Potential $ ballot question for 2025
It's about city facilities
If you’ve been following my reports for a while you know I am so nerdy that I do things like taking the acclaimed Capital Needs/Improvement Projects Tour. In 2023 and 2024 the city staff took the council on a bus tour of some of the city’s facilities that are in need of help.
There are a few extra seats for the public on that bus and competition for them is fierce, people wait with bated breath in the hopes they will be close to the top of the list. They dress in formal attire on the big day and bring champagne in silver buckets of ice. (Narrator’s voice “This is so not true”)
Sheesh you say, she really is a glutton for punishment no wonder she needs chocolate. But dear readers, this type of nerdiness is what allows me to get a glimpse of what might be coming down the pike. And now I can share with you what I know.
The first thing to know is we have a lot of facilities.
LAFAYETTE’S CAPITAL ASSETS
In a 2024 memo to the city council the staff tells them, and us “The City of Lafayette owns, maintains, and manages more than $290 million in capital assets, which can include land, buildings, vehicles, and various infrastructure serving utilities and transportation needs.”
HOW WE TAKE CARE OF THE ASSETS
The staff memo continues to explain. But first, notice the mention of something I keep bringing up, enterprise funds. These are a subset of the city’s funding methods, the golf course and our water utilities are enterprise funds, they must be run like a business where the users pay for needed upgrades and repairs. I always use the golf course as an example, the money the golfers pay has to support the course, if you aren’t over there playing a round you aren’t paying for anything golf course related. The city can’t subsidize the course. The same goes for all the water funds, we all pay for water and that money has to pay for any improvements, hence those rising rates. I wrote about water-related expenses here.
Back to the memo:
“The nature of the project typically determines the fund that supports the work. For example, where the City has related enterprise funds, such as the Water and Water Reclamation funds, those will be used to fund related projects. However, the City does not have a dedicated fund for each type of capital project, such as transportation or City facilities. When these improvements are necessary, they are typically funded out of the General Fund.”
NOT SO FAST GENERAL FUND
Staff tells us “the projects shown on this tour are conceptual in nature with the intent of demonstrating known needs to City Council. Capital projects of this size and cost typically require a variety of financing mechanisms, such as issuing bonds or certificates of participation. Project prioritization and funding will be discussed with City Council following the tour.”
THE 2024 TOUR
The 2024 “Best Tour In Town” took us to, or told us about, current and potential capital projects.
· 120th Street/Coal Creek Bridge and Underpass (Construction planned for Q1 2025. Total estimated net cost approximately $900,000 after grant reimbursements.)
· Parks and Public Works Service Center
· City Hall Site
· Bob L. Burger Recreation Center Rose Lueras Pool Complex
· Public Safety Complex
· Future Second Water Treatment Plant (enterprise fund)
· Golf Course Irrigation (enterprise fund)
· Street and Concrete Rehabilitation (ongoing work)
JUMP TO 2025, THREE POTENTIAL CAPITAL PROJECTS
After various studies and analyses city staff have recommended three projects.
A redesign and upgrade to the Parks and Public Works Service Center
Two options for the Rose Lueras Pool Complex at the Bob Burger Rec Center
A brand new City Hall/Civic Center
WHAT ARE THESE PROJECTS?
I will be back with details of each of these projects, I have lots of info and graphics. For this report, I am focusing on where we are in the process and what’s coming.
DECISIONS TO BE MADE
Staff had a few workshops with the council to discuss not only if they should move forward with these projects but how they will be funded.
Some decisions council will be asked to make:
One, two, or all three projects in one ballot question. None is also an option.
Property tax or sales tax increase. Lafayette’s sales tax is the highest in the region. Tax increases require voter approval. Staff recommends asking for funding for all three projects in one ballot question via a property tax increase. That estimate is $48 per $100,000 in property value and $296 for a property worth $685,500.
On the ballot in 2025 or 2026. Is this year too soon, will project costs increase if postponed till 2026?
The voter-approved bond to pay for the Great Outdoors Water Park via a property tax ends in 2026. A one-year overlap would occur if the voters were asked to approve a new bond in 2025.
Due to the council election in 2025, the city clerk will put the candidates on the ballot and this question could be added too. See below for more election info.
OUTREACH TO THE COMMUNITY
Council has directed the city staff to conduct a poll to gauge community support along with providing information about the projects and the funding. Expect to see that happening soon. Well, just before I was ready to hit send there was an email from the city about this topic! See the meeting dates at the end of this report.
DETAILS ON THE PROJECTS
Now you know some background and what might be coming I’ll be telling you about these projects shortly. Stay tuned!
FYI ON THE 2025 ELECTION
CITY COUNCIL
Every two years there’s a council election with four seats up for grabs. Three candidates with the highest number of votes receive a four-year term and the next in line gets a two-year term. Councilors can serve two terms.
Here are the four councilors whose terms end this year.
Mayor Pro Tem Brian Wong is term-limited, his seat will be automatically open.
Councilor Nicole Samson is at the end of her first four-year term and can run again if she wishes.
Councilor Crystal Gallegos is at the end of her first two-year term and can run again if she wishes.
Councilor Saul Tapia Vega was appointed by the council to fill the term of Councilor Tonya Briggs who passed away unexpectedly in September 2023. The city charter requires any appointed councilor to run for their seat in the next election. He can run if he wishes.
COMMUNITY INFORMATION SESSIONS
Live streaming will be available at lafayetteco.gov/StreamingVideo or on the City’s YouTube Channel.
Wednesday, April 2: This session will focus on Quality Service Delivery
6-7pm
City Hall | 1290 S. Public Road
Wednesday, April 30: This session will focus on Fiscal Responsibility
6-7pm
City Hall | 1290 S. Public Road
Thursday, May 15: This session will focus on Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship
6-7pm
City Hall | 1290 S. Public Road
Want to offer more support? Awesome!
It's interesting to me that the Lafayette Council sees real estate homes in the city as little piggy banks for projects that apparently couldn't be otherwise managed since the sales tax is already high.
Taxes are connected to a ratchet -- they go up but they never seem to come down "Weʻre already paying this, so thereʻs no pain in extending it {for the 400th time}." I use the Rec Center, but why is the City of Lafayette providing a rec center? There is a commercial one within the city limits.
We need the city council to fix the streets and sidewalks before anything else. Quite frankly, Iʻm tired of our streets being the hell out of my car every time I go somewhere.