Week of September 15, 2022
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An edition of the Littleton Independent A publication of
VOLUME 21 | ISSUE 43
Council approves 3.5% lodging tax ballot question Citizens to decide BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Centennial residents will see a question on the November ballot to add a 3.5% city lodging tax, follow-
ing the City Council’s approval off the ballot language on Sept. 6. Currently, the city does not have a lodging tax, but it does have a 2.5% sales tax rate on lodging services. If voters approve the proposed ballot question, the combined total will be 6%. The lodging tax would be imposed
on the price of a short-term rental, meaning less than 30 consecutive days, in any hotel, inn, bed and breakfast or Airbnb located in the city. After a nearly two-hour discussion, the council voted 6-3 to approve the ballot question. Mayor Stephanie Piko, and coun-
cilmembers Robyn Carnes and Don Sheehan voted against measure. What would the tax revenue be used for? With a 3.5% lodging tax, the anticipated annual revenue is $1.05 SEE LODGING, P6
Arapahoe County scales back emergency rent service Facing ‘backlog’ of applications BY ROBERT TANN RTANN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Riley is the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office third therapy dog.
tennial, according to the release. “I’m excited to see the care, love, and smiles Riley is going to bring to all of the staff and students in the Cherry Creek School District. I think he’s going to be a great tool to help students to change their
Arapahoe County partially hit the brakes on its Emergency Rental Assistance program and, as of Sept. 1, is only accepting applications from those already in the court process of an eviction in an attempt to catch up on a “backlog” of cases. Before that, anyone concerned about their rent or mortgage could apply. “Our people are working through this backlog of applicants,” said county spokesperson Luc Hatlestad. “If you’re not already in the system, you’re basically not at the front of the line.” The county has been inundated with evictions since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of July 2022, the rental program has worked with 2,703 households, according to Hatlestad, who added that requests
SEE RILEY, P10
SEE RENT, P4
COURTESY OF ARAPAHOE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Therapy dog coming soon to Cherry Creek School District Riley will be on duty BY TAYLER SHAW TSHAW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office is adding a third therapy dog to its agency, 9-week-old Riley, who
will be serving the Cherry Creek School District alongside School Resource Officer Deputy Adam Nardi, the agency announced in a news release Sept. 8. Riley, a black Labrador, will be working with Nardi in all the Cherry Creek schools in unincorporated Arapahoe County and Cen-
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 20
CHOOSING YOUR GOODBYE Doulas hope to help ease fears of dying
P14