The Douglas Board of County Commissioners distributed $193,551
Oct. 7 to various arts and cultural groups. The disbursements came
from the county’s share of Scientific and Cultural Facilities
District money collected via a 1-cent sales tax on every $10 spent
in the district.

Although every entity that received money deserves support and
contributes to the cultural growth and health of the county, we
take issue with the way the district and the county handle the
money.

The district, in concert with county officials, interprets the
rules that govern grant eligibility extremely broadly.

In the commissioners’ resolution approving the distribution of
the money, all the recipients of the grants are said to have their
principal offices, or conduct the majority of their activities,
inside the district, as required by the law that established the
SCFD.

This is not the case with some of the groups that received
money. We have decided not to name the groups because we have no
quarrel with them and strongly support their work.

However, we question whether the Douglas County Cultural Council
should even be the entity that distributes the money because only
portions of Highlands Ranch and Parker and a pocket or two of land
elsewhere are in the district. In short, the majority of the county
is not part of the district.

Instead, the money should be distributed by the Parker Cultural
Commission and the Highlands Ranch Cultural Affairs
Association.

Twice the district has tried to expand its boundaries to include
all of Douglas County. Twice, voters here have rejected that
expansion.

The most common reason cited for the rejection is that people
don’t want their money taken from here, given to an organization in
Denver, then redistributed here. Many who reject the SCFD say they
would favor the establishment of a Douglas County district that
functioned similarly.

By distributing SCFD money to groups that do not have home
offices in the district and do not conduct the majority of
activities in the district, the SCFD – and vicariously the local
entities that distribute money on the district’s behalf – violate
the public’s trust.

With such a fast and lose application of public money, the SCFD
and its supporters should not be surprised if Douglas County voters
reject future appeals to join the district.

More importantly, though, the distribution of money to groups
outside the district shrinks the share of money for similar groups
inside the district. Is this fair to all concerned?