What is Home Rule?
More than 92% of Colorado municipal residents live in a Home Rule community. Neighboring municipalities that are Home Rule include Dacono, Johnstown, Longmont, Loveland, and Windsor.
Each Home Rule community operates under a charter written by local citizens elected to a Charter Commission and approved by voters. Home Rule municipalities have the power to make laws relevant to local problems and exercise control over issues of “local concern” with minimal state intervention. Federal and state laws on matters beyond local concern still apply, including Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR)
The Board of Trustees is considering the process to change the Town’s form of local government from Statutory Rule to Home Rule. The nearly yearlong process requires community participation and community member’s input. Let us know what you think at our regular Board of Trustees Meetings or stop by a Meet, Greet, and Eat event this summer!
| PROS | CONS |
| Provides greater flexibility to solve local problems because municipalities are less constrained by state requirements | Poorly written charters may limit the flexibility of home rule; amendments cannot be changed without a subsequent vote of the people |
| Enhances citizen control, interest, involvement and pride in their municipal government | Unless restricted by the charter, a home rule municipality has the potential to exercise more governmental powers than are available to statutory municipalities |
| Allows quicker response time to emergency situations as there is no need to wait for the entire state legislative process | Costs for adopting a home rule charter can burden the municipality consultant’s fees, expenses incurred from publication requirements, election costs, etc. |
