Title
RESOLUTION EXPRESSING CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE SCIENTIFIC & CULTURAL FACILITIES DISTRICT
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Summary and Background Information:
Since 1989, the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) has distributed funds from a 1/10 of 1% sales and use tax to cultural facilities throughout the seven-county Denver, Colorado metropolitan area. The funds support cultural facilities whose primary purpose is to enlighten and entertain the public through the production, presentation, exhibition, advancement and preservation of art, music, theatre, dance, zoology, botany, natural history and cultural history. The distribution budget for scientific and cultural organizations in the seven-county area is approximately $40 million annually. In 2014, Adams County received $14.9 million for county-level investment in local arts and culture organizations such as the Commerce City Cultural Council.
Voters reaffirmed their support of the SCFD tax in 1994 and again in 2004 by voting to extend the SCFD tax with 65% voter approval. Voters will have another opportunity to extend the SCFD in November 2016 before the June 2018 sunset date. The SCFD board conducted a three-year public process to identify recommended changes and adopted a series of significant enhancements to improve the effectiveness of the District. More information on the reauthorization process and recommendations is available online at http://scfd.org/p/reauthorization.html.
The attached resolution endorses the SCFD Board recommendations and encourages state legislators to refer the measure as presented. It further encourages voters to support the sales tax extension. The resolution was requested by the Commerce City Cultural Council, which unanimously recommended support. The resolution was approved by the city council legislative subcommittee for action by the full council.
Staff Responsible (Department Head): M. Halstead
Staff Member Presenting: Director of Communications & Gove...
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