Highlights of the presentation included:

• How the city is abusing the Urban Renewal "blighting" law
• Circumventing the Colorado Constitution on donation of public funds
• Potentially obligating Aurora taxpayers to debt, without a vote of the people
• Generating a whole new slew of taxes and taxing areas

Aurora is again attempting to blight raw, undeveloped, agricultural land. After a similar tactic was used by Aurora in 2010, blighting agricultural land for the Lend Lease project, state senator Morgan Carroll sponsored a bill to prohibit this type of abuse of the "blighting" laws. The only problem was that there were several loopholes. The City of Aurora is using one of these loopholes to foster a massive tax giveaway ($300 million) to "incent" Gaylord to locate a hotel and convention center in the City of Aurora.

The particular loophole that the city is using is noted in the state statutes as "No area that has been designated as an urban renewal area shall contain any agricultural land unless each public body that levies an ad valorem property tax on such land agrees in writing to its inclusion within the urban renewal area." Who are these government "bodies?"

• City of Aurora
• Adams County
• Brighton School District
• Urban Drainage and Flood Control
• Urban Drainage South Platte
• Rangeview Library District
• A new General Improvement District (GID)

Have these entities been contacted? Have they made any decision?

On page 52 and 53 of the incentive agreement, you will find a detailed breakout of the tax giveaways that are part of this proposal. Obtaining a "blight" designation will allow the developer to receive a "Tax Increment Financing" designation. This in turn will allow for the avalanche of tax subsidies. All details are in the incentive agreement. Also, the Aurora City Council is providing a "Moral Obligation Pledge" to secure potential bonds of over $200 million dollars that would be issued by the Aurora Urban Renewal Authority. This was done without a vote of the Aurora taxpayers on this potential debt obligation..

Other taxes noted include "lodger taxes" of 12.6% per day, all going to the developer and new "admission" taxes, again all noted on pages 52 & 53 of the incentive document.

In addition, property owners will be voting on a new General Improvement District and "Enhanced Taxing Area?" You can view a map of the area here.
Map of GID

CRAG encourages development in the City of Aurora - for projects that can be built on their own merits--and not a giant taxpayer subsidy. We urge the affected government "bodies" in this development area to reject this tax giveaway of 25-33 years and send a message to the Aurora City Council that this is no way to do business.

For more information you can contact CRAG at info@cragaurora.com
- 720.295.8402 - cragaurora.com

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=> Media Links:

Channel 7 News quoted C.R.A.G.:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/28945953/detail.html

Article in the Denver Post
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_18737218

Article in the Aurora Sentinel:
www.aurorasentinel.com

Duane Senn interviewed with Peter Boyles on 8/2:
http://www.khow.com
Duane's interview goes from 0:0 –12:26.

Jim Frye interviewed with Liz Lane at KGNU radio, broadcasted on Wednesday, 8/3:
http://www.kgnu.org/morningmag
Click - on Wednesday – August 3rd – Scroll to 16:43 - Jim's interview goes to 22:16.

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View media interviews regarding the Gaylord Entertainment Project

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Aurora Mayor Ponders Turning off the TV

July 30, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

(Aurora) - Before Citizens For Responsible Aurora Government (CRAG) commenced their second slideshow at the Aurora City Council on July 25th, Aurora Mayor Ed Tauer apparently suggested council consider turning off the TV cameras when citizens come to testify before city council.

As noted by an Aurora Sentinel editorial writer, (http://www.aurorasentinel.com/hp_columnists/article_289c5610-b920-11e0-abb9-001cc4c002e0.html) on July 28th, the mayor was not keen on CRAG testifying before council, using Power Point slides that Aurora voters could view on the local Channel 8 TV. The CRAG presentation on July 25th dealt with the massive taxpayer subsidy for the Gaylord Entertainment complex to be located near DIA.

As noted below, CRAG member, Greg Golyansky, has submitted an open letter to the mayor requesting a response to this alleged attempt to stifle free speech in Aurora.

OPEN LETTER TO HONORABLE ED TAUER, MAYOR OF AURORA, COLORADO.

Your Honor,

On July 28th, an editorial writer with the Aurora Sentinel noted that you recently expressed a desire to put an end to TV coverage for citizens using power point slides while presenting at city council. In fact, the writer implied that this action was directed specifically at the Citizens for Responsible Aurora Government - CRAG.

It was noted that it appeared this suggestion came about because of the critical nature of CRAG calling council to task for its actions on various issues.

CRAG's most recent presentation on the Gaylord affair and our contention that it is "gaming the system" and not "economic development" apparently got your ire.

CRAG thinks these issues ought to be discussed publicly, in an open forum, and not behind closed doors. Taxpayers are the ones footing the bill for the million dollar TV production facilities at Aurora City Council. To deny us access to the same video capabilities as council members would be an abuse of council authority.

Because of the importance of this issue, I have chosen the "Open Letter" venue and will release this letter to the press.

If you choose not to answer my letter or to end the TV coverage of the public comment portion of the City Council meetings your actions will speak volumes in their own right.

Respectfully,

Gregory N. Golyansky - member, Citizens for Responsible Aurora Government

For more info on CRAG contact:
Info@cragaurora.com
720.295.8402
cragaurora.com

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Current Investigations

Aurora City Council
First Salvo of Many Tax Increase Proposals for 2011

July 20, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Aurora) – You know we are approaching election season when the tax increase measures start being approved by Aurora City Council.

The first in an anticipated barrage of tax increase proposals was approved and referred to the ballot by Aurora City Council on July 11th.

This latest tax increase is a repeat variation of a measure that voters rejected in 2009.

The Mission Viejo library General Improvement District (GID) was approved for referral to affected voters, by the council, on a 9-1 vote. Highlights of the measure, which will appear on the November 1st ballot, include:

• This tax agreement resulted from a lawsuit settlement with the Mission Viejo HOA, challenging the closure of the Mission Viejo library. The city closed this library after the 2009 tax increase proposal was defeated. The settlement allowed the surrounding homeowners to tax themselves twice for a service the city should already be providing.
• Taxes would once again be funneled to the city general fund and not a special district.
• To support this one library, the affected property owners would be subjected to:
• First year increased mill levy of approximately 1.1 mills
• City of Aurora property taxes increased by 9%
• All to raise $750,000 per year, for this one library
• The ballot wording overrides TABOR, automatically raising mill levies to maintain this funding, if assessed property values decline. Voters never get to vote again.
• Interestingly, the GID boundaries are approximately eleven times larger than the original Mission Viejo development. (Click Here for Map)
• The city and the HOA arbitrarily selected the large GID boundary.

Citizens for Responsible Aurora Government (CRAG), a local activist group dedicated to transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility, is disappointed but not surprised that the Aurora City Council has again ignored the voters will and placed this measure on the ballot.

Opponent presentations from the public testimony at city council can be viewed in the following 3 minute video clips. CRAG continues to urge the Aurora City Council to end this lack of leadership and start making hard decisions to prioritize where our tax revenues are spent. When council faces a revenue shortfall or perceived shortfall their first knee-jerk reaction is to raise taxes.

Citizens for Responsible Aurora Government, or CRAG is a citizens group dedicated to accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility in the city of Aurora, Colorado.

For more information you can contact Jim Frye with CRAG at http://www.cragaurora.com, or call us at 720.295.8402 or email us at info@cragaurora.com.

=> Mission Viejo GID map

Denver Post article:
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18636321

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