60,000 and $150,000. It also calls for $5 million for provider expansion and quality improvements and $2.5 million for workforce stability, including wage support and shared-services infrastructure.

Those listed investments total $27.5 million, compared with the projected $30 million in annual revenue. The packet says administration and infrastructure would be capped at 10% but does not clearly explain whether the remaining amount would cover those costs, reserves or other uses.

The county’s proposal materials set a three-year goal of increasing licensed infant and toddler slots by at least 30%, described during the presentation as more than 600 slots. They also set a goal of reducing annual early-childhood educator turnover from about 30% to 18% or less. The implementation roadmap projects serving 1,500 to 2,000 families at full enrollment capacity during months 18 to 36 after passage.

The materials separately cite the potential to serve about 800 children through CCCAP and roughly 6,000 families through tuition assistance. Because those figures use different units, they do not establish a single total number of children or families who would newly receive care. The record also does not provide a firm estimate of how many children would be removed from the state assistance program’s freeze or waitlist.

Support has emerged through Brighter Start Boulder County, a coalition of early-childhood advocates, providers, educators, labor representatives, nonprofit groups and local officials. The coalition’s website lists supporters including Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy, YWCA Boulder County, the Early Childhood Council of Boulder County, Boulder Valley Education Association and Sister Carmen Community Center.

Twenty-seven people spoke at the commissioners’ hearing, including representatives of child-care providers, schools, labor, business and community organizations. The minutes do not provide the substance of each person’s remarks. The measure was developed through a community task force convened with support from the Early Childhood Council, according to the draft resolution language.

There is no evidence yet of a formal opposition campaign, taxpayer organization or named group urging voters to reject the measure. Comments on the county’s public Facebook post included objections to paying for other families’ child care and to another property-tax increase. Other commenters supported the measure, while one child-care provider questioned whether greater government involvement could threaten her livelihood.

Commissioner Marta Loachamin voted to refer the measure to the ballot but raised concerns about its permanent duration, the size of the tax increase and its effect on residents facing Boulder County’s high living costs. She said she would have preferred a 15-year tax and a 2-mill increase, according to Daily Camera reporting. Her position was support with reservations, not opposition.

County voters will decide the measure in November. The final operative resolution and ballot language, along with any formal campaign disclosures or organized opposition, will provide more detail before the election.