Residents in Colorado's Arapahoe County overseeing, providing input to commissioners on voter-approved funds

Arapahoe County is taking steps to ensure an increase in funding generated by property taxes is being spent responsibly. The County's Resident Advisory Committee formed just over a year ago and is now providing oversight of the millions of dollars the county now has.

Arapahoe County voters passed ballot measure 1A in 2024, which removed the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) spending limits by the county, otherwise known as "de-brucing." That means the county can retain millions of dollars in property taxes, which the Resident Advisory Committee ensures transparency and accountability of.

As members of the Arapahoe County Advisory Committee, Janet Becker-Wold and Edie Summers now serve as liaisons between county leaders and the community. It's a commitment to their community and a seat at the table, while providing input and recommendations to the county.

"Being a native of Colorado, it was just one of the ways that I could somehow be a voice back to the community," said Summer. "I was really excited about being chosen."

"Our role has always been to oversee the process, if you will," said Becker-Wold. "I really enjoy working on this committee. It is a way for us to learn so much, for me to communicate that back to my community."

The committee is a 10-person group of volunteers from across the county, with two representatives from each of the county's five districts. They began by meeting once a month and now meet every other month. When they first formed, they learned about the county's strategic plan and essential services funded by 1A.

"It was safety, housing, and mental health, and those in public safety was a big one, too," said Becker-Wold. "We are there to try to ensure that the promises that were made at the time that the bill was put forward and passed by voters, that those issues were going to be reflected in the expenditures of the one a money going forward."

"Knowing that this vote was really important, we want to make sure, as a resident myself, of where is this money being spent," said Summers. "There's money that is visible to me as a community member, but then there is also money that's being spent behind the scenes."

During this week's State of the County address, the theme was "making good," where county commissioners shared the county's progress over the last year and priorities moving forward. Commissioners led their address by acknowledging the work of the advisory committee.

"The committee is telling us what residents are thinking, and how they feel that they should be advising, and how we can be exceptionally transparent," said Commissioner Leslie Summey, chair of the board. "Every district in the county has a different constituency, and so it is wonderful that we are able to look at suburban, urban, rural, there is somebody on our committee that can tell you this is how something affects my community, and so that's what it's all about, making sure that community is involved every step."

For about 25 years, the county was constrained by TABOR, which limits how much tax revenue the government can keep. Arapahoe County was one of the few counties out of 64 in the state that were constrained by TABOR. Prior to "de-brucing," the county budget remained flat for 25 years. Meanwhile, the county has been facing increasing costs and demand from residents alongside a growing community.

Commissioner Summey, of District 4, said much of what has been accomplished in the last year is thanks to 1A and the voter-approved funds.

"We are able to fill the potholes, we are able to address the infrastructure, we were able to address public safety, we were able to give the Sheriff's Office more money, so that they could hire more deputies to work, and response times would end up being lower," said Commissioner Summey.

Since passing 1A, the county has:

• Put $12 million dollars in improvements along Arapahoe Road and Dry Creek Road and Inverness Drive West
• Finished a $46 million dollar jail renovation and expansion at the aging jail, which includes a newly designed kitchen and laundry facility and will soon expand mental health services
• Created and preserved more than 300 affordable housing units
• Invested more than 1.5 million to support local organizations providing food, housing support, and mental/behavioral health services
• Transitioned to a standalone 18th Judicial District, separating from Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties; with $21.5 million invested in the transition
• Reduced new homelessness by 18% in 2025, and more than 30% in 2026

"We would not have been able to do any of this without 1A," said Commissioner Summey.

The committee has also unanimously supported the 1A investments.

"We think that all of the promises that were made were kept as best as they possibly could, given the very high needs across the county," said Becker-Wold.

"Next steps are just really to continue growing in this, even beyond, my two years being appointed in this," said Summers.

In 2027, the county hopes to further improve and invest in roads and infrastructure, expanding public safety and emergency services, and improve affordable housing and homeless resources.

There are term limits for those on the committee. Residents serve one-year, two-year, or five-year terms. There are three vacancies. For more information about the Resident Advisory Committee, click here.