PRESS RELEASE: Westminster Advances Landmark Tax Relief for Childcare and Family Essentials

Councilmember Obi Ezeadi’s proposals are part of a broader agenda to lower the cost of living for Westminster families.

July 20, 2026, Westminster, Colorado – The Westminster City Council unanimously advanced two of Councilmember Obi Ezeadi’s signature affordability proposals Monday night: a childcare provider property tax rebate program and a sales tax exemption for diapers, infant formula, feminine hygiene products and adult incontinence diapers.

Ezeadi was re-elected in November 2025 with more than 17,000 votes, the highest Council vote total in city history, affirming his agenda to lower the cost of childcare, housing, groceries, and utilities.

“I believe in a government centered on delivering on its promises, rather than managing expectations around why progress is impossible,” Ezeadi said. “A government bold enough to turn the page on small politics, small thinking, and small ideas.”

The first initiative is a childcare pilot that would make Westminster the first municipality in Colorado history to rebate 100% of its property tax levy for licensed childcare providers, joining Adams and Douglas counties in offering this relief. The average annual rebate from the City’s 3.65 mill levy is estimated at $2,260 for commercial centers and $110 for family childcare homes, supporting the 81 licensed providers serving Westminster.

“I am trying to expand the imagination of what a municipality can do for its people,” Ezeadi said. “We can walk and chew gum at the same time. Local government can invest in roads, public safety, and infrastructure while also lowering the daily cost of living for working families.”

Westminster faces a childcare provider shortage of thousands of infant and toddler spaces (only 81 licensed providers serving 6,900 children). While the cost of childcare is recommended to consume no more than 7% of household income, it actually consumes ~13% for the average Westminster family and 23% for low-income families.

“Teachers and working families should not have to earn $216,000 a year just to afford childcare and other basic needs,” Ezeadi said. “The childcare crisis affects parents, employers, educators, and the entire local economy. That is why I led this City Council in rewriting the role of local government, first by establishing by-right zoning for childcare across the entire city, then by making childcare affordability a formal priority in the City’s Strategic Plan.”

The second proposal would eliminate Westminster’s 4.25% sales and use tax on diapers, infant formula, adult incontinence diapers and feminine hygiene products. The exemption is projected to save Westminster households between $400,000 and $600,000 annually. Both initiatives are funded through a reallocation of capital savings from projects that came in under-budget, ensuring we prioritize strategic plan implementation for our families.

“These are necessities, not luxury items,” Ezeadi said. “Our tax code should reflect that reality and provide families with immediate, tangible relief.”

These initiatives are now on the fast track to final implementation. The childcare rebate ordinance will be finalized in the coming months, and the sales tax exemption is set for immediate adoption in the next two Council meetings.

For more information, please contact press@voteobi.com