Deer Mountain Fire would add up to 6.9 mills to its property tax for capital and general fund purposes, including staffing, emergency services and vehicle replacement. Collections would begin in 2027.
Deer Mountain Fire Protection District
On the November 3, 2026 ballot
Kim's Recommendation
NO
Vote No on Deer Mountain Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 6A
Deer Mountain's board has put a levy increase before the district three times without success, and then paid a polling firm that told it the next attempt is winnable. I give those three answers more weight than a survey. This question seeks a levy the board's resolution calls a continuing authority, and its purpose list is not limited to the three items it names. In June the chair said staffing models and service levels would all need to be considered once the county accepted the new service plan, and in July the board heard that the county had adopted its resolution on the plan. I will not support a tax with no end date before the board has settled how it will staff the department and what service it will provide. I oppose raising property taxes in the Deer Mountain district on these terms.
I recommend a no vote on Deer Mountain Fire Protection District Ballot Issue 6A.
Kim Monson
Host, The Kim Monson Show · President, Colorado Union of Taxpayers · Colorado Voter's Guide 2026
Certified ballot question
TAX INCREASE FOR FIRE PROTECTION AND RELATED SERVICES
SHALL DEER MOUNTAIN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT TAXES BE INCREASED BY $361,851 IN 2026 FOR COLLECTION IN 2027, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER BY THE IMPOSITION OF AN ADDITIONAL MILL LEVY OF NOT MORE THAN 6.9 MILLS, WITH SUCH PROCEEDS TO BE USED FOR CAPITAL AND GENERAL FUND PURPOSES OF THE DISTRICT INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO: · MAINTAINING VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND INCREASING FIREFIGHTER AND EMT AVAILABILITY LEVELS TO SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES; · PROVIDE FUNDING FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE DISTRICT; · PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AGING APPARATUS FLEET THROUGH A PHASED PATHWAY TO BRING THE FLEET INTO ALIGNMENT WITH CURRENT RELIABILITY, SAFETY AND RESPONSE READINESS EXPECTATIONS; AND ANY FUNDS EXPENDED PURSUANT TO THIS QUESTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO STATE LAWS, REGULATIONS AND DISTRICT POLICIES FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY; AND SHALL SUCH TAX INCREASE BE AN ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX MILL LEVY IN EXCESS OF THE LEVY AUTHORIZED FOR THE DISTRICT, PURSUANT TO AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 29-1-301, C.R.S.; AND SHALL THE DISTRICT BE AUTHORIZED TO COLLECT, RETAIN AND SPEND ALL REVENUES FROM SUCH TAXES AND THE EARNINGS FROM THE INVESTMENT OF SUCH REVENUES AS A VOTER APPROVED REVENUE CHANGE UNDER ARTICLE X, SECTION 20 OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AND ANY OTHER LAW?
A yes vote means
The district could impose the additional levy and retain the tax revenue and investment earnings as a voter-approved revenue change.
A no vote means
This question would not authorize the additional levy.
Deer Mountain's Added Property Tax01
The Deer Mountain Fire Protection District in Fremont County wants an additional property tax levy of up to 6.9 mills. As an example, at the 6.9-mill maximum, $100,000 of taxable assessed value owes $690 a year. The question sets the first-year increase at $361,851 in 2026 for collection in 2027, and the levy continues every year after, with no end date. The board's election resolution, 20260827-07, adopted August 27, treats a yes vote as "a continuing authority to levy" the tax.
The ballot makes the new mills a levy "IN EXCESS OF THE LEVY AUTHORIZED FOR THE DISTRICT," under section 29-1-301 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. The Colorado Division of Property Taxation lists the district's total 2025 levy as 6.927 mills.
Annual tax increase at the maximum levy
The additional levy is capped at 6.9 mills. The estimate uses that maximum rate.
Example at $100,000 taxable assessed value
$100,000 × 6.9 ÷ 1,000 = $690
Taxable assessed value is not a home's market value. For 2026 it is about 6% to 7% of the actual value the county assessor sets. A home with an actual value of $500,000 has an assessed value of about $30,600 for local government taxes and $35,250 for school district taxes.
This estimates the additional tax at the maximum new levy, not the total property tax bill. A lower levy would produce a lower increase; the amount also changes with taxable assessed value.
Estimated annual increase at the cap
Enter a value of zero or more, with no more than two decimal places.
Fremont County sample ballot, Deer Mountain Fire Ballot Issue 6A; Larimer County Treasurer, property tax calculation.
Staffing, Services and Apparatus02
The money goes to "CAPITAL AND GENERAL FUND PURPOSES OF THE DISTRICT," and the question names three of them, "INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO": keeping up volunteer recruitment while raising firefighter and EMT availability, paying for fire and emergency medical services, and replacing an aging apparatus fleet in phases. All spending under the question must follow state laws, regulations and district policies for accountability and transparency. The district may keep all the revenue and its investment earnings as a voter-approved revenue change under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and any other law.
A Growing Call Load03
Fire Chief Marcus Widener reported 232 calls to date this year at the board's July 15 meeting, and said the department had provided 78 mutual aid calls to partner agencies and received 17. In June he told the board that calls were trending up 20 to 25% a year. He also reported that both exempt employees work more than 40 hours a week and are on call 168 hours a week, and that the department was seeking staff "via word of mouth."
Reserves and Wildland Costs04
The treasurer reported $456,820.17 in emergency reserves on June 30, 2026, and told the board that wildland expenditures had put the district over its 2026 budget, with state reimbursement due later in the year. At that July meeting, Chief Widener and Assistant Treasurer Laurie McKay estimated the year's wildland firefighting profit at $140,000.
After Three Failed Levy Questions05
In March the board hired Magellan Strategies for $6,500 to survey the district. The board's minutes record that "after three failed mil levy increase ballot initiatives," the firm "indicated that the next ballot initiative is winnable." The June minutes summarize the results: of 261 respondents, 54% agreed there is a lack of funding, and there was 73% support "after learning the facts."
Staffing Models Under Discussion06
In February the board described three staffing levels: all volunteer, part paid and part volunteer, and all paid. In June the board chair said that, following Fremont County's acceptance of the new service plan, sustainability, staffing models, service levels, revenue stability and long-range planning "will all need to be considered." In July the chair reported that the county commissioners' Resolution #162026 on the plan "has been adopted."
Sources07
Official documents
Fremont County sample ballots, November 3, 2026 election
The Deer Mountain Fire Protection District website page is an official district summary of the property tax increase ballot outcome, describing the 6.9-mill increase, estimated revenue, uses, and consequences of a no vote.
