STOPTHEGID.COM · NEIGHBOR FACT-CHECK Golden Triangle GID “True Facts” Sheet | Survey Closes Nov 20, 2026 (Page 1 of 2)

What is actually being proposed?

80% Residential Outlier

THEIR PDF: “A grassroots coalition of neighborhood stakeholders... is considering the formation of a General Improvement District (GID).”

TRUE FACTS: A permanent $1.69M–$3.04M/yr property tax with perpetual existence and no 10-year sunset (C.R.S. § 31-25-611). Unlike every active urban Denver GID (where commercial properties pay 72.6%–100% of the tax), certified 2026 Assessor records show Golden Triangle’s 5,843 taxable apartments, 687 condos, and 88 rowhomes make up 79.9% (~80%) of non-exempt market value and carry 53.2% of the GID tax bill, while 9+ government and museum blocks ($1.44B · 30.7%) pay $0 and the $82.3M Populus Hotel 50 ft across W. Colfax pays this GID $0.

Why explore a GID? (And what do residents already pay for?)

THEIR PDF lists four goals without mentioning budgets, tax rates, or statutory limits. Here is what Colorado law and your monthly housing bill actually cover:

SAFETY0 POLICE

Zero enforcement power. Under C.R.S. § 31-25-611, a GID has “limited powers”: it cannot make arrests, enforce codes, or open fenced vacant lots. Rent/HOAs already fund building security.

CLEANING2X BILL

You already pay monthly. Apartment rents and $450–$800/mo condo HOAs already pay private trash, snow, and sidewalk crews, while 1.5M+ museum & court visitors pay $0.

BEAUTIFICATION53% RES

Homes subsidize corridors. Apartments and condos already maintain their own frontages yet carry 53.2% of the tax bill around vacant Bannock lots and civic corridors.

UNIFIED VOICEUNELECTED

Advisory-only board. Despite survey claims of a resident “governing board,” C.R.S. § 31-25-609 makes City Council the board and delegates budgets to an unelected advisory panel.

Do renters pay? (And why not a commercial BID?)

THEIR PDF: “GIDs are typically funded through special assessments on taxable properties...”
TRUE FACTS: Under Colorado’s commercial BID law (C.R.S. § 31-25-1203(2)), apartments and condos pay $0; a GID was chosen specifically to tax 6,618 homes. Because HB25-1090 (Jan 2026) bars separate property-tax junk fees, REITs fold $80.6K–$113.5K tower tax bills straight into Base Rent at renewal (Philly Fed WP 25-41: $0.50–$0.89 per $1 paid by tenants), while NNN cafes pay nearly 4× residential rates (HB24B-1001).

What is a “mill,” and what happened in Cherry Creek?

PLAIN ENGLISH: 1 mill = $1 of tax per $1,000 of “assessed” value (~6.2%–7.3% of market value on homes; 25%–26% on shops). At South Broadway GID’s 8.96 mills (+11.3% on Denver’s 79.6-mill rate, raising $3.04M/yr here), a ~$520K Prado condo (~$32K assessed) pays +$286/yr, AMLI ($8.99M assessed) owes +$80,570/yr (+$217/apt), Dryden owes +$113,549/yr, and a $1M NNN cafe ($250K assessed) owes +$2,240/yr. Cherry Creek stopped theirs in Phase 1 at 65.25% “Not Interested.”

How did resident outreach compare?

0 Building Mailers

THEIR PDF: “Community participation is central to the effort.”

TRUE FACTS: Across 6,740 Golden Triangle homes, residents received zero mailers or building flyers ahead of the Nov 20 survey. By contrast, Cherry Creek mailed Phase 1 postcards disclosing $230–$990/yr GID costs (65.25% voted “Not Interested”), and South Broadway mailed every resident during petitioning.

CENTRAL DENVER GID ASSESSOR CHECK · COMMERCIAL VS. RESIDENTIAL

P.U.M.A.’s PDF cites Ballpark & South Broadway GIDs. Certified 2026 Assessor rolls show Golden Triangle homes pay 53.2% of the GID bill (79.9% of non-exempt market value), whereas commercial properties pay 72.6%–100% of every active urban Denver GID: S. Broadway 84.1%, 14th St 80.9%, RiNo 77.3%, Ballpark 72.6%, and Sun Valley 100%.

