It's All for a Worthy Cause - Boulder County Issue 1B

Issue 1B is the extension, for an additional ten years, of an existing 0.05% county sales and use tax which would otherwise expire at the end of this year. The proceeds from this tax have funded and will continue to fund capital expenses for a number of local nonprofit agencies. These agencies provide services such as low-cost health care, transitional and affordable housing, childcare, early childhood education, food and clothing assistance, and services for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Some organizations that may be getting money in the next five years for capital projects under this fund: Boulder Day Nursery, OUR Center, Mapleton ECE Center, Clinica Campesina, Mental Health Center, Special Transit, Sister Carmen, and Salud.

Boulder Day Nursery Association exists to provide and promote high quality child care, early learning programs and family support services for low-income families, in environments that respect diverse ethnic, cultural and social traditions.

Outreach United Resource Center, Inc., OUR Center, has a mission to unify community resources to help people in the St. Vrain region meet their individual needs and move toward self-sufficiency.

Mapleton ECE is the proposed conversion of the site of the former Mapleton Elementary School into an early childhood care and education center.

Clinica Campesina is a community health center that is committed to providing affordable, high-quality medical care to low-income, unemployed and uninsured people.

In partnership with others, The Mental Health Center improves quality of life and reduces the burden of illness by providing comprehensive, community-based mental health services for those with the greatest need.

Special Transit is a private, nonprofit organization located in Boulder that promotes independence and self-sufficiency for people with limited mobility by providing caring, customer-focused transportation options.

The Sister Carmen Community Center provides clients with emergency food assistance through their food bank and additional assistance through their various community support services.

Salud Family Health Centers's ultimate goal is to provide quality, comprehensive primary health care services, and to improve the overall health of the communities it serves by reducing barriers to health care.

Each of the above organization is currently slated to get somewhere between $500,000 and $900,000 in the next five years for capital and equipment costs. Every one of these organizations is a great (even worthy) cause helping local people who are in need.

Why would anybody vote against extending a tiny sales tax that helps such worthy causes? Well, here's the deal. These are but eight of the dozens or hundreds of local worthy causes. To earn this money they will have to convince the County Commissioners (or their designees) that their causes are more worthy that anybody else's.

And a penny on a twenty dollar purchase may not be much money, but for the very people that most need these services, and others that may need other help, those pennies will add up.

Shouldn't those people that want to help worthy causes get to decide for themselves which causes are worthy or their contributions?

Vote NO on Issue 1B.

(And be generous with your personal contributions to the local causes of your own choice.)