Larimer County proposes 0.15% sales tax to fund transportation

By Isabella Hemness
The Ramspondents

As Larimer County confronts growing pressure in its transportation infrastructure, a new 0.15% sales and use tax to fund road, bridge and safety improvement over the next 15 years is being proposed. County Commissioner Kristin Stephens provides some of the answers on the main goals of the proposal and the intended impacts should it be passed by voters. 

Stephens wanted voters to understand the scale of the county and what the transportation tax would pay to maintain. “So, Larimer county maintains about 800 miles of road in the county–roads outside city limits–some of those areas that are not state roads and they’re not within the city,and then (there are) over 250 bridges and culverts “

She explained that the county has identified roughly $650 million in various projects over the next 25 years, but that the county lacks sufficient revenue under their current funding strategies to complete more than basic maintenance. In recent years, the cost of maintaining and upgrading infrastructure has risen, making this gap even more significant. 

The proposal would add a 0.15% sales and use tax, which would come to 15 cents per $100 in most purchases. According to the Larimer County website, if passed, “the tax would generate approximately $15 million annually to improve roads, bridges, and intersections across unincorporated Larimer County.”

Those funds would be dedicated to projects already seen and mapped out within the county. That plan includes more than 500 candidate projects improving safety anywhere from intersections, pedestrian crossing, widened shoulders, congestion relief and better mobility in some areas. 

When asked which parts of the county would show improvement early, Stephens pointed to safety upgrades also mentioned in the Proposal Resolution plan, such as:

These improvements are aimed at making travel safer and promoting connectivity between communities and within rural neighborhoods. 

A new tax proposal naturally offers concerns about economic strain and affordability. When asked about potential concerns to voters who worry about affordability in Larmer County, Stephens stressed that basic necessities like groceries, diapers, period products, and others would be exempt from the tax. A complete list of exemptions can be found on the Larimer County website or under the Proposal Resolution plan. She additionally noted that the tax is deliberately set low at 0.15% and that the exemption for necessities are designed to reduce the impact on lower-income households.

Additionally, she acknowledges the nuance in this situation, “People are struggling right now but you know, these are roads that people commute on everyday, so they are vital to our economic health and our community.”

This is not the county’s first attempt. Stephens addressed this, explaining that a similar measure was on the ballot in an earlier year and did not pass. But the infrastructure needs have not gone away and are intensifying as county growth and inflation increase. 

If the measure falls short again, the county would have to regroup. While it will continue pursuing federal grants and other alternative funding sources, Stephens admitted that those are less certain and more limited. 

For those still undecided, Stephens outlined the county’s main argument for the tax.

“Voters do their main driving on city roads, when they go to visit recreation areas, or go to the Poudre…they are often using these county roads. If they commute between any of the communities, they’re using county roads. And so we want these roads to be safe. We want them to be in good shape…safety is really important.”

 She also reminds voters that in emergency scenarios, wildfire, flood, or other emergencies, the county needs reliable infrastructure to support rescue operations and community contact. 

Larimer County’s ballot in November will contain six sales tax measures, including this one. More information on this ballot measure and others can be found at the Larimer County Government website. 

Isabella Hemness is a student at Colorado State University, studying journalism and international studies. With journalism experience through classes such as Newswriting, Video Editing and Advanced Reporting and an interest in community engagement and factual storytelling, Isabella works to inform and entertain through her writing. As a member of the Ramspondents, Isabella seeks to inform the population of CSU, Fort Collins, and beyond with accuracy and creativity.

The full digest of stories we’re covering as part of the 2025 election are listed below with links to those stories. 

Ranked-choice voting and how it works

What’s all on the ballot for this election season? 

Analysis: What the candidates are saying about affordable housing (coming soon)