The City is exploring a 0.4% increase to its sales tax to fund critical improvements to neighborhood streets and emergency response services. This initiative may be presented to voters on the November 2025 ballot.

Westminster faces two urgent challenges:

1. Our community is aging, and 911 calls have doubled over the past 20 years. Emergency service gaps exist in central and north Westminster, where fire and medical crews may not reach residents within 6 minutes—the critical window to save a life in a medical emergency. The City needs to build two new fire stations within the service area to ensure paramedics can get to a patient as soon as possible.

1. Neighborhood streets are aging, and the cost of materials has soared beyond the City’s current budget. According to industry standards, our neighborhood streets have an average score of 43/100 points on the pavement quality index, and it will continue to decline over the next decade without additional funds.

Yes. In 2024, voters did not approve a proposed 0.5% sales tax increase. The City heard the community loud and clear. Since then, we’ve gone back to the drawing board, re-evaluated our priorities, and tightened our belt.

We reduced or deferred spending in other areas and looked for savings within the current budget before considering a new, smaller 0.4% that is focused on a smaller, essential set of needs.

• Reassigned or repurposed staff and found operational savings totaling $3M

• Reduced or delayed non-essential projects

• Reviewed and updated cost of service fees for developers and large retailers

• Repurposed development fees called Urban Renewal Area funds and dedicated all $38M for construction of a northside fire station.

These actions are important steps forward—but they’re not enough to fully close the emergency response gaps, hire paramedics and firefighters to staff the stations, nor fund long-term neighborhood street improvements.

If approved, the proposed 0.4% sales tax would support:

• Hiring more paramedics and firefighters to staff:
  • The new north fire station
  • A planned central fire station to fill the central Westminster service gap
• Building a new Fire Station #3, which serves the west side and is overdue for updates
• Dedicating an additional $2M for neighborhood streets every year

The proposed change increases the City’s sales tax from 3.85% to 4.25%—an extra 4 cents per $10 spent.

That’s about $10/month or $120/year if a Westminster household spent $30,000 on taxable goods.

Examples:

$5 coffee = 2 cents more

$699 dishwasher = $2.80 more

$30,000/year in taxable goods = $120/year more

Even with the proposed increase, Westminster’s City sales tax would remain comparable to many neighboring cities.

This is a community-driven process. The City will provide updates and invite feedback throughout the summer.

Visit our.westminsterco.gov for updates, details, and engagement opportunities.