Wheat Ridge voters will decide on November 3, 2026 whether to add a one-cent city sales and use tax starting January 1, 2027. The city says it would fund street maintenance, bike and pedestrian safety, two former school sites, a new Anderson Pool and new city facilities.
If you own a home in Wheat Ridge, are shopping for one, or are thinking about listing next year, the November ballot includes a question that touches the city’s streets, parks and civic buildings for years to come. In August 2026, Wheat Ridge City Council referred a one-cent sales and use tax increase to the November 3 election. It is a citywide question, and it is one of the larger local decisions Wheat Ridge has put to voters in some time.
Questions like this come up in conversations with clients because they shape what a neighborhood looks and feels like a few years out: which roads get repaved, whether a pool stays open, where City Hall ends up. They also raise a practical question we hear often. Does a sales tax change what I pay to own a home here?
Below, Jason Sirois, a Denver Realtor with FORM at Compass whose office is at 1900 W 32nd Ave in Northwest Denver, walks through what is on the ballot, what the city says the money would pay for, what is still unknown, and how it relates to buying and selling in Wheat Ridge. This is an explainer, not a recommendation. How to vote is your call.
What exactly is on the Wheat Ridge ballot?
The measure asks voters to raise the City of Wheat Ridge sales and use tax by one cent on the dollar. According to the city’s August 25, 2026 announcement, it would take effect January 1, 2027 if voters approve it on November 3, 2026.
The city’s own sales tax is 3.5 percent today, with use tax at the same rate, per the City of Wheat Ridge taxes page. A one-cent increase would bring the city portion to 4.5 percent. State, county and special district taxes are charged on top of the city rate and are not part of this question.
Colorado law requires voter approval for a new or higher local tax, which is why this is on the ballot rather than decided by council alone. Before you vote, read the official ballot language in your Jefferson County ballot or sample ballot. It is the legal text and governs details such as any time limit or borrowing authority.
What would the money pay for?
The city has published a list of what the revenue is meant to support. Per the city announcement and its WR Moment information page, the list includes:
- Proactive street and infrastructure maintenance
- Bicycle and pedestrian safety and connectivity improvements
- Keeping community space at the closed Wilmore-Davis and Kullerstrand elementary school properties
- Replacing the Anderson Park Outdoor Pool
- A modern police and city services facility, plus a parks and public works maintenance facility
Reporting by Denver7 put first-year revenue at about $11.5 million and described the civic facility as a consolidated city hall and police building on part of the former Lutheran hospital property. The city also says roughly half of the revenue would come from people who live elsewhere and shop in Wheat Ridge.
A September 2026 council packet describes paying for the larger projects with certificates of participation issued in about three rounds over ten years, with the school property acquisitions slated for 2027. Those are planning documents, so timing could shift.
What is happening with Anderson Pool?
Anderson Pool is the most specific project on the list. The city says the outdoor pool opened in 1979, draws about 22,000 visits a year, and is still mostly original despite a 2008 renovation. The city’s project page lists failing walls, water-table and plumbing problems, and aging mechanical equipment, and says the pool would need to close indefinitely within three to five years unless it is replaced.
The city estimates replacement at $12 million to $17 million. Design is under way with Farnsworth Group as lead designer, on a 10 to 14 month design schedule, and the city plans more community input on design options from fall 2026 into winter 2027. More than 2,000 residents took part in a 2025 engagement process on the pool’s future, according to the city.
What about the former school sites and City Hall?
Wilmore-Davis and Kullerstrand were among the elementary schools Jeffco Public Schools closed. The city’s plan is to acquire the properties so their fields and open space stay in public use. The school district owns the land today, so without a funding source the city would not control what happens to it.
The civic facility would replace city buildings that the mayor told Denver7 do not let staff work under the same roof. The proposed site is on the former Lutheran Medical Center campus, which is being redeveloped. The mayor described the land as a one-time opportunity.
What are supporters and critics saying?
The city points to its polling: 81 percent of respondents rated infrastructure maintenance a high or medium priority, and 80 percent said a dedicated funding source for public infrastructure was important. Mayor Korey Stites has framed the measure as a response to priorities residents identified.
On the other side, Denver7 quoted the owner of Wheat Ridge Cyclery, who said a higher rate could send shoppers to his stores in lower-tax cities instead. That competitiveness concern is common whenever a city raises its sales tax relative to its neighbors. Both points are worth weighing with the full ballot text in hand.
Does a sales tax change the cost of owning a home in Wheat Ridge?
Not directly. This is a sales and use tax, not a property tax, so it does not change the mill levy on your property tax bill. Buying a home in Colorado is not subject to sales tax either.
Where it can show up for homeowners is in spending: furniture, appliances, hardware and other taxable purchases made in Wheat Ridge. Use tax is the companion to sales tax, and in many Colorado cities it applies to construction materials on permitted projects. If you are planning a remodel or addition in 2027, ask the city’s sales tax office how the new rate would apply to your permit.
For buyers and sellers, the longer-term question is what the projects would mean for the city. Repaved streets, a rebuilt pool and preserved open space are the kind of changes that show up in how a neighborhood functions. Whether they happen, and how fast, depends on the vote. For current pricing and inventory, see our Wheat Ridge community page and our Wheat Ridge 2025 market recap.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Wheat Ridge sales tax vote?
The question is on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Jefferson County mails ballots to registered voters ahead of Election Day; check the county clerk’s site for return deadlines and drop box locations.
How much would Wheat Ridge sales tax go up?
One cent on the dollar. The city portion would rise from 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent. State, county and district taxes stay the same and are added on top.
When would the new Wheat Ridge sales tax start?
January 1, 2027, if voters approve it on November 3, 2026, according to the city.
Will the Wheat Ridge sales tax increase raise my property taxes?
No. It is a sales and use tax. It does not change your property tax bill, and buying a home is not subject to sales tax in Colorado.
Is Anderson Pool closing?
Not now. The city says that without replacement, the pool would need to close indefinitely within three to five years. Replacement is estimated at $12 million to $17 million.
Does the Wheat Ridge sales tax have an end date?
The city materials we reviewed do not state one. Read the official ballot language for any time limit or borrowing authority before you vote.
Where can I read more about the measure?
The city’s WR Moment page has the project list and FAQs, and the city’s news release from August 25, 2026 summarizes the measure.
This post is general information about a ballot measure, not tax, legal or voting advice. FORM at Compass does not take a position on ballot measures. For how a tax change applies to your situation, consult the City of Wheat Ridge or a qualified tax professional.
Questions about buying or selling in Wheat Ridge? Reach out to Jason Sirois and the FORM Team at Compass Denver anytime.
