District Board has reduced tax rate and services to stay within 2004 cap

Mountain Shadows Metro District operates and maintains several of the parks and amenities in the Whisper Creek neighborhood. The district’s operations and maintenance property-tax revenue was set in 2004 with a $100,000 cap. Last year, the district asked voters to increase that cap. After the 2024 measure was rejected, the board reduced the 2025 budget to stay within the $100,000 limitation.

The board took the following steps to balance the budget:

• Eliminated funding for landscape improvements, site clean-up, pet-waste stations and retention-pond improvements

• Reduced expenditures for snow removal, landscape maintenance, and irrigation water and repairs

The board is committed returning proper funding levels for these community amenities and services. Not providing adequate funding will ultimately hurt the district.

• It will cost much more in the future to repair or replace community assets if they go into disrepair

• Keeping common areas maintained, including snow removal, impacts the safety of the neighborhood

Board Considering 2 Ballot Measures

The Mountain Shadows Board of Directors is considering two measures for the 2025 ballot. Both will authorize sustainable funding for the district to provide the high level of service and amenities expected within our community.

Proposed question 1 sets a hard cap on the district’s property tax revenue for operations and maintenance of $500,000.

• $100,000 annual revenue ceiling set in 2004 does not allow for cost increases, growth and inflation incurred over the past 20 years.

Proposed question 2 allows the district to retain and utilize tax revenue for operations and maintenance to grow above 5.25 percent from the previous budget year—to address emergency issues or build a capital-improvements reserve for large-scale projects.

• The district could not utilize this to exceed the $500,000 annual revenue cap if the proposed funding measure is approved.

The district needs both of these measures to pass to allow a return to the appropriate level of operations and maintenance budget in 2026.

Mountain Shadows Metro District Community Meeting

Please click the video below to watch the August 14 community meeting about the district’s budget and proposed ballot questions.

Click here for a recap of the August 14 community meeting.