Voters for a Modest Community Pool
The Issue
Sign to SAVE OUR COMMUNITY POOL!
The undersigned Support using the 0.3% sales tax passed in 2024 for Construction AND Operations/Maintenance of a modest, scaled-down Community Pool. NO NEW TAXES. NO PAID PARKING. A simple plan to construct a modest, fiscally responsible pool AND pay for operations/maintenance. Initially money collected from the sales tax could go into an interest-bearing account to pay for operations. Once enough money is available for operations, the Recreation District could obtain a bond and begin construction of the pool.
UPDATE FROM CITY ATTORNEY: “Generally speaking, I don’t see a legal hurdle to asking the voters to retain the sales tax and continue to collect it for construction and operation of a pared down version of the pool. "
BACKGROUND
Since the pool initiative passed in 2024 without operational funding, the Recreation District, City, and community have evaluated all possibilities for the operational deficit. Fortunately, the only timeline the City or Recreation District was bound by for finding a solution was a 25-year sunset. 25 years. In May the Mayor’s office conducted a brief 2-week study to look at possible funding sources within the City’s budget to operate the pool. On June 1st, the Mayor presented the results at a City Council meeting, whereby he had determined there was no room in the City budget to fund operations. Both the Mayor and Council Member Toney felt there was “No path forward” for the pool. As a result, City Council voted in a 4-2 vote to suspend their support of the project. At the same meeting the Mayor informed citizens that he had created a ballot committee for A) stopping collection of the tax for the pool, and B) determining how money already collected could be used.
On June 9th, the Recreation District felt they had no options remaining for the current design because of increasing construction costs, no solution for operations, and no support from the City for continuing the project, including their funding source for the project that now appeared to be on the line. The Recreation Board voted in a 3-2 vote to back out of the current project as designed. Post and Smeins voted against the motion. The Recreation District clarified in a June 25th meeting with the Mayor that they were still committed to getting citizens a pool. The decision by the Mayor to develop a ballot, skipped and important step. Rather than asking voters whether we wanted to continue with the pool project and look at other options like scaling-down or phasing, the Mayor was already tasking a committee looking at what to do with the money.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
The fate of pool should not be decided by 7 people. The VOTERS should Decide. We should have the option to support a scaled-down POOL for our kids, rather than NO POOL at all. This decision was:
- Not Fair to the 4,706 people who voted “yes” for the pool.
- Not Fair to the people who voted “no” because they wanted a modest pool.
- Not Fair to the 3,648 kids that live in our town, who can’t vote.
It was NOT their call to make. It was OUR call. It’s OUR tax money, and we should decide the fate of the pool. PRO-CITIZEN - PRO-KID!
TAKE ACTION
This week is A BIG WEEK. The Mayor hand-selected a ballot committee to determine language that will go on a ballot in November to: A) stop collecting the 0.3% sales tax, and B) put the money collected elsewhere (another City Project?). None of the options will result in a public pool.
This is our LAST CHANCE to speak out! If the committee continues without our input, then we really may be “without a path forward!”
In addition to signing this petition, please consider attending upcoming public meetings. Ballot meetings will be held at City Hall, June 22, June 26, and June 29, at 6pm. The ballot will be presented to City Council July 13th and they will vote on it July 20th. Be there if you care!
Contact: citycouncil@canoncity.org https://www.canoncity.org/129/Mayor-City-Council
405
The Issue
Sign to SAVE OUR COMMUNITY POOL!
The undersigned Support using the 0.3% sales tax passed in 2024 for Construction AND Operations/Maintenance of a modest, scaled-down Community Pool. NO NEW TAXES. NO PAID PARKING. A simple plan to construct a modest, fiscally responsible pool AND pay for operations/maintenance. Initially money collected from the sales tax could go into an interest-bearing account to pay for operations. Once enough money is available for operations, the Recreation District could obtain a bond and begin construction of the pool.
UPDATE FROM CITY ATTORNEY: “Generally speaking, I don’t see a legal hurdle to asking the voters to retain the sales tax and continue to collect it for construction and operation of a pared down version of the pool. "
BACKGROUND
Since the pool initiative passed in 2024 without operational funding, the Recreation District, City, and community have evaluated all possibilities for the operational deficit. Fortunately, the only timeline the City or Recreation District was bound by for finding a solution was a 25-year sunset. 25 years. In May the Mayor’s office conducted a brief 2-week study to look at possible funding sources within the City’s budget to operate the pool. On June 1st, the Mayor presented the results at a City Council meeting, whereby he had determined there was no room in the City budget to fund operations. Both the Mayor and Council Member Toney felt there was “No path forward” for the pool. As a result, City Council voted in a 4-2 vote to suspend their support of the project. At the same meeting the Mayor informed citizens that he had created a ballot committee for A) stopping collection of the tax for the pool, and B) determining how money already collected could be used.
On June 9th, the Recreation District felt they had no options remaining for the current design because of increasing construction costs, no solution for operations, and no support from the City for continuing the project, including their funding source for the project that now appeared to be on the line. The Recreation Board voted in a 3-2 vote to back out of the current project as designed. Post and Smeins voted against the motion. The Recreation District clarified in a June 25th meeting with the Mayor that they were still committed to getting citizens a pool. The decision by the Mayor to develop a ballot, skipped and important step. Rather than asking voters whether we wanted to continue with the pool project and look at other options like scaling-down or phasing, the Mayor was already tasking a committee looking at what to do with the money.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
The fate of pool should not be decided by 7 people. The VOTERS should Decide. We should have the option to support a scaled-down POOL for our kids, rather than NO POOL at all. This decision was:
- Not Fair to the 4,706 people who voted “yes” for the pool.
- Not Fair to the people who voted “no” because they wanted a modest pool.
- Not Fair to the 3,648 kids that live in our town, who can’t vote.
It was NOT their call to make. It was OUR call. It’s OUR tax money, and we should decide the fate of the pool. PRO-CITIZEN - PRO-KID!
TAKE ACTION
This week is A BIG WEEK. The Mayor hand-selected a ballot committee to determine language that will go on a ballot in November to: A) stop collecting the 0.3% sales tax, and B) put the money collected elsewhere (another City Project?). None of the options will result in a public pool.
This is our LAST CHANCE to speak out! If the committee continues without our input, then we really may be “without a path forward!”
In addition to signing this petition, please consider attending upcoming public meetings. Ballot meetings will be held at City Hall, June 22, June 26, and June 29, at 6pm. The ballot will be presented to City Council July 13th and they will vote on it July 20th. Be there if you care!
Contact: citycouncil@canoncity.org https://www.canoncity.org/129/Mayor-City-Council
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Petition created on June 21, 2026