Jeffco Schools: Measure 5A Heads to Recount After 377-Vote Gap
A recount is now required to determine if voters approved a $73 million tax increase for teacher retention and compensation.
By Lorenzo Marshall ·
Jefferson County Public Schools requested a recount for ballot measure 5A on November 5, 2026, after the initial count showed a margin of only 377 votes. The measure seeks to raise property taxes to generate $73 million for the district. This amount is designated specifically for teacher and staff compensation and retention efforts.
The board of education had proposed two separate property tax increases totaling $133 million. While 5A focuses on personnel costs, measure 5B aimed to raise $60 million for infrastructure projects. Current projections indicate that 5B is likely to fail, leaving 5A as the primary source of new funding if approved.
Devin Mills, chair of the Financial Advisory and Audit Committee and a parent in the district, expressed surprise at the close result. "I was hoping that it would be easy and over on election night," Mills said. "We'd be done by 8 o'clock, and that's very not much not the case." Mills noted that if the measure fails, the impact on the community and his children will be substantial.
Opposition to the tax increase was voiced during previous public meetings. Chuck Adams, a resident of Golden, cited the financial strain on local households. "Families are already struggling with rising taxes, insurance, groceries and utilities," Adams said. His comments reflect the concern that new property tax obligations will add to existing costs for residents.
District officials are currently on standby while the recount proceeds. Michelle Applegate, president of the Jeffco Board of Education, stated that the delay directly affects budget planning for the upcoming fiscal year. Interim Superintendent Rob Stein described the community response as mixed, acknowledging strong support alongside confusion regarding how school funding mechanisms work.
Stein warned that if both 5A and 5B fail, the district would face minimum budget reductions of $13 million. Separately, voters approved Proposition NN, a statewide measure that directs revenue generated above the TABOR spending cap to K-12 education. The outcome of this statewide measure will influence the broader funding environment in which the local district operates.
The district is waiting for the final vote count to determine the next steps for its financial planning. Administrators will use the confirmed results to finalize the budget structure for the next academic year. No further announcements have been scheduled until the recount is complete.
