Littleton Receives $1.28M Through Annual Shareback Program

LITTLETON, CO — Arapahoe County Open Spaces has announced $15.7 million in shareback funds to help parks projects in the county's municipalities. Littleton is receiving $1.28 million in the distribution, officials said.

The county runs the program each year, but "funding is even more critical in 2020 to the communities that rely on sales tax revenue to fund many recreation projects," county officials said in a public notice.

“We know many cities have seen a reduction in sales tax revenue this year because of the business shutdowns,” said Arapahoe County Open Spaces director Shannon Carter.

“We hope these Shareback funds will enable our partners to keep critical projects moving forward, especially now, when more people are taking advantage of the great outdoors and are mostly doing so in or near their home communities.”

The funds will support local parks, trails and open space projects, county officials said.

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Half of the annual open space sales and use tax revenue is distributed back to participating cities and towns across the county through the annual shareback program. The funds are allocated according to population.

Arapahoe County owns and manages 13 properties across the county, from Dove Valley Regional Park in Centennial to Richmil Ranch Open Space on Colorado’s Eastern Plains, and many parks and trailheads in between. In 2003 and again in 2011, voters approved a countywide quarter-cent sales and use tax to support the natural resources. For every $100 spent in Arapahoe County, 25 cents is invested directly in the outdoors. The tax will be up for renewal in 2023.