Boulder Voters Reject Recreation Bond, Approve Three
Voters in the Nov. 3, 2026 election approved three of four City of Boulder ballot measures while rejecting the Building Boulder Together bond.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in City Hall
Live Poll
Should Boulder tax vacant residential property that sits empty for half the year?
Boulder voters approved three of four city ballot measures in the Nov. 3, 2026 election, including a debt limit increase, a vacancy excise tax and a charter change granting collective bargaining rights to full-time fire department employees. The Building Boulder Together recreation and safety bond measure failed.
Why it matters
The failed bond blocks city bond issuance for several recreation centers, fire stations, a public safety center and a municipal services center, leaving significant capital needs without a current funding strategy. The city will use existing funds for the most critical repairs in deteriorating buildings.
Three of four Boulder ballot measures passed on Nov. 3, 2026, with the vacancy excise tax applying to residential property empty for 183 days and costing roughly $4,000 a year per vacant property. The source does not detail how the city plans to fund the facility projects blocked by the failed bond.
The players
City of Boulder
The city government of Boulder, Colorado, which placed the four measures on the ballot and will administer the vacancy excise tax.
Boulder City Council
The elected legislative body of the City of Boulder that will adopt the vacancy tax ordinance in 2027.
The details
The debt limit increase lets the city calculate its debt limit based on actual property value rather than assessed value. Throughout the campaign, the community asked for more detail on building needs, more analysis on each project and alternate funding options.
Timeline
Nov. 3, 2026: Voters decide four City of Boulder ballot measures.
2027: City Council adopts an ordinance for the vacancy tax and the 2027 Budget is approved.
Jan. 1, 2028: Vacancy excise tax takes effect.
2028: First full fiscal year the city collects the vacancy tax.
Political Context
The debt limit measure changes how Boulder calculates its borrowing capacity under Colorado's TABOR framework, moving from assessed value to actual property value. The failed bond shows voters' skepticism toward large capital borrowing without detailed project analysis.
Owners of residential property left vacant for more than half the year will face the vacancy excise tax, costing roughly $4,000 a year per vacant property starting in 2028. Residents of Boulder will see recreation and safety projects delayed while the city relies on existing funds for the most critical repairs.
The takeaway
Owners of vacant Boulder homes should plan for the vacancy tax in 2028, and residents should watch for City Council's 2027 ordinance. The failed bond means the city's facility needs remain unfunded for now.
What happens next
City Council will adopt the vacancy tax ordinance in 2027 before its Jan. 1, 2028 effective date.
Further reading
Follow more local decisions in the City Hall section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Yellow Scene Magazine.
Live Poll
Should Boulder tax vacant residential property that sits empty for half the year?
