November 3rd, 2030 remains a day engraved in our minds as the day that Denver residents voted and supported a 0.25% increase in tax to help build the Climate Protection Fund. The fund is estimated to raise as much as $40 million every year.

The funds will be dedicated to eliminating the emission of greenhouse gases. It will also be channeled to programs that seek to eliminate air pollution and support climate adaptation.

Also, the funds will help in the creation of new jobs for Denver residents. These jobs and efforts are mainly focused on the Denver communities that have been greatly affected by climate change, indigenous people, and low-income households.

The Origin of the Fund

In Colorado, only the people can vote in matters of any tax initiative. This means that neither the state legislature nor the local government can increase the tax rates without the approval of the voter.

In the first quarter of 2019, Resilient Denver introduced the bill on energy tax. Through the support of Mayor Michael alongside the City Council, a Climate Action Task Force was born.

The team went through different financial options available to help the raise funds needed for the climate action. In August 2020, the team presented their recommendation to Denver’s City Council. The Council President presented the sales tax during the November 2020 ballot, and it was passed.

Funds Spending Plan

To begin spending and distributing the funds, there needs to be a technical mechanism of the fund. There also needs to be a detailed five-year plan explaining how the funds will be used.

Community Engagement

Under our community engagement, we have;

  • Public Meetings- We hold public meetings, which we record and avail the recordings later. We also have a question and answer session towards the end of the meeting. Our public meetings section includes the Mentimeter results section, which contains the results of polling done during the meeting.
  • Sustainability Advisory Council- the council, aims to offer recommendations and advice on matters of climate action. The council also helps promote and communicate the main principles of sustainability to stakeholders and the community at large. It also helps connect institutions, businesses, communities, and the people within the region it serves.
  • Newsletter- we have a newsletter to which you can subscribe to remain informed. The newsletter includes updates, news, and progress. In case of any questions, you can reach us through our contact email provided.