DENVER — A 50-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the domestic violence-related homicide of his wife on Monday evening in Denver, according to the Denver Police Department (DPD).

Shortly after 6 p.m. on Monday, Brian Mervin, 50, flagged down a person to call 911 after he said he found his wife on the ground struggling to breathe along the 4000 block of N. Adams Street, DPD said.

Police and paramedics responded and transported the woman to the hospital, where she died.

The police department said the first responders saw several injuries on the woman that were consistent with an assault. As a result, her death was investigated as a homicide.

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Based on the evidence collected and information gathered during the investigation, police arrested Mervin. He is being held for investigation of first-degree murder. The Denver District Attorney’s Office will determine formal charges.

The woman’s name has not been released. The Office of the Medical Examiner will determine her identity and cause and manner of death.

According to court documents, Mervin had been arrested for investigation of a domestic violence-related violation of a protection order earlier this year at the same address on N. Adams Street.

No other details were immediately available on Tuesday afternoon.

In November Denver voters will decide on whether or not to increase the city’s sales tax in an action aimed at growing affordable housing in the city. The Denver City Council approved the measure that put the question on the ballot in a 9-4 vote in their meeting on Monday night.  

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has been pushing for the tax increase. He says it’s greatly needed in Denver because it would provide funding to building thousands more affordable housing units in the city.

Proponents say the .05% sales tax increase would raise $100 million to support 20,000 affordable units over 10 years.

The area media income — or AMI — in Denver is $91,280 for a single person. For a family of four, it’s $130,400.

Council member Shontel Lewis debated the council on what percentage of that income should have this money directed to them, while others said that there is a difference between market rate apartments and rates reflecting the median income, and that fewer and fewer people are not able to afford market rent nowadays.

One Denver resident said he believes more affordable housing is needed if the money is being directed properly.

“I think most people have no issues paying a little more and doing their fair share to help everyone else, but I absolutely want to see results and not just lining some politicians’ pockets,” said Blake Malone.

Voters will have the final say in November.

If approved by voters, the affordable housing tax would be the eighth dedicated tax in the city and the largest to date.

Voters have also approved sales taxes for parks, college scholarships, mental health care, healthy food for kids, climate change action and ending homelessness.

Last week former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb said he thinks now is not the time to be putting this issue before voters.

Come November, Denver voters will decide whether to approve a sales tax increase in order to pay for affordable housing.

The Denver City Council on Monday voted to put the proposal on the November ballot.

The measure, which was proposed by Denver Mayor Mike Johnston, would increase the city’s sales tax by 0.5%. Supporters estimate the sales tax increase would generate $100 million per year for affordable housing.

“This proposal would be used to help close the growing housing gap and create more housing opportunities at all levels, from rental assistance and new permanently affordable units to down payment assistance and mortgage assistance,” the City of Denver said in a statement Monday.

City officials said the money would also help with accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for low/middle-income households, increase investment in mixed-income developments, and preserve existing income-restricted homeownership and rental units.

The proposal received skepticism from members of the Denver City Council’s Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee, but was ultimately passed on to the full council. During Monday’s city council meeting, some members questioned the timing of the proposal.

“At a time when the cost of living is soaring and families are already burdened with rising property taxes, new sidewalk fees, new trash fees, this is not the moment to impose another fee,” said Councilmember Flor Alvidrez for District 7.

The proposal faced several amendments before a final vote was taken, including a 40-year sunset clause.

“I will say at $100 million a year for 40 years, that’s $4 billion,” said Councilmember Amanda Sawyer for District 5. “So if we can’t solve this in a generation-and-a-half and $4 billion, we can’t solve this.”

According to the City of Denver, recent polling revealed that 90% of Denverites believe the cost of housing is a significant concern. The city also found that it could be short more than 44,000 affordable housing units for low and middle-income people within 10 years, without intervention.

“The heaviest burden on the largest majority of Denverites is housing,” said Councilmember Paul Kashmann for District 6. “And if we can make a dent in easing that, I think it will pale in the increase in the sales tax that we’re asking people to spend.”

The proposal also includes a provision that would allow it to be amended within one year of its passage if needed.

This will be the second measure on the ballot asking Denver voters to increase the city’s sales tax rate. The other ballot measure asks voters to increase the sales tax rate by 0.34% to benefit Denver Health.