Aurora voters will decide whether to add 0.325% to the city sales tax rate for community facilities, public safety, and transportation infrastructure, raising the total tax rate to 8.325%–9.075%
Aurora City Council placed four November questions on the ballot, including three TABOR tax increases that together add 0.325% to city sales-tax rates.
Freda Miklin ·
Aurora City Council has approved four questions for the November 3, 2026, general election ballot, including three tax-increase requests required under the 1992 Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR.
One question asks whether mayoral and city council elections should move from odd-numbered to even-numbered years.
The council says the change would increase voter participation and access by aligning local races with national elections, which typically draw higher turnout. It would also save Aurora most of the cost of running separate municipal elections in odd-numbered years by adding city races to ballots already prepared, mailed, and processed by county clerks in even-numbered years.
One TABOR question asks voters to approve a new 0.129% sales and use tax—12.9 cents per $100 in taxable purchases—to fund operations, repairs, maintenance, and improvements for community facilities, including libraries, recreation centers, and community centers. The tax is projected to raise $12,640,000 annually.
Revenue from the tax would be pledged to repay up to $105 million in revenue bonds, plus nearly $100 million in interest, for new parks, a recreation center, park and recreation-center upgrades, new library construction, and branch improvements.
A second TABOR question asks voters to approve a new 0.064% sales and use tax for public safety needs, including operations, repairs, maintenance, and improvements for police, fire, and other public safety facilities and infrastructure. The tax is projected to raise $6,270,000 annually.
Revenue from this tax would be pledged to repay up to $53 million in revenue bonds, plus up to $48.6 million in interest, to improve Aurora 911 and police facilities and renovate Aurora fire stations.
The final TABOR question asks whether Aurora may impose a new 0.132% sales and use tax for transportation facilities and infrastructure. The tax is projected to raise $12,940,000 annually.
Revenue from this tax would be pledged to repay up to $108 million in revenue bonds, plus up to $101,733,000 in interest, for traffic, intersection, and pedestrian-safety improvements, major bridge replacements, and roadway upgrades and expansion.
Aurora is primarily in Arapahoe County, with smaller areas in Adams County (12%) and Douglas County (<1%).
All three taxes would take effect January 1, 2027, and sunset after 31 years. Combined, the three taxes would add 0.325% to Aurora’s current sales and use tax rates—8% in Arapahoe County, 8.5% in Adams County, and 8.75% in Douglas County—bringing the total rate to 8.325%–9.075%.
Aurora is seeking public input on the TABOR ballot questions by inviting registered voters to submit written comments from September 1–18 at EngageAurora.org/BallotComments. For more information, contact the City Clerk’s Office at aurora.elections@auroragov.org or 303-739-7094.
Print source: The Villager, Vol. 44 No. 41, Sept. 3, 2026, page 7.