Monument voters on Tuesday appeared poised to hand city officials millions of dollars in funding, as well as added legal autonomy, by approving three ballot measures, early returns show.

About 60% of Monument voters opted to approve ballot measures 2E, 2F and 2G in early returns.

The results appear to be a win for city officials, who would have money to improve roads and hire police officers while they initiate a process that would give the town more flexibility in issuing ordinances and collecting taxes.

“Feeling good,” Mayor Don Wilson said. “I think this is going to be great for our community.”

Measure 2G allows Monument to form a home rule charter commission that will draft a new town charter, which city officials say will give the town more independence.

Under home rule, Monument would have more flexibility with its land use standards, tax collection, town ordinances, zoning and economic incentives for incoming businesses, town officials have said. The town could also adopt taxes on visitors and tourism — like lodging tax and some new user fees.

Voters — about 63% of who approved of the measure in early returns — also selected nine members to serve on the Charter Commission, a formality because there were only nine on the ballot: Jennifer Coopman, Matt Brunk, Brandy Turner, Sana Abbott, Ashley Watt, Janet Ladowski, Shannon Clark, Steve King and Joel Lusby.

The Charter Commission would have six months to draft a new town charter and is expected to host at least one public hearing before submitting the proposed document to the Monument Board of Trustees next spring. Voters will have a chance to approve the charter in 2022.

Monument voters appeared likely to pass ballot measure 2E, which empowers the town to retain revenue exceeding a legally established limit and use it for road construction and maintenance. The measure does not raise taxes but would allow the city to spend excess funds it collects between the 2021 and 2028 fiscal years. Early returns showed 59% of voters approved the measure.

Town officials can now retain revenue beyond the limitations of Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and the state’s legal code, which limit the amount of tax revenue local governments can collect.

Approved by voters in 1992, TABOR requires governments to refund taxpayers any revenue they collect above a certain limit. The amendment capped government spending growth and requires residents to approve tax raises.

Monument voters have freed town coffers from TABOR on at least six occasions since 1996.

Voters likely handed city officials about $1.65 million a year to fund added police services by raising the town’s sales tax to 3.5% from 3%.

Monument’s population increased by 34% in the last 10 years and police calls have gone up 53%, town staff have previously said. The department said it plans to use the money to hire eight more officers, fix or replace patrol cars and hire a sexual assault detective. Monument Police also plan a special unit to combat vehicle break-ins, drugs, residential burglaries and human trafficking, according to officials.

Voters struck down a similar ballot measure last year, with more than 57% of residents opposed. This year, about 63% voted for it.

Monument Police Chief Sean Hemingway told town trustees in July residents have told him they voted against the measure last year because they were confused by the ballot language, and it wasn’t clear whether the funds would go solely to the police department.

The sign for Monument Town Hall, which includes the police department, is pictured in Monument June 15, 2021.

Jeff Kearney, The Tribune