Editor

    I just read the July - August 2009 city of Brighton “City Line - Citizen Newsletter.”  On the cover was a picture of the lineup of people responsible for the new Adams County Government Center. This center has been bothering me for some time.

    In the first place, the article conveniently omitted the cost of the project. I’m sure the city knew, that in this time of very serious economic recession and unprecedented home foreclosures and unemployment, bringing up the cost of this project would not set well with the taxpayers. In searching the Adams County Web site, I did find a January 2009 press release saying, “Over $94 million was obtained for this capital improvement from a sale-leaseback transaction.”  $94 million, and that is certainly not the total cost. The “City Line” article said, “Funding for the Adams County Government Center was made possible when county voters, voted to extend the one-half of one percent county transportation sales tax for 20 years.” I can tell you I voted against that tax. According to the Adams County Web site, that one half of one percent translates into about $1.5 million from taxpayers, each month, in transportation sales tax. The county convinced the voters in 2006 to continue giving them this tax until the year 2026.  Again, I’ve never seen in print what the total cost of this project will be, let alone the total cost with the interest the county is paying on the borrowed money, but Adams county tax payers have a right to know.   

    The Adams County Development site said that “the county broke ground on the first phase of a new 91-acre government center.”  91 acres?  I hope they raise some cattle or grow some wheat on all this land to offset the exorbitant cost of the project. And first phase? That’s right, the 330,000-square foot building is only phase one. There are more phases to come.

    If we are going to spend this huge sum of money in the worst economy since 1929, let’s make sure that we at least outdo the Jefferson County administration building (the Taj Mahal), in our sister county on the other end of Denver. In any case, as my children and I help pay for this building over the next 20 years (if we still have money to pay taxes) I know that I will have the satisfaction of going into a building where I can have the pride of paying my tax bills in style.

David Olson

Brighton