YES on Issue 7F and 7G
About The District
Bennett Fire Protection District No. 7, operating as Bennett-Watkins Fire Rescue (BWFR), serves nearly 365 square miles along the I-70 corridor east of Denver. This includes unincorporated Adams and Arapahoe Counties, Bennett and Watkins municipalities, and the Colorado Air and Space Port. The District supports nearly 9,000 residents and responds to about 1,600 calls annually for fire and emergency medical services in urban and wildland environments. Currently, BWFR employs 46 full-time firefighters and paramedics, command staff, prevention/inspection and administrative staff, and maintains four stations. It also relies on 12 volunteer firefighters to serve the communities it protects.
Current District Realities
Bennett-Watkins Fire Rescue serves one of the fastest-growing areas along the I-70 corridor. Population growth has increased annual call volume, particularly for medical calls. At the same time, a law enacted by the Colorado legislature in 2024 (HB-1001) caps tax revenue growth at 5.25%, even if the funding was previously approved by the District’s voters for stations, apparatus, and staffing. This revenue-growth limit prevents the District from accessing $4 million in funding it collects each year.
By 2030, the funding shortfall from the cap on district property tax revenue is projected to reach $16 million. This would directly affect the District’s fleet, including replacement apparatus set to be delivered in 2029.
These challenges are not unique to Bennett-Watkins Fire Rescue. A 2026 statewide assessment by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC), based on responses from 122 Colorado fire departments, found that two-thirds of departments reported current funding sources are insufficient to carry out all operations, and nearly four in five indicated funding isn’t adequate to address identified capability needs. (Full report available at dfpc.colorado.gov)
Board Review and Community Input
This November, District voters will decide on two separate ballot measures, both intended to maintain the District's level of fire and emergency service, and to meet apparatus, facility, and staffing needs. Before bringing these measures to voters, the District's Board of Directors reviewed available financial strategies and funding mechanisms to determine whether other options could reliably meet current and projected apparatus and staffing needs. The Board also conducted a community-wide survey to gather resident input on priorities for fire and emergency services. More than 250 surveys were completed.
What Is Ballot Issue 7F and Ballot Issue 7G
Ballot Issue 7F: 0.75% Sales Tax
This measure asks voters to approve a new 0.75% sales tax (75 cents per $100 in taxable purchases) within the District, beginning July 1, 2027. The tax is estimated to generate approximately $1.2 million in the first full fiscal year, and would fund fire protection, emergency medical response, rescue, safety, and support services, as well as facility improvements or replacement, staffing levels, and retaining qualified first responders.
Ballot Issue 7G: Property Tax Revenue Cap Waiver
In 2024, the Colorado General Assembly created a new statewide limit on how much property tax revenue a district may retain each year, even where voters have already approved a tax rate. This measure asks District voters to waive that new limit so the Bennett-Watkins Fire Rescue can retain property tax revenue already approved by voters in 2017 to support staffing, equipment and apparatus, and other operational and capital needs. This measure does not increase the District's mill levy rate.
A Safer Bennett-Watkins, Registered Agent: Michael Magruder.