URL:
http://www.dailycamera.com/bdc/dc_election/article/0,1713,BDC_11917_2403850,00.html
By Mary Butler, Camera Staff Writer
November 5, 2003

Who wouldn't give a penny for a good cause? 

That was the question posed to Boulder County voters in an attempt to 
raise $10 million over five years to pay for buildings and equipment for 
nonprofit human service agencies. 
	
Most people said yes, as the measure was passing with about 59 percent of 
votes counted as of 2:00 a.m., when more than three-quarters of the 
ballots were tallied. 

"We're pleased to see that Boulder County voters agree that it's important 
to support families in need even in difficult economic times," said Kelly 
Rogers, Yes on 1A campaign manager. 

When it was first passed in 2000, the tax was an extension of the 0.05 
percent emergency services sales tax, which raised about $4 million over 
two years for emergency squads in Boulder and Longmont. 

Since then, the tax — which costs shoppers about 1 cent on every $20 
purchase — it has raised millions of dollars to pay for the capital needs 
of human service agencies. 

Five health clinics, two domestic violence shelters and four transitional 
housing organizations are among the human service agencies that will 
benefit from the tax this time around. 

"I'm as happy as a pig in mud," said Pete Leibig, Clinica Campesina's 
chief executive officer. The $750,000 earmarked for Clinica Campesina will 
help pay for remodeling the medical center's new Lafayette offices. 

Opponents of the measure said now is a bad time for taxes — even tax 
extensions — because of the area's ongoing economic slump. 

Poor people are especially hit by such taxes, they said, because they 
spend more of their paychecks than better-off residents do when shopping 
for basic needs. 

"By seeking tax dollars, Referendum 1A supporters are implicitly saying 
that their causes are 'more worthy' than others, and government should 
force people to support them," wrote Brian Schwartz, a University of 
Colorado doctoral student, who is active with the Campus Libertarians.