Legislation to renew Scientific and Cultural Facilities District advances to full House (Denver, April 6, 2016) – The House Finance Committee gave unanimous and bipartisan approval to the proposal to renew the Denver metro area’s successful Scientific and Cultural Facilities District today. The proposal, Senate Bill 16, will now move to the full House. It has already been approved by the full Senate.
The legislative effort is another necessary step toward placing the issue of renewing the SCFD, a critical funding source for arts, cultural and scientific organizations across the seven-county metro area, for an additional 12 years on the November 2016 ballot.
The bill’s prime sponsors include Senate President Bill Cadman (R-Colorado Springs) and Sen. Pat Steadman (D-Denver) as well as House Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst (D-Boulder) and Rep. Polly Lawrence (R-Douglas County) in the House.
“The key to the district’s success and its continued success is quite simply access. Citizens find value in the access they get for their money. In 2015, more than 14 million visits – four million of those from school kids – make clear the continued support,” said Speaker Hullinghorst.
The proposal asks state lawmakers to consider some of the most sweeping changes ever proposed to the nearly 30-year-old district. These changes include substantial shifts in the way district revenues are distributed which will result in increased funding to medium and small arts, culture, and science organizations funded by the district. The tax itself, however, will not increase under the proposal.
“The economic impact of the metro area cultural organizations is substantial. Not just in jobs created or dollars spent on the cultural organizations themselves, but also from the economic impact of the tourism they drive. Metro areas compete for employers, employees, visitors, and reputational quality of life; the SCFD plays an important role in our region’s economy and the attraction of business interest to Colorado,” said Rep. Lawrence.
For the investment of one penny on every $10 spent in the district, the diverse array of cultural organizations contribute more than $1.8 billion to the regional economy and employ more than 10,000 people. Citizen support for more than 275 arts and culture organizations that receive district funds has resulted in world-class facilities and programs and unprecedented access. More than 14 million people – 4 million of them kids – attend SCFD funded programs each year – many for free or reduced rates.
Denver Metro area voters created the Scientific & Cultural Facilities District in 1988 and approved a 1¢ on $10 sales and use tax to provide for the enlightenment, entertainment, and education of the public. Scientific and cultural facilities accomplish this through the production, presentation, exhibition, advancement or preservation of art, music, theater, dance, zoology, botany, natural history or cultural history.
The SCFD was renewed by regional voters in 1994 and 2004. In 2016 voters will again have the opportunity to approve this initiative, which supports 275 arts, science and cultural organizations so they can provide and expand access and programs for the public. Counties comprising the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District include Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas (except for Castle Rock and Larkspur) and Jefferson.
Iris Gregg
Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, 899 Logan Street, Suite 500, Denver, CO 80203