Boulder, Colorado Says It's Time to Grow Again

After years of reining in growth and approaching development with suspicion, Boulder's government is focusing on encouraging an economic revival in the city. This week Boulder's city government adopted an "economic vitality" plan to try to help the local economy and grow sales tax revenue, which the city depends on for 80 percent of its income.

The plan puts the city in the game of encouraging economic vitality — it avoids the more common term "economic development" — for the first time in at least two decades.

City leaders spoke of the need to pursue economic growth, especially in retail business, without compromising Boulder's environmental values or allowing development that diminishes the city's quality of life.

Sales and use tax revenue has dropped steadily for more than two years, forcing deep cuts in city budgets. The city council passed a $184 million 2004 budget that cuts $9.1 million from its annual general-fund spending and eliminates 98 city jobs.

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