STUDY SPONSOR & PUBLIC RECORD · IRS 990-PF (EIN 87-3195005)

P.U.M.A.’s “neutral sponsor,” GTCE (1555 Blake St Ste 450), is a private foundation run by Urban Villages execs Nicholas Murray & Jon Buerge, seeded in Oct 2021 with $200K from 1150 Bannock LLC ($0 community donations; $68.4K left). Zero City ordinances require a GID, and P.U.M.A.’s PDF says it moves forward only with community support, so marking “Not Interested” by Nov 20 closes it in Phase 1.

STOPTHEGID.COM · PROCESS & CHECKPOINTS Golden Triangle GID “True Facts” Sheet | Survey Closes Nov 20, 2026 (Page 2 of 2)

2026–2028 Process Timeline + 3 Resident Checkpoints

THEIR PDF says a GID advances “only if there is sufficient community support.” Here is the full 2026–2028 process and the 3 statutory checkpoints where residents decide.

Study Funding & 2026 Outreach Record

Public Filings & Outreach Gap

April – November 2026 [0 Mailers Sent to 6,740 Homes]

Apr 27, 2026: GTCE files FY2025 IRS Form 990-PF ($68,441 remaining from 2021 1150 Bannock LLC seed grant; $0 community donations; 0 City ordinances requiring a GID) to fund P.U.M.A.’s feasibility study.
Outreach Gap: Study launched across 45+ blocks with 0 mailers or postcards sent to 6,740 Golden Triangle homes (unlike Cherry Creek’s mailed Phase 1 cost postcards, or South Broadway’s petition-phase resident flyers and 3 building events).
Nov 4 PDF Revision: After StopTheGID.com flagged C.R.S. § 31-25-604(1), P.U.M.A. updated its Fact Sheet PDF at 11:09 AM from “taxable property owners” to “eligible electors.”

Feasibility Survey + Draft Operating Plan

Checkpoint #1 · By Nov 20

Now – Winter 2026/27 [Survey Closes Nov 20, 2026 · Draft Plan Early 2027]

P.U.M.A. compiles SurveyMonkey responses to gauge support before drafting an early-2027 Operating Plan (boundaries, mill levy cap, and budget). HOW RESIDENTS CLOSE IT HERE: Cherry Creek stopped Denver’s last residential GID push right here in Phase 1 when 65.25% marked “Not Interested.” Select Renter or Residential Property Owner and mark “Not Interested” by Nov 20 so sponsors can document the study and close the file.

200-Signature Petition + City Council Hearing

Checkpoint #2 · District 10

Spring 2027 – Summer 2027 [Service Plan · Petition · Council Public Hearing]

If proponents continue past Phase 1, they draft a District Service Plan, circulate petitions, and ask District 10 Councilmember Chris Hinds and Denver City Council to pass an ordinance calling an election. HOW RESIDENTS STOP IT HERE: Put your apartment or condo building on record with District 10 now, and urge commercial owners who want extra services to use a commercial-only BID (C.R.S. § 31-25-1203(2)) where homes pay $0.

WHY THE 200-SIGNATURE RULE MATTERS (C.R.S. § 31-25-604(1)): P.U.M.A.’s Oct 1 PDF stated petitions needed “30% of taxable property owners or 200 taxable property owners” before its Nov 4 update to “at least 30% or 200 of the eligible electors in the district, whichever is less.” Look closely at “whichever is less”: across 6,740 residential homes, proponents need only 200 signatures (under 3%) to advance to City Council, and signers cannot withdraw their names once filed.

TABOR Mail-Ballot Election (20-to-1 Vote)

Checkpoint #3 · Nov 2027

Fall / November 2027 [Regular Election Cycle · Equal Renter Vote]

Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires an ALL-CAPS tax-increase ballot question in November 2027. Under C.R.S. § 31-25-602(2)(a)–(b), every voter-eligible resident living in a Golden Triangle apartment or condo for 30+ days gets 1 equal vote, while a corporate LLC owning an entire $173M apartment tower gets at most 1 vote (up to 420-to-1 inside Dryden, and 20-to-1 district-wide).

Permanent GID Tax Hits Rent & Tax Bills

No Sunset · Forever

January 2028 – Forever [Added to Tax Rolls, Lease Renewals & NNN Bills]

Unlike commercial BIDs (which require 10-year Council renewal), 0 of Denver’s 6 GID ordinances have a 10-year sunset: a GID has perpetual existence (C.R.S. § 31-25-611(1)(a)), folding $80.6K–$113.5K/yr tower tax bills into apartment Base Rent renewals (HB25-1090), taxing condos on top of HOA dues, and billing NNN cafes at nearly 4× residential rates forever.