Gov. Jared Polis and Democrats, who control the Capitol, say they are committed to coming up with a long-term fix this year. But with the 2023 legislative session more than halfway over and no public proposal, fiscal policy nonprofits are filling the vacuum.
Michael Fields
Posted inPolitics and Government
Jared Polis’ name isn’t on TABOR refund checks heading to Coloradans. But it will be on a letter accompanying them.
A letter from Gov. Jared Polis will accompany Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refund checks that are starting to be sent to Coloradans this week in the latest Democratic move around the money that’s sure to stoke more Republican allegations of political opportunism heading into the November election. In the letter, Polis writes “it is a […]
Posted inEconomy, Housing, News, Politics and Government
Property tax arms race involving Colorado power players grips Capitol as fragile deal starts to deteriorate
A property tax arms race involving some of the state’s most powerful people is unfolding behind the scenes at the Colorado Capitol in the final days of the 2022 lawmaking term, jeopardizing a fragile deal unveiled this week. The deal, backed by the governor and negotiated over several weeks, would reduce projected property tax increases […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government, Transportation
Conservatives file lawsuit to invalidate Colorado’s new transportation fees. Here’s what it claims.
Colorado’s new transportation fees violate the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and several other state finance laws and should be invalidated, two conservative groups and Republican state Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg claim in a long-promised lawsuit filed late Thursday in Denver. Senate Bill 260, passed by Democrats in the legislature last year, enacted a host of new […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Conservative dark-money group bankrolled almost every major Republican effort in Colorado last year, tax docs show
A deep-pocketed conservative political nonprofit that doesn’t disclose its donors funded almost every major Republican political group and effort in Colorado last year, according to a tax document obtained by The Colorado Sun that for the first time reveals the breadth of the organization’s influence. The document reveals that Unite for Colorado distributed $17.2 million […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Is Colorado’s government headed toward a fiscal cliff? Democrats say yes, Republicans say no.
Colorado’s coffers are flush with cash right now — so much so that taxpayers are getting refunds. But Democrats see trouble on the horizon. They’re not worried so much about a downturn, but the potential for spending on critical services like education and health care to run up against constitutional limits on how much tax […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Amendment 78: Colorado voters reject giving lawmakers more oversight on spending
Colorado voters on Tuesday rejected a conservative-backed ballot measure seeking to give state lawmakers more oversight over how to spend money from the federal government and lawsuit settlements. With more than 1.1 million ballots counted as of 10:30 p.m., Amendment 78 was failing with 44% voting in favor of the measure and 56% against it. […]
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Conservatives have dropped millions on Proposition 120 and Amendment 78. No one is spending to oppose them.
See the results of Prop. 120 and Amendment 78. The battle over Proposition 120 and Amendment 78 on Colorado’s November ballot is about as lopsided as a political contest can get. On one side are conservative groups that have spent millions of dollars to ensure the passage of Proposition 120, which would cut property taxes, […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Housing, News, Politics and Government
Colorado governor supports property tax cut measure on November ballot opposed by other Democrats
Gov. Jared Polis will vote for Proposition 120, the ballot measure that gives other Democrats pause because it would slash property tax assessment rates for multifamily residential properties and lodging properties. Polis, who stated his position Monday when asked by The Colorado Sun, didn’t elaborate on why he is voting for the proposition, which is […]
Posted inEconomy, Growth, Housing, News, Politics and Government
Proposition 120: Voters will decide if Colorado property taxes will go down — at least for some
Colorado’s residential property taxes are already among the nation’s lowest, but a measure on the 2021 statewide ballot would drop them ever lower — for some. Proposition 120 would, if approved by voters, reduce the property tax assessment rates for multifamily housing to 6.5% from 7.15% starting in 2022. If you owned affected property valued […]