New zip codes could improve Colorado towns' income, safety

Multiple towns across Colorado's Front Range are close to obtaining their own unique zip codes after the "Zip Code Bill" passed unanimously through the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Lauren Boebert, would create new zip codes for dozens of towns across the United States.

"When these cities are not recognized they do not have their own identity," Boebert said. "This is impacting tens of thousands of Coloradans today."

If signed into law, the bill would create unique zip codes for Colorado towns like Silver Cliff, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Centennial, Greenwood Village, Superior and Northern Colorado's Severance.

The intent of the new zip codes is to help those communities better secure tax dollars unique to their towns while also improving safety when it comes to first responders and responding to correct addresses.

"It is definitely a financial benefit from what we can see, thus far," said Matt Fries, mayor of Severance.

Severance had seven zip codes, six of which are shared with neighboring municipalities. The seventh is a zip code that only applies to the P.O. boxes in the local postal service building.

If passed through the Senate and signed into law, the bill would likely make the zip code that only applies to Severance's post office the zip code that would represent the rest of the community.

Fries said the town first noticed the downside of not having a unique zip code in 2020.

"That became very prominent during COVID when we saw online purchases substantially increasing. What we are finding is the more our residents shop at home, and we share zip codes with other jurisdictions, we are not able to be convinced that we are not collecting the revenue that we should," Fries said.

Though rare, Fries said Severance has had issues in the past with emergency responders being sent to the wrong addresses during crisis as the result of not having a unique zip code.

Towns can request their own zip codes through an application process filtered by the postal service. Severance did that but was denied and issued a 10 year ban from applying again.

That is when the town partnered with Boebert to force the zip codes through Congress.

"It is only fair that if our residents pay taxes in this jurisdiction, those taxes should come back to this jurisdiction," Fries said.

"(Boebert's) efforts to have the collaboration and cooperation from her colleagues in congress, to bring this together and get a unanimous bill passed, I think is fantastic," Fries said.

Boebert said she expected the bill to pass through the Senate and be signed into law by President Biden. Until then, she said she is grateful to the lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in D.C. for their support of the bill.

"It was wonderful to work in a bipartisan manner on this issue," Boebert said. "Something that is actual government efficiency, it is very rare to see something like that pass through and not have a partisan tag to it."

Boebert said she is hopeful the bill will be passed through the Senate by the end of the year.

"I do want to give a lot of praise to Senator Michael Bennett who is working diligently in the senate right now to ensure this comes up next week for a vote and we can get this signed into law," Boebert said.

When asked when the towns would start using their own unique zip codes, if signed into law, Boebert said she isn't sure. Once it was passed through the house the bill was then out of her control and ironing out the action plan would be left to the postal service and the respective communities.

Boebert said several additional communities from around the United States have contacted her office asking to be added to the list. While it was too late for this bill to be adjusted, Boebert said she wanted to send a message to the postal service that she would push this matter through Congress if they fail to take action themselves.