Westminster ballot measure would help renovate and expand fire department

WESTIMINSTER, Colo. — Westminster firefighters hope to upgrade their aging fire station if voters approve ballot measure 3C, which would increase sales tax in the city.

The measure would impose a 0.5% sales tax increase, with $0.05 added for every $10 spent. The tax will provide the fire department with $19 million in additional revenue annually.

“It fills a need we’ve had for a long time,” local firefighter August Rasche said. union board member.

Rasche said the additional revenue would provide:

• 45 new firefighters and paramedics
• two ambulances and fire trucks
• two new fire stations
• renovation of three existing stations

Firefighters operate according to standard operating procedure with a four-minute response time. Rasche said it’s difficult for Westminster Fire to meet that response time due to increased call volume and coverage gaps.
According to Westminster fire officials, the department has seen a 37% increase in calls between 2020 and 2023.

“When I first started here, we started with about 7,000 calls for service and are now over 17,000 calls,” said Acting Westminster Fire Chief Erik Birk.

The fire department will also build a new training facility to assist firefighters who frequently have to leave town for training procedures.

If approved, Rasche hopes the two new stations will be completed and fully staffed within the next three years. The sales tax increase will go into effect at the beginning of the new fiscal year.

“If we could build a station tomorrow, they would have 1,800 calls the first year,” Rasche said.

Opponents of the measure argue that if approved, Westminster would have the second-highest sales tax rate in Adams County.

Additionally, opponents of the issue argue that 3C would push tax dollars out of the city as residents shop in surrounding communities to avoid paying more for goods and services.