Your voice, our future. What Loveland’s election results mean

Thank you, Loveland, for making your voices heard in this election. For over 70 years, the City of Loveland has worked to keep our community vibrant, healthy, and safe by reinvesting revenue from sales tax, property tax, and Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) excess into the essential services and amenities that make Loveland a great place to live. With your votes shaping our path forward, our commitment to you remains unchanged. It’s time to explore what comes next.

What we heard – election results

Tuesday’s election brought decisions that will shape our City’s future. Here’s a quick rundown of how the votes turned out:

Ballot Measure 2E: Voters turned down the proposal to raise Loveland’s sales tax from 3% to 4%, a rate that has remained unchanged since 1984.
Ballot Measures 2F and 2H: Voters approved medical and recreational marijuana sales and a subsequent excise tax on the sale of retail marijuana and retail marijuana products within City limits.
Ballot Measure 2G: Voters approved extending the TABOR override, allowing the City to retain and reinvest excess reserves for another 12 years. These funds support services like street maintenance, public safety, and parks.
Ballot Measures 2I and 2J: Voters turned down the proposal that would reduce the supermajority votes needed to appoint or remove the City Manager and City Attorney.

Find additional general election results on Larimer County’s website.

What this means for our community

Budget

“The results are clear and give us a better sense of our community’s priorities as we gear up for 2025. We’ll move forward with the reduced services budget we’ve been preparing for,” said Acting Loveland City Manager Rod Wensing. “While this won’t be easy, we’re committed to honoring the will of the voters and ensuring we stay aligned with what our community wants.”

The 2025 budget, adopted by the City Council late last month, will focus on maintaining essential services, prioritizing public safety, and staying compliant with legal and contractual obligations. Our goal is to continue effectively supporting our residents, even if it means adjusting the level at which we operate.

Marijuana sales

This marks an important new policy direction for Loveland, and it is estimated to take up to 12 months to complete the regulations and start issuing licenses. The City Manager’s Office will be back in front of City Council with an update in the near future.

While it brings potential revenue growth for our City, this won’t immediately address the current challenges within the General Fund. Establishing this program and understanding the operational costs will take time, and only then can we evaluate how surplus revenue might support the General Fund. Stay connected as we provide updates on this evolving area and its potential impact on our community.

Service-level reductions: What to expect

Some service reductions began in 2024 as departments prepared for changes related to staffing, contracts, and other needs. More formal adjustments will roll out after January 2, 2025, and continue throughout the year.

We have thoughtfully planned these adjustments, focusing on maintaining public safety and emergency preparedness, meeting legal and regulatory obligations, and fulfilling contract requirements. We also assessed risks and considered impacts across the organization and over the long term. Other key factors included cost recovery and the seasonality or scalability of services.

Looking ahead: Fiscal stability and strength

As we enter 2025, many unknowns remain, and our executive leadership team will work closely with Loveland’s new City Manager to ensure these changes are managed smoothly and communicated clearly. You’ll know what’s happening and why. We’re committed to informing you about our financial progress and why maintaining fiscal stability is important.

Again, thank you for making your voices heard. We’re all in this together, and we’re committed to keeping Loveland a great place to live, work, and play.