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Loveland City Council to Vote on “Emergency” Food Tax Ordinance Tonight Petition Signers Prepare for Legal Battle


By Jessica Schneider

The Loveland Voice

September 5, 2023


Earlier this year, a grassroots group of Loveland residents created “Let Us Vote,” an organization that brought two petitions to the community for placement on the November 7th ballot.


Both petitions gained more than the 3,126 signatures required, and were approved by the City Clerk, Delynn Coldiron, for placement on the November ballot.


One of the petitions, to remove the tax on food purchased for home consumption, is subject to an emergency ordinance on tonight’s City Council agenda that would undo the purpose of the resident-led petition. Linda Rosa, a Loveland resident and petition gatherer, said that the steep rise in the cost of groceries, utilities and housing has made, “everything more of a financial struggle... We decided this would be a good time to give

people a little tax relief.”


And the people signed.


Troy Krenning, a former Council member who is a candidate for Ward one said, “They’re trying to thwart the efforts of citizens to petition their government... It's an obstruction by the government.”


“By doing it as an emergency they aren’t only violating the (City of Loveland) charter, they are violating the public’s ability to provide meaningful, informed public comment.”


Krenning said he expects that Council will approve one or both items tonight, adding, “After they do, I will file a petition for an injunction.”


Members of Let Us Vote and petition signers have additional concerns about due process.


“Who directed (City) staff to do this? And who directed that this ordinance be fast-tracked under a single reading?” asked Erin Black, a community, family and behavioral health advocate who is a candidate for Ward 3 on the November ballot.

*The language of the proposed emergency ordinances are copied and pasted as written on the agenda below the Editor’s note. Community members are invited to speak during public comment. Information about


Editor’s note: The Loveland Voice has had posts and comments removed from Facebook in the past 72 hours potentially due, in part, to our linking to City Council meetings and agendas from the City website. We apologize for not adding direct links, but we believe the risk of asking you, our readers, to do an online search for these items outweighs the risk of this post being deleted.


*Items on the September 5th, 2023 Agenda regarding the Tax on Food for

Home Consumption:


EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE LOVELAND CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING A TABOR ELECTION ON NOVEMBER 7, 2023, FIXING THE BALLOT TITLE AND SUBMISSION CLAUSE RELATING TO A SALES TAX INCREASE TO ALLOW THE CITY TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE AT CURRENT LEVELS TO CITY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IF THE VOTERS APPROVE A CHARTER AMENDMENT PROHIBITING THE IMPOSITION OF ANY TAX OR FEE ON THE RETAIL SALE OF ANY HUMAN FOOD FOR HOME CONSUMPTION


Option A.

Amotiontoadopt,onfirstandonlyreading,EmergencyOrdinanceNo.6643

AoftheLovelandCityCouncilauthorizingaTABORelectiononNovember7,2023,fixingtheballottitleandsub

mission clause relating to a sales tax increase to allow the City to continue to provide services and infrastructure at current levels to City residents and businesses if the voters approve a charter amendment prohibiting the imposition of any tax or fee on the retail sale of any human food for home consumption


Option B.

A motion to adopt on first and only reading,EmergencyOrdinanceNo.6643 B concerning an amendment to the Home Rule Charter of the City of Loveland, about City sales taxes and in connection therewith beginning January 1, 2024, imposing an additional sales tax of 0.57% and prohibiting the imposition of any tax or fee on the retail sale of human food for home consumption, and submitting to the registered electors of the City of Loveland at the City’s regular election to be held on November 7, 2023, a ballot question of whether to approve the Charter amendment

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