Insignificant


We all have to conduct such business once per year. You say that ?“not everyone?” conducts this business by mail. Why is it standard policy to mail registration renewals? It is because the vast majority of people do conduct this business by mail. Also, you are only listing the location of the county offices, not the availability of satellite offices where this business can be conducted in or very near to Broomfield. I would like to see Broomfield officials ask any resident if this meager benefit is worth the cost of forming and operating the county.

By Adrian

Misleading


Anyone who has ever had any law enforcement experience will validate my response. This is one of the most overused arguments and it is not valid. In the wake of increasing violence across our country, this is meant only to scare us. And if these county detention centers are anything like those that I have seen, some of your officers may even tell you that such a trip is welcomed entertainment.

First, the majority of a typical shift of a patrol officer is that of inactivity. It is time spent driving around as a ?“show of presence?” while waiting for a dispatch. How many arrests are made in Broomfield per day? Do you expect us to believe that criminal activity is so excessive in Broomfield that this benefit would even be noticeable? Give us specifics on just how many trips this would alter. Give us a tangible increase in patrol time and just exactly what that will mean for our communities.

Additionally, the new jail is to be located at the furthest SW corner of the elongated county which is still a significant travel for arrests made virtually anywhere in Broomfield. This was pointed out and acknowledged at the infamous city council meeting.

Finally, if crime were running rampant in Broomfield, any number of policy changes could have been implemented to increase patrol time. No changes were made. Why? We believe this benefit to be a hollow argument that is meant to scare us into submission. Anyone not looking for tangible effects might simply follow your lead without question. Fortunately, we are not complacent followers.

By Adrian

Somewhat Valid


I agree that uniformity of property assessment in a localized area is in the best interest of citizens. However, it must be asked whether this uniformity is held over time as well as location. If I live in what is currently an area of much higher or lower property assessment than the average, it would concern me that I can expect to see dramatic changes in the next few years. Additionally, current assessments and corresponding taxes are critical pieces of information considered when buying a home. As you well know, steep assessment gradients are typical in areas where much newer developments are located adjacent to older subdivisions. I do not claim to know every detail of how this would affect the financial considerations of residents when buying or selling a home, but it seems that consistency over a period of ownership with respect to each home would be as important.

By Adrian

Doubtful


How are these services better? Do you not think that current county services have looked into optimization procedures? Please give tangible examples of how you would run those services more efficiently.

As far as lower taxes, I think it is doubtful. The first feasibility study for the formation of the county was thrown out because it specifically stated that taxes would have to be dramatically increased. Broomfield will become the second smallest county in the United States, second only to a small island. The per capita cost of initiating and operating so many new county services and the infrastructure to support them is tremendous.

The cost of just forming the county has doubled from $18M to more than $35M in the last year and continues to skyrocket. It was interesting to see the article where Broomfield officials suddenly discover extra money in the budget just after this increased cost was released. Also interesting is the unconfirmed report that the projected sales total from the new mall is four times the national average for such malls. I asked you to supply this information, but the question was avoided. Almost every Broomfield resident who has spoken to us by various means has mentioned that they do not expect lower taxes. The cost of this endeavor is starting to worry many residents of this area.

By Adrian