Voters could be asked to permanently extend the city's 0.2-cent open space sales and use tax, after the Longmont City Council voted 6-to-0 on Tuesday to put a question on the Nov. 5 ballot about it.

Councilmember Aren Rodriguez absent. A required second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for Aug. 27.

A group of Longmont citizens called Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek has advocated for making the city's existing open space sales and use tax permanent, which would amount to keeping the 2 cents on a $10 purchase going into perpetuity.

"Tonight's theme is 'just do it,' respect the process, and let the voters decide," Shari Malloy, who is a member of Stand With Our St. Vrain Creek, said during a public comment period at Tuesday's meeting. "Almost 1,100 residents and counting have signed the appeal asking the (City Council) to let us vote on this."

Longmont residents first approved the city's 0.2-cent open space sales and use tax in November 2000 and, in 2007, voters extended it until 2034.

Proponents of the open space tax say this November is an opportune time to ask residents to extend it permanently, in part, due to it being a presidential election year, which is likely to see a higher voter turnout. Should the question fail, supporters would still have time to try to place it on a future ballot before the tax sunsets in 2034.

Longmont currently has 30 open space properties that together add up to over 3,200 acres. Many of Longmont's open space properties, although not all, are near the eastern edge of the city's planning area.

The city's existing 0.2-cent open space sales and use tax generates a little over $5 million annually. The funding goes toward stewardship, long-term management of open spaces, land purchases, conservation easement monitoring and wildlife planning.

In terms of ballot issues, last November, the City Council placed three issues on the ballot in hopes of funding a new branch library, an arts and entertainment center and a new recreation facility, among other items. However, all three of those ballot questions, which would have raised taxes, failed. Proponents of the open space sales and use tax ballot question have made clear that people who vote in favor of it this November won't be increasing taxes but will extend the existing tax.

"A vote for open space will protect Longmont's economic future too," Longmont resident Nadeem Lester said during public comment Tuesday. "Open space is the best gift we can give generations to come."