By Paolo Zialcita | Denverite
Everyone wants a piece of the Vibrant Denver Bond pie.
Denver has a rare opportunity to fund $800 million of capital projects in one fell swoop later this year — and everyone is clamoring for a piece of the pie.
If voters approve the measure this November the city will take out debt for a wide range of capital projects. But while $800 million may sound like a lot, it isn’t nearly enough to pay for everything city officials and residents want to build.
More than 220 projects appeared on an initial list the city is considering. Building all those projects would cost $6 billion, far more than what the city can afford. And whittling down the list hasn’t been easy.
The city’s cultural institutions — like the Boettcher Concert Hall and the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance — have asked for help funding pricey expansions. Transit and bike advocates want the city to build safer corridors. Disenfranchised neighborhoods far outside the city center are asking for better recreation centers and libraries.
Meanwhile, proposals to spend heavily on housing have proved especially contentious, and some city officials say the process has been rushed and flawed. This November, the final proposal will go before voters, who will make the ultimate decision.
Residents, organizations and city departments have made their pitches.
The debate about what to include started months ago.
A survey of residents found that improving the city’s green spaces — like parks and playgrounds — was of utmost importance, followed closely by building better streets, sidewalks and city facilities. In all, residents suggested thousands of ideas.
Sorting out that flood of ideas is the responsibility of the bond proposal’s executive committee, a group of 10 public and private sector leaders appointed by Mayor Mike Johnston.
The committee sorted the list into high-, medium- and low-priority tiers — setting off a race by residents, organizations and neighborhood groups to secure funding for their pet projects.
Inevitably, the city will let down residents and groups that will watch their ideas go unfunded by the new bond. And in a time when the city’s budget faces tough constraints, many are left wondering if their ideas will ever be built.