Fire Protection Sales Tax Oversight Group

About the Fire Protection Sales Tax Oversight Group

A provision of the voter-approved Ballot Issue 6A in 2020 was the establishment of a five-member oversight committee. The group meets twice annually to review expenditures made related to the Fire Protection Sales Tax, ensuring that spending is consistent with approved ballot language of the 2020 Ballot Issue 6A, and the 2022 Ballot Issue 6D (to retain excess fire protection sales tax funds). The group develops an annual report to present to voters.

In the news: Learn more about the Group's timeline, responsibilities and authority.

What does 6A fund?

The voter-approved Ballot Issue 6A authorized a temporary sales tax increase of 1.0% through 2030. The funds raised from this tax would be placed in a dedicated fund used solely for the purpose of funding the Pueblo West Fire Department. The ballot language approved the following: 

• The construction of a new fire station in the southwest portion of Pueblo West 
• Staffing of the new fire station with additional firefighters.
• Provide funding for capital equipment and projects related to the Fire Department
• Maintenance and upkeep of the Fire Department and fire protection resources.

Latest updates:

At its April 2023 meeting, the Pueblo West Fire Protection Sales Tax Oversight Group announced it will release its first public report about Fire Department spending of taxes collected through the passage of voter-approved Ballot Issue 6A, which was passed in 2020.

• Funding update
  • In 2021, the sales tax collected an audited amount of approximately $3.72 million. 
  • In 2022, the sales tax collected an unaudited amount of approximately $3.56 million.
  • Both figures are more than the $2.5 million cap outlined in Ballot Issue 6A . In November 2022, voters approved Ballot Issue 6D, which asked to retain these excess revenues. The excess revenues were officially applied to the sales tax fund on Jan. 1, 2023.
• Fire Station No. 2 construction
  • The tax is funding the construction of Fire Station No. 2, which will be built at 715 S. McCulloch Blvd. West next to the Dollar General store.
  • The first step toward building the station was to determine the project architect (HB&A Architects) and a project builder (Nunn Construction). These contracts were approved by the Metro District Board of Directors in 2022. 

  • The Fire Department held an open house in October 2022 to show residents the architectural drawings and release an initial construction timeline.

  • Construction will begin by August 2023. Barring any unforeseen issues, construction will take approximately 8 months. This translates to the new station opening in May 2024. 

• New staffing

  • In 2022, 12 new firefighters were hired with funds from the tax. These firefighters will staff the new station once it is built.

  • Currently, these new firefighters are staffed at Fire Station No. 1 on the south side of Pueblo West, or at Fire Station No. 3 on the north side.

  • The increase in personnel was needed to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) minimum staffing standards.

• Capital equipment and projects

  •  A 1978 ladder truck will be replaced by a new apparatus. The order for this apparatus was made in 2022. 

  • Fire apparatuses take approximately 12 to 20 months to build, since each apparatus is a custom build. It's anticipated the new apparatus will be completed in Fall 2023.

  • A new brush truck will be ordered soon.