Boulder County weighs $30M child care tax as Longmont group drops plan

Officials consider ballot measure to fund subsidies and workforce support as waitlists grow

Mar. 23, 2026 at 7:03am

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Boulder County officials are considering a potential property tax increase that could raise up to $30 million for child care subsidies and workforce support, especially for infants to 3-year-olds. This comes after a Longmont early childhood advocacy group dropped its own taxing-district plan, shifting focus to county-level ballot measures in Boulder and Weld counties in response to long waitlists and high local child care costs.

Why it matters

Access to affordable child care is a major challenge for many families in the Boulder area, with long waitlists and high costs putting a strain on parents and the local workforce. This proposed tax could provide much-needed funding to expand subsidies and support for the child care industry, potentially easing the crunch for thousands of Boulder-area residents.

The details

The proposed Boulder County tax would raise up to $30 million to fund child care subsidies and workforce support, especially targeting care for infants to 3-year-olds. This comes after a Longmont group dropped its own plan for a taxing district, shifting focus to county-level ballot measures in both Boulder and Weld counties. Local advocates say the funding is crucial to address long waitlists and high costs that have made child care inaccessible for many families.

  • Boulder County officials are currently weighing the potential property tax increase.
  • The Longmont early childhood advocacy group recently dropped its own taxing-district plan.

The players

Boulder County

The county government that is considering a potential property tax increase to fund child care subsidies and workforce support.

Longmont early childhood advocacy group

A group that had previously proposed a taxing district plan to address child care needs, but has since dropped that effort in favor of county-level ballot measures.

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What’s next

If approved, the proposed Boulder County tax increase would go to voters on an upcoming ballot.

The takeaway

This potential tax increase highlights the growing urgency to address the child care crisis in the Boulder area, where high costs and long waitlists have made quality care inaccessible for many families. The shift in focus from a local Longmont plan to a county-wide measure suggests a regional approach may be needed to truly ease the child care crunch.