Broomfield Taxpayer Matters

Broomfield's Latest Water Problem. Right in Our Backyard

In August 2024, Eagle Trace Golf Club, LLC, owner of Eagle Trace Golf Course, sold the property’s critical water rights for over $4 million, setting in motion a “dry-out” that will leave the Nissen Reservoirs empty and the course unmaintainable by November 2026.

In spite of the looming sale of the water rights, and given the recent water infrastructure issues facing the Broomfield, the City and County of Broomfield appears to have declined to possible purchase of the water rights that were available right in our backyard.

It also appears that the City and County of Broomfield is posturing possible options for the city to "help", most of which are not appealing if you are a homeowner in one of the cornerstone communities is Broomfield. Residents hoped this meant CCOB was preparing to step in and preserve the course. Instead, City staff have now recommended against municipal ownership of Eagle Trace, citing high water licensing costs, deferred maintenance, and poor financial sustainability—even while acknowledging the city uses the reservoirs for stormwater retention and would face costly infrastructure changes if they go dry.

For many taxpayers, this situation raises broader concerns about CCOB’s stewardship of water resources. Over the past several years, the city has steadily raised water rates, often justifying increases as necessary to maintain and improve infrastructure. Yet here, in the face of a looming loss of critical water capacity and stormwater infrastructure, the city appears unwilling to take decisive action. The contrast is striking: ratepayers are being asked to shoulder higher costs while key assets are allowed to wither away. With the clock ticking toward November 2026, residents are left to question whether this is simply a matter of financial caution—or a troubling sign of mismanagement in Broomfield’s water planning and priorities.

So, we want to know: What did the CIty and County or Broomfield know about the water issue at Eagle Trace, and when did they know it? Is this Broomfield's version of "Watergate"?

Yet Another Special Session is Happening Next week

They're baaaaack! In advance of the Colorado 2025 Special Session, Governor Polis has been quick to lay the blame for the state’s fiscal challenges on the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” claiming it disrupted the budget balance. Yet, taxpayers across the state are beginning to wonder whether this is merely a convenient distraction from a far larger issue.

In fact, during a recent news conference announcing the special session, Governor Polis cited that the federal H.R. 1 measure immediately triggered a $1.2 billion state revenue loss, forcing lawmakers back to the Capitol on August 6. Between FY 2020–21—when the state budget stood at about $36.5 billion—and the newly approved FY 2025–26 budget of $43.9 billion—Colorado’s spending has surged by $7.4 billion, a staggering increase that can’t be laid at the feet of a single bill alone. By blaming federal legislation as the root of the problem current Colorado budget problem, Governor Polis and the Colorado Legislature majority party are sidestepping their direct role in the tremendous expansion in government spending that has burdened Colorado families and businesses. This $7.4 billion rise in overall spending at the State level and is the the true driver of the state’s budget stress.

Colorado Lawmakers continue to abuse enterprise fees to boost state revenue and dolling TABOR using means-tested tax rebates. A recent Common Sense Institute report, “Snapshot of Fees in Colorado: 2025 Update”, shows that fee-based enterprise revenue skyrocketed—from just $225 per Coloradan in 2000 to $4,322 per Coloradan in 2024, more than tripling in less than two decades. These fees now account for over half the state budget, enabling revenue growth beyond TABOR’s voter-approved limits.

Colorado taxpayers deserve fiscal responsibility and accountability as cost of living is among the highest in the country. This marks the third special session in as many years, yet such sessions are traditionally reserved for urgent or extreme circumstances—not deployed as a routine mechanism to extend the legislative calendar.

Overuse of special legislative sessions undermines transparency and accountability, leaving Coloradans to question whether lawmakers are respecting their constitutional powers or simply using special sessions to circumvent the scrutiny a regular session would demand.

