Voters in the City of Westminster reported generally positive views of city government and core services, while identifying clear concerns about infrastructure and community challenges. Seven in ten approved of the job the city was doing overall, and a majority agreed the city was fiscally responsible. Top issues residents said the city should address included deteriorating street and road conditions, homelessness and public safety, rising water costs and infrastructure capacity, crime and law enforcement visibility, and concerns about overdevelopment and housing density.
The Westminster Fire Department was viewed very favorably. Nearly two-thirds of voters were familiar with the department, and more than three-quarters approved of its performance providing fire, ambulance, and emergency medical services. A strong majority agreed the fire department was fiscally responsible. In contrast, opinions of neighborhood street maintenance were more mixed: fewer than six in ten approved of the Public Works and Utilities Department’s performance, and fewer than half agreed it spent taxpayer money wisely. Only about half rated neighborhood streets as excellent or good, with similar mixed ratings for main roads and sidewalks.
Before detailed information was provided, voters showed solid initial support for a proposed 0.35% sales tax increase to fund fire services and street maintenance. In the uninformed ballot test, 61% said they would vote yes, while 30% said they would vote no. The measure proposed using revenue to hire and retain at least 30 fire and EMS personnel, construct a new central fire station, purchase equipment, and maintain and improve neighborhood streets and roadways.
Support strengthened after voters reviewed information about city finances and service demands. Large majorities said they were more likely to support the measure after learning about the city’s recent cost-cutting efforts, the doubling of fire department call volumes over 20 years, the high share of medical emergencies, gaps in meeting the four-minute response-time standard, the benefits of a new central fire station, wildfire mitigation needs highlighted by the Marshall Fire, and the risk that neighborhood streets would continue to decline without a dedicated funding source. Each of these messages moved roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of voters toward supporting the measure.
In the informed ballot test, support for the sales tax measure increased to 66%, with 23% opposed and 11% undecided. Supporters most often cited the need to strengthen emergency response times, invest in firefighters and equipment, improve roads and sidewalks, protect public safety, and maintain quality of life, along with trust in the city’s fiscal stewardship. Opponents focused on concerns about already high taxes, personal financial strain, mistrust of city spending, and opposition to combining fire and street funding into a single measure.
When presented with an alternative two-measure package combining a temporary property tax increase for major fire station construction with a smaller ongoing sales tax, voters were more divided. About one-third supported both measures, one-quarter opposed both, and others supported only one of the two. Those favoring both emphasized the need to modernize aging fire stations and invest in essential infrastructure, while those opposed cited affordability concerns, skepticism about government priorities, and a belief the city should live within existing means. Undecided voters said they needed clearer information about personal tax impacts, use of funds, and accountability before making a decision.
The voter sample skewed older and was predominantly comprised of homeowners. More than a third of respondents were 65 or older, and voters 55 and above made up a majority of the sample. Nearly seven in ten owned their homes. The electorate was politically diverse, with unaffiliated voters comprising the largest share of respondents, followed by Democrats and Republicans. Three-quarters of respondents identified as White, with Hispanic or Latino voters making up the next largest group. Household incomes were broadly distributed, though the largest single income bracket was those earning between $100,000 and $149,999 annually.
