Mayor Johnston's tax plan will be decided by Denver voters

Mayor Mike Johnston's plan to raise $100 million annually for affordable housing by increasing taxes will be decided by Denver voters.

The big picture: The Denver City Council on Monday voted 9-4 to send Johnston's sales tax hike to the November ballot.

Why it matters: It's a narrow victory for Johnston, who faced criticism from several council members after debuting the plan in July.

What they're saying: Multiple council members said Monday the plan still lacked enough detail.

• "I will be in the choir of folks at this dais who will just say, 'This was just a really flawed process,'" Councilmember Jamie Torres, who voted yes despite reservations, said Monday.

State of play: The measure asks whether the city's sales tax should increase by 0.5% to finance, build and maintain affordable housing.

• Johnston pitched the plan as a way to make Denver more affordable for working-class and lower-income residents.

The latest: Council on Monday approved requiring the sales tax to expire after 40 years.

• It would take effect starting January 2025 if approved by voters.

Between the lines: Johnston's plan will sit on the ballot alongside Denver Health's request to approve a 0.34% sales tax increase, which if OK'd, would together push the city's overall tax rate to nearly 10% .

What's next: Election Day is Nov. 5.

Go deeper: Denver's November ballot will be historically long