Aspen, CO

Related State: Colorado

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Strategy Name	Strategy Type(s)	Year	Funding Amount	Funding Source	Features at a Glance
Kids First In 1990, voters in Aspen approved a referendum to increase the city’s sales tax by 0.45 percent to provide “affordable housing and day care,” both in the city and in the surrounding Pitkin County community. The tax was extended by voters in 1999 and in 2008 by 66% and 67% of the vote, respectively, and will remain in effect through 2038. The annual revenue generated by the tax has hovered between $1 million and $1.6 million over the years. The revenue is used for a wide range of purposes related to early childhood education, including child care subsidies for families. Just over half of the revenue is allocated to Kids First, an Aspen government program that assists families and child care providers throughout Pitkin County. For child care subsidies, Kids First assists families whose income is up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level. The program also offers grants to child care providers for quality improvements, professional development, and infant and toddler operational support, as well as bus passes for employees, training and technical assistance, substitute staff, quality improvement coaches, and grant writing and resource development assistance. learn more: kids first Source: North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation. (n.d.). City of Aspen.	Dedicated Funding Streams & Financing Taxes Sales Tax	1990	Between $1 million and $1.6 million per year	City Dedicated Funding Stream	Sales tax generates revenue that is used for a wide range of purposes related to early childhood education, including child care subsidies for families, grants to child care providers for quality improvements, professional development, and infant and toddler operational support	In 1990, voters in Aspen approved a referendum to increase the city’s sales tax by 0.45 percent to provide “affordable housing and day care,” both in the city and in the surrounding Pitkin County community. The tax was extended by voters in 1999 and in 2008 by 66% and 67% of the vote, respectively, and will remain in effect through 2038. The annual revenue generated by the tax has hovered between $1 million and $1.6 million over the years. The revenue is used for a wide range of purposes related to early childhood education, including child care subsidies for families. Just over half of the revenue is allocated to Kids First, an Aspen government program that assists families and child care providers throughout Pitkin County. For child care subsidies, Kids First assists families whose income is up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level. The program also offers grants to child care providers for quality improvements, professional development, and infant and toddler operational support, as well as bus passes for employees, training and technical assistance, substitute staff, quality improvement coaches, and grant writing and resource development assistance. learn more: kids first Source: North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation. (n.d.). City of Aspen.