BOULDER, Colo. — As Boulder County families continue to face high childcare costs and limited options for daycare, voters will decide on Nov. 3 whether to increase property taxes to account for both challenges.
Boulder County Issue 1A, the Early Childhood Care and Education measure, would increase property taxes by 2.579 mills, which equates to about $30 million annually. The money from this measure would be used to lower the cost of childcare for families, expand capacity for childcare spots and increase compensation for teachers and staff in order to keep them in their roles. The measure, if passed, would remain in effect until voters ultimately decide to change or repeal it later.
Colorado Rep. Junie Joseph, who represents Boulder County and is for this measure, believes that this issue is important to help those who are marginalized within the community.
“You still want to be able to go to your grocery store and have your shelves stocked because they’re not stocked by AI; they’re stocked by regular people. And these regular people also need to be able to pay their bills and take care of their children,” Joseph said. “They will not stay in our community if they can’t do that.”
A state survey conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment collected data from January 2025 to February 2026, following the first birthdays of babies born in 2024. It showed that 33.1% of parents of the one-year-olds had to either decline a job offer, quit or change their jobs to meet childcare needs.
One of the biggest issues is the lack of available childcare. Boulder County’s Child Care Assistance Program, or CCCAP, which helps low-income families afford childcare, is frozen and not accepting new enrollments. If families do qualify for the program, they can be placed on a waiting list.
The Early Childhood Council of Boulder County, which supports the ballot measure, says the assistance program would get about $12 million from the property tax increase, and there’d be about $10.5 million for additional childcare tuition assistance for those who make too much for CCCAP, but are still struggling with the rising childcare costs.
The CEO of the Early Childhood Council, Kaycee Headrick, said Boulder County has licensed childcare capacity for only about 25% of infants and 50% of toddlers, leaving a big margin of childcare unavailable to other children. About $5 million of the proposed property tax increase is allotted towards expanding infant and childcare, which would help expand existing providers as well as create more licensed childcare spaces where needed the most.
Voters in Larimer County, which borders Boulder County, approved a 0.25% tax increase to raise an estimated $28 million annually for early childhood development in November 2025. The county, like most places in Colorado, had a long waitlist for CCCAP. Now, it will see its current program, funded by United Way, transition to the Kids Thrive Fund in 2027. The county estimates the new tax will help between 800 and 1,000 families based on income.
Boulder County’s Measure 1A also aims to address the wages for childcare workers and preschool staff, which contributes to the staffing shortages. If passed, $2.5 million will go toward recruiting and retaining educators through bonuses, professional development and other support.
Some community members question how the money will be distributed between each of the focused groups, as well as who will make certain that the money isn’t being put towards other county issues or even towards big corporations.
Lynn Segal, a Boulder County resident who is running for a seat on Boulder City Council in the upcoming election, said that while the need for more affordable childcare is important, the tax increase could create additional financial stress for homeowners and renters.
“It could make it worse for them (lower-income families) through passing yet another expense on to the taxpayers, who inevitably pass it on to those who struggle to pay their childcare expenses through higher rents,” said Segal, who is a local activist and an ultrasonographer specializing in high-risk obstetrics.
She offered that the county should research other ways to fund childcare without adding extra costs for those who are already battling expenses. “Let the developers pay,” she suggested, arguing that the developers could write off their profit as a business expense.
Headrick noted that there are specific guidelines and requirements for how the funding will be allocated. She also said that if the measure is passed, her organization wants to create a board of parents, community leaders and childcare providers who would ensure that the voices within the county can provide oversight and are being heard.
“I can say with confidence that our childcare system is in crisis, and without meaningful investment, it will only become more difficult for families to find and afford care,” Headrick said.
If voters approve Measure 1A, the new tax would go into effect in 2027. The funding is expected to be distributed later that year, with full execution by the beginning of 2028.