Rec and safety bond · 2026
2026 · Rec and safety bond. This issue in: 2026
People on the 2026 ballot who answered this cycle’s question. Answers from earlier years stay on those years' pages.
Do you support the $400 million recreation and safety bond on the November 2026 ballot?
interview
What was reported
Boulder Reporting Lab (2026-08-30): All five incumbent candidates support the measure, citing more than $400 million in deferred maintenance; Sam Fuqua and Jamillah Richmond also support it.
Meet the 19 candidates running for Boulder mayor and City Council in 2026 (BRL)
Boulder Reporting Lab (2026-08-30): Many challengers oppose the measure, arguing voters have not received enough information about how the money would be spent.
Meet the 19 candidates running for Boulder mayor and City Council in 2026 (BRL)
This is one reporter's summary, not each candidate's own answer, so we don't mark anyone yes or no from it. Each candidate's own words are on their page.
Lightning round: Boulder voters will consider authorizing up to $400 million in new debt paid through additional property taxes (recreation, public safety, other city facilities). Do you support this measure? (one-sentence explanation)
forum
2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Fred Smith
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Talks about other taxes; no yes/no on 2K in this quote.
with the progressive income tax, in tax and actually tax, we could triple our general fund costs. I have no problem with the tax
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:10:26 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Aquiles La Grave
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
It's $650 million. It's not $400 million. There's another $250 million in interest that we have to pay a quarter billion.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:11:21 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
Aquiles La Grave
Boulder Chamber forum · August 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Critical of the bond but does not say yes or no in these words.
No plan. No budget. No trust. It's nuts.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:11:36 · 2026 | Boulder City Council Candidate Forum (Boulder Chamber, YouTube)
17 on this ballot are not in the source for this question. Silence is not a no.
Infrastructure bond / oversight question (wording partly garbled in transcript)
forum
City of Boulder Colorado Candidate-Forum - 090226 (greenlight studios, YouTube)
Aquiles La Grave
PLAN / Open Boulder / Better Boulder forum · September 2, 2026
I'm a huge fan of trying to come up with some type of capital infrastructure oversight committee.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:00:16 · City of Boulder Colorado Candidate-Forum - 090226 (greenlight studios, YouTube)
Rachel Rose Isaacson
PLAN / Open Boulder / Better Boulder forum · September 2, 2026
Before implementation, we need a performance auditor. We need to have updated assessments. We need to have cost alternatives and ROI analysis.
Speaker identified from speaking order; the moderator did not name them.
Transcript note: No name cue; her later auditor answer refers back to 'my last answer'.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 57:39 · City of Boulder Colorado Candidate-Forum - 090226 (greenlight studios, YouTube)
17 on this ballot are not in the source for this question. Silence is not a no.
Boulder voters are being asked to authorize $400 million in new debt through additional property taxes for recreation, public safety and other city facilities as part of ballot issue 2K. Do you support this measure? Why or why not?
forum
Yes
Tina Marquis
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Yes on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
Yeah, I support the bond and was one of the members of council to put it on the ballot.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 56:22 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
No
Lee Gilbert
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
I'm also a no on the issue.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 57:27 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Jamillah Richmond
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
Okay. Thank you. I do not support this bond measure.
Transcript note: Richmond was called twice; this is her second, complete answer.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 48:46 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Benita Duran
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below. Adds that she does not oppose the investment in recreation, public safety and facilities.
But this one I do oppose, but I don't oppose the investment that we want to be making in our recreation, our public safety, our municipal facilities.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 49:38 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Dave Martus
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
As I mentioned earlier, I'm a no vote on this.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 51:28 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Scott Rendleman
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
I don't support the bond measure. And in fact, if I had been on city council, I would not have voted to submit the bond measure to the Boulder voters.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 52:29 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Ryan Jamieson
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below. Adds he would support smaller, more targeted projects financed by debt.
I am against this particular bond measure, but I would be definitely for smaller, more targeted projects that were facilitated through debt.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 55:07 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Lynn Segal
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
Opposed for all the reasons brought forward.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 55:19 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Sam Fuqua
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Says 'a reluctant yes, but a yes.' Not labelled because the answer is caveated; read the quote.
Yeah, I'm a reluctant yes, but a yes.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 58:13 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Ryan Schuchard
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Gives reasons; no yes/no in this quote.
One, we're going to have service cuts if we don't proceed with the funding
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 59:53 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Ryan Schuchard
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Second, this sets a cap. We are already talking about $100 million off of the $400 million.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 1:00:04 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Rachel Rose Isaacson
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Says 'I do support this measure' and adds that she shares concerns. Not labelled because the answer is caveated; read the quote.
I do support this measure, but I also do share concerns.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 50:25 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Jill Grano
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Calls for a smaller, more targeted bond; no yes/no in this quote.
I think we need to go back to the community, get clear on our priorities, and then bring back a smaller, more targeted bond.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 54:21 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
7 on this ballot are not in the source for this question. Silence is not a no.
Ballot measure 2K: Boulder voters will consider authorizing up to $400 million in new debt through additional property taxes for recreation, public safety and other city facilities. Do you support this measure? Why or why not?
forum
Yes
Aaron Brockett
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
Yes on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
So I do support the bond and here's why.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:32:49 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
No
Jameson Goldstein
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
I 100 percent do not support this measure.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:28:01 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Aquiles La Grave
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No on 2K (the $400 million bond), in their words below.
are fully against it? So no.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:30:39 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Lisa Ann Jacobs
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Critical of the debt; no yes/no in these words.
It would be financial suicide to take that amount of debt.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:30:52 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Taishya Adams
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Says she was initially a yes; her current position is not stated in this quote.
Initially, I was a yes to this $400 million bond
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:31:48 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Taishya Adams
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
I realized that there's really a lack of community support and the need to do more trust building and collective buy-in.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:32:12 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Aaron Brockett
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
construction cost inflation is going up higher than the rate of interest that we would be paying on the bond.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:33:07 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Jameson Goldstein
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
If we want to do a bond we need to bring it from the bottom up instead of having City Council propose the bond.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:28:29 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Fred Smith
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
No yes/no label: Suggests a smaller first step; no yes/no in this quote.
I think we could get a lot of fixes for half and then two or four years come back and ask for the second half
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:29:21 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
Aquiles La Grave
League of Women Voters forum · September 26, 2026
In one measure, we are being asked to more than double it.
Quoted from an automatic transcript. Check the recording. Watch at 2:30:09 · September 26, 2026 League of Women Voters of Boulder County Candidate Forum (City of Boulder, YouTube)
13 on this ballot are not in the source for this question. Silence is not a no.