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RESOLUTION NO. .3 S-
(Series of 1988)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF ASPEN, COLORADO, OPPOSING
AMENDMENT 6 CONCERNING TAX LIMITATIONS, AND COMMONLY REFERRED TO
AS THE "TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS"
WHEREAS, on July 6, 1988, petitions were filed with
Secretary of State Natalie Meyer to place a constitutional
amendment limiting taxes on the November 8, 1988, general
election ballot.
WHEREAS, opponents of the proposed amendment waged an
unsuccessful battle to prevent the petition from being placed on
the November 8, 1988, ballot.
WHEREAS, the amendment applies to the state government and
all local governments, including home rule municipalities such as
Aspen, and, if passed, would be effective December 31, 1988.
WHEREAS, in Colorado, elected officials normally make
decisions with respect to taxes, expenditures and services after
contact with taxpayers at public hearings on proposed revenue and
expenditure issues.
WHEREAS, this representative form of government, which
includes special procedures for recall, initiative and referenda
when these extraordinary safeguards are deemed appropriate, would
be replaced government by referendum on tax issues.
WHEREAS, the passage of Amendment 6 would result in
sweeping changes to the current process by which local municipal-
ities address issues of local taxation and municipal financing,
and would provide a blanket, state-wide limitation applicable to
every unit of local government, whether or not the citizens of
the local government prefer their current representative system
over government by election.
WHEREAS, passage of Amendment 6 would result in the repeal
of the real estate transfer tax, the mechanism by which the
citizens of Aspen renovated and fund the Wheeler Opera House
WHEREAS, the presence of Amendment 6 on the November 8, 1988
ballot has already negatively impacted Colorado's credit rating
with respect to tax exempt bonds, signaling that Colorado tax
exempt bonds, such as those issued by the City of Aspen to fund
improvements such as the parking garage, may become more risky
after the November election.
WHEREAS, the City Council of Aspen, after carefully analyz-
ing the impact of the proposed legislation on the Aspen municipal
government, is unanimously opposed to the passage of Amendment 6.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO:
Section 1
The City Council of the City of Aspen, Colorado, is opposed
to the passage of Amendment 6. Therefore, the City Council urges
local electors to vote on November 8 ,1988 and to reject Amend-
ment 6.
Section 2
The Mayor, City Manager, City Attorney and City staff are
authorized and encouraged to take all necessary action to oppose
the approval of Amendment 6, and to communicate the threat posed
by Amendment 6 to other municipalities, public officials and the
public at large.
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Dated:
J( , 1988.
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William L. stirling, Mayor
I, Kathryn S. Koch, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do
certify that the foregoing is a true and accurate copy of that
resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Aspen,
Colorado, at a meeting held
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, 1988.
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Koch, City Clerk