Colorado Voters Approve Sales Tax Hike to Fund Front Range Passenger Rail Project
Voters in 31 Front Range municipalities in Colorado have approved Issue 7A, a measure imposing a 0.333% district-wide sales tax to fund the Colorado Connector (CoCo) passenger rail service. The measure passed with a 55% to 45% margin. This approval is a significant step for the long-awaited project, which aims to restore passenger rail service along the Interstate 25 corridor. Sal Pace, the rail district’s general manager, hailed the vote as a 'historic win,' emphasizing Colorado's belief in connecting its communities. Governor Jared Polis, a champion of the CoCo project, stated that the service will connect communities, reduce traffic, protect air quality, and save Coloradans time and money. The approved tax hike is expected to generate an estimated $295 million annually for CoCo, keeping the project on track for a full 12-stop intercity route launch by 2032. Funding has already been secured to begin service between Denver and Fort Collins by 2029 as part of a multi-phase plan.
