Local
Pueblo voters weigh five-year sales tax for zoo operations and repairs
Ballot Issue 2B would add 17 cents to a $100 purchase to fund the Pueblo Zoo for five years, bringing in up to $3.77 million in its first full year. Zoo leaders say the money would help cover animal care, staff wages and overdue building repairs.
Pueblo voters will decide on Ballot Issue 2B, a proposed five-year sales tax increase dedicated to the Pueblo Zoo’s operations and capital improvements. The measure would add one-sixth of a percent to the city sales tax — about 17 cents on a $100 purchase — from Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2031.
The tax could raise up to $3,769,615 in its first full fiscal year, according to the ballot language. If approved, the city would end its annually negotiated contribution to the zoo, which was $944,000 this year, and redirect those funds to other municipal needs. The zoo and Mayor Heather Graham’s office say the tax would generate several times the current city allocation.
The zoo is owned by the City of Pueblo and operated by the Pueblo Zoological Society. Its revenue comes from admissions and events, fundraising and grants, and government support. Executive Director Abbie Krause said city allocations have been reduced in recent years, leaving the zoo struggling to keep pace with inflation and maintenance needs.
The nearly century-old zoo occupies a historic campus in City Park, including structures built during the Depression-era Works Projects Administration. Krause said repairs are prioritized according to risks to animal welfare and safety, but aging buildings have leaks, cracks and deteriorating walls. Money from the measure would also pay for animal food and care, improve wages for zookeepers and other staff, and support fundraising and events.
Krause said the zoo educates more than 12,000 children each year and contributes an estimated $20 million in annual economic impact through jobs and tourism. She described the zoo as a longstanding part of Pueblo’s community and said its future would be uncertain if the measure fails. She said the zoo would have to work with partners to consider next steps; relocating animals through other zoos would be complex because many are held through partnerships.
Graham has endorsed the measure, calling the zoo a regional tourism asset and saying the city cannot meet its long-term funding needs on its own. She said the tax would help cover staff wages, animal care and routine maintenance.
Krause said the five-year funding period could give the zoo time to address immediate deficits and repairs while building capacity to generate more revenue and become more financially sustainable after the tax expires.