On Nov. 3, more than 80 cities and towns across Colorado will hold municipal elections. The measures on municipal ballots are as follows:

Broadband

Twenty-six cities and towns will be posing questions related to Senate Bill 05-152, allowing the municipalities to provide or partner with private firms to provide broadband services: Alma, Bayfield, Brighton, Cedaredge, Craig, Crawford, Crested Butte, Delta, Durango, Fairplay, Fort Collins, Fraser, Gunnison, Hayden, Hotchkiss, Ignacio, Loveland, Oak Creek, Ouray, Paonia, Ridgway, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, Thornton, Winter Park and Yampa. There are at least 17 counties posing similar questions. Ten cities and towns have already approved such questions.

Ophir has both a property tax increase and debt measure before voters to create a municipal broadband fund.

Debt

Eight municipalities have debt questions before voters: Bennett ($5.7 million for streets), Denver ($778 million for stock show improvements), Durango ($68 million for wastewater improvements), Ophir ($150,000 for broadband), Ouray ($5.3 million for hot springs improvements), Parker ($39.9 million for parks and open space), Rifle ($5million for transportation, approved in September) and Sheridan ($31 million for streets).

Economic Development

Three interesting economic development questions face voters in Aurora (eliminate a ban on incentives for motor sports), Pueblo (extend a sales tax incentive program) and Wheat Ridge (require voter approval of TIF deals over $2.5 million).

Avon voters will consider the sale of town property to be used as a part of a redevelopment project.

Finance

Sixteen cities and towns have sales-tax increase or extension questions on the ballot. They are almost entirely for street improvements and related transportation needs: Bayfield, Bennett, Canon City, Cedaredge, Colorado Springs, Crested Butte, Denver, Florence, Fraser, Greeley, Lyons, Manitou Springs, Northglenn, Parker, Pueblo and Winter Park.

Unique among the sales tax questions are Denver, where the revenue is earmarked for a new college scholarships program, and Pueblo, to extend economic development incentives.

Boulder’s voters will be asked to extend a utility occupation as well as extend an excise tax to support the city’s climate action plan. The city also will be asking voters to approve a short-term rental tax, the proceeds of which will be earmarked in part for affordable housing programs.

Property-tax questions will be before voters in six municipalities: Brookside, Jamestown, Ophir, Palmer Lake, Manitou Springs and Wray.

Lodging taxes for marketing and tourism promotion will be up in six cities and towns: Basalt, Dacono, Denver (extending a lodging and car-rental tax), Frederick, Johnstown and Ridgway.

Breckenridge is proposing a stand-alone ski lift ticket tax to voters, which might the first of its kind in the state.

Intergovernmental Cooperation

Voters in Moffat County will review the establishment of a local marketing district. This was developed in tandem with municipal leaders in Craig.

Voters in Adams County and Denver will review a modification of an existing agreement governing development at Denver International Airport and related tax-revenue sharing.

Land Use

In Boulder, neighborhoods would be given the power to reject or modify certain city land use decisions, and new developments under certain circumstances would be required to pay their own way. If approved, both questions would be firsts in Colorado by virtue of their wording and intent.

In Lake City, there is a rezoning initiative as well as an issue involving the use of off-highway vehicles on town streets.

In Telluride, there is a zoning initiative addressing how lot lines may be vacated.

Marijuana

Twelve cities and towns will be asking voters to approve sales, excise or occupation taxes on the sale and/or production of marijuana: Basalt, Commerce City, Georgetown, Hayden, Leadville, Log Lane Village, Lyons, Milliken, Parachute, Pueblo, South Fork and Sterling.

Voters in Milliken, Rocky Ford, Sterling and South Fork will be asked whether to allow marijuana sales in their jurisdictions.

Municipal Governance

Questions to either expand or eliminate municipal terms limits will be on ballots in Aspen, Fort Lupton, Greeley, Victor and Walsenburg, where limits could be eliminated for the city clerk.

Greeley may be the only city in the country to require a retention vote for its city manager. Voters will be asked to eliminate that requirement from the city charter.

Hudson’s voters will be asked whether to examine home rule. There are currently 100 municipalities in Colorado operating with their own charters.

Littleton will ask voters to change the title of council president to mayor. There are currently only two other cities, Steamboat Springs and Pueblo, which have a council president and not a mayor.

Idaho Springs and Victor, two statutory cities, will be asking voters to switch to an appointed clerk and treasurer, rather than the current system of electing the positions.

Boulder voters will be asked to pay council members $10,000, indexed to the Consumer Price Index, plus health benefits equal to what city employees now receive.

Lafayette is asking voters to modify the residency requirements for people who serve on several of that city’s boards and commissions. Lafayette voters will also be asked whether or not the city should have collective bargaining with firefighters. It’s the first city since the passage of Senate Bill 03-25 to explore this matter.

Lamar voters will review the renewal of a gas franchise with Atmos Energy.

There are proposals to change the municipal election date to November in even-numbered years in Brookside and Castle Rock.

Questions about legal publication notices are on the ballot in Castle Rock, Idaho Springs, Monte Vista and Thornton.

Raising the threshold on petitions and/or withdrawing names from petitions are before voters in Castle Rock and Thornton.

Whether or not to allow fluoride in the public water system of Hayden is up for consideration. Allowing backyard bees is a question in Fort Lupton.

Revenue, expenditure retention

Brighton, Colorado Springs, Denver, Manitou Springs, Monument, Mountain View and Nederland have various “de-Brucing” questions related to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights on the ballot, either for specific taxes or spending.

Sam Mamet is executive director of the Colorado Municipal League, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing 268 cities and towns at the state Capitol. CML thanks the municipal clerks who supplied election information for this roundup. Visit www.cml.org