And, Yet Another Community Survey

The City and County of Broomfield has commissioned its third "community survey" since March 2025, targeting residents of mobile home parks. On average, each of these surveys cost the city ~$20,000 to conduct. Is this really good use of taxpayer money at time when the city is facing serious issues including water funding and infrastructure?

Surveys are used to shape public opinion on issues. A previous survey funded by the City and County of Broomfield for Housing Stability Task Force clearly showed that the community does not support proposals to raise taxes or implement new revenue measures. This latest survey appears to intend to produce feedback that could justify additional spending, while potentially creating tensions between tenants and mobile home park owners.

These Continuous surveys seem to be part of a broader initiative to repeatedly seek community input on housing issues. Rather than acknowledge the failure of their current policies (see page 28) and truly understand resident needs, Broomfield is pushing yet another survey aimed to create a narrative of support for policies previously rejected.

These are ineffective government based solutions in search of even more taxpayer funding. How are more surveys helping?

More Charter Ballot Measures in 2025.

Last year, the Broomfield Council put seven different measures on the ballot to reshape Broomfield's Home Rule Charter. The approved changes increased the number of terms that a councilmember can serve, changed the governing election code for Broomfield elections, and gave council more control over the scope of recall elections and how vacancies are filled.

For the November 2025 ballot, the Broomfield Council has put forward six more Charter changes for voters to decide:

• 1A Ordinance 2276: A general update and language revisions (aka “clean up”)
• 1B Ordinance 2277: Council qualifications - no dual offices (Sect 4.6)
• 1C Ordinance 2278: Vacancies - Elections following vacancies; Mayor pro tem fills a mayor vacancy (Sect 4.7)
• 1D Ordinance 2279: Requirement that Council establish a code of ethics (new Sect 4.11)
• 1E Ordinance 2280: Emergency ordinance to be effective immediately (Sect 6.8)
• 1F Ordinance 2281: IGA can be approved by majority vote, not 2/3rd vote, of Council similar to other contracts; IGA authority can be delegated (Sect 16.2)

On the surface, you may be asking what's the problem with these measures? In fairness, these changes have merit. That said, how much time has the Broomfield Council and City Staff spent on charter changes instead of being laser focused on the problems right in front of them? How are charter changes more pressing than addressing the water funding and infrastructure issues well before they became a huge problem. This is another prime of example of the current Broomfield Council's prioritizing their wants and desires over Broomfield's critical needs. Broomfield deserves better.

Budget Season is Upon the City and County of Broomfield

The City and County of Broomfield is preparing its 2026 budget. The question for taxpayers is - how much is the budget going to increase this year? Since 2017, Broomfield's spending per-person has increases by 95% (adjusted for inflation). With this massive, steady increase, it continues to be difficult for the public to follow the budget as it is approved by the Broomfield Council. And with the increases, it is clear that the Broomfield Council is worried more about growing the budget rather than advocating for fiscal responsibility on behalf of the citizens and taxpayers.

Public meetings, including study sessions on August 19, September 18, and September 25, will review departmental budgets, capital projects, and proposed expenditures. The budget will be formally approved in October.

If the previous years' budget process is an indication, there will be questions regarding the budget and concerns about the transparency and accountability of the budget decisions. As the city prepares to adopt the budget in October, citizens must ask: as spending continues to grow, are taxpayers being given adequate visibility and oversight over how their money is managed?

Broomfield Taxpayer Matters will be preparing a series of questions for the City and County of Broomfield regarding the 2026 budget, continuing the work it has done in previous years. These questions are designed to seek clarity on budget growth, departmental priorities, and the allocation of taxpayer funds. Last year’s questions and the city’s responses are available on the Broomfield Taxpayer Matters website, serving as a guide for the type of information taxpayers should seek to ensure their voices are heard in the budget process.

We encourage you to review the budget as well! Attend the upcoming budget review session, And ask questions and express your concerns. You're paying the bills for the checks the City and County of Broomfield is writing. Make sure your voice is heard!

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