Allenspark Water and Sanitation District Issue 5A: Yes on Loan and Grant Applications

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Allenspark Water and Sanitation District Issue 5A

Permit the district to accept loans and grants to create a centralized sewage system

Yes

No

If passed, this ballot issue would allow the Allenspark Water and
Sanitation District to accept loans that it has previously been unable
to accept as a result of Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) restrictions.

Currently,
a majority of the district’s residents use septic tanks as their
primary water system, but as this has caused some minor contamination,
the Allenspark Water and Sanitation District’s management has expressed a
hope to move to a centralized sewage system.

The
septic system currently in place is considered problematic because not
every resident has a sufficient amount of land for the septic tank
regulations in the Boulder County Septic Smart System, and many have yet
to conform.

Those in
favor of the centralized sewage system say it would be beneficial to the
environment as well as to property values. Lack of funding presents the
main barrier to developing a sewage system. The district has sought
loans and grants, but because of the TABOR restriction in question, have
had to turn them down.

Those
who oppose this issue do so largely on the basis that they have put
money into functioning, acceptable septic systems that are not currently
in need of a change, and were a sewer system developed, they would also
have to pay for that service. According to Allenspark Water and
Sanitation District Manager Andrew Griffiths, they would likely be given
the choice of opting out, or paying a connection fee that would allow
them to take part in the new system should theirs eventually fail.

While
passing ballot issue 5A would allow for progress on this project, the
vote is simply to remove the TABOR restrictions so that the district has
the funding should voters approve the new system in the future.

Respond: letters@boulderweekly.com