The 12 Colorado communities that approved real estate transfer taxes before TABOR in 1992 saw an 84% surge in revenues in 2020 and 2021 compared to 2018 and 2019
tax policy
Posted inNews, Politics and Government
Rising inflation is on a collision course with Colorado’s TABOR cap. And the state budget is in the middle.
The lawmakers who write Colorado’s budget are preparing to pare back some capital projects in the coming months as they contend with inflation straining a budget capped by the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. The TABOR cap, a key component of Colorado’s 1992 constitutional amendment limiting government growth and spending, is calculated by adding together […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Federal rescue funds show Colorado what an adequate budget looks like
A massive, one-time influx of federal dollars has given Coloradans a glimpse of what a robustly funded state government looks like. The federal American Rescue Plan Act, passed in the spring of 2021, brought billions of dollars to Colorado, enabling policymakers over the past two years to simultaneously fund long-recognized priorities like housing, the caring […]
Posted inNews
Democrats avoid Jared Polis in quest to ensure Coloradans get the full picture on income tax changes
Democrats in the Colorado legislature want to ensure voters are informed about how changes to the state’s income tax rate would affect the amount of money they must pay the government. But proponents of the effort must go around Gov. Jared Polis to do it. Senate Bill 222, which was introduced last week, would refer […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: This bill would give business a tax break and support local journalism
A bill currently before the Finance committee in the Colorado House would provide tax credits directly to small businesses for advertising in local news. After the past couple of years of hits to the economy and a fraying of democracy, this bill would provide meaningful assistance to small businesses and local news outlets – ranging […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Housing, News, Politics and Government
Colorado lawmakers shelve proposal to more than triple property taxes for short-term rentals
A group of state lawmakers Wednesday spiked an effort to change the property taxation formula for short-term rentals in Colorado, underscoring the political touchiness of the topic sparking regulatory debate across the state. In a 5-1 vote, the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Tax Policy rejected an effort to advance a draft bill that would have […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Republicans aren’t winning many elections these days, so they’re turning to ballot questions instead
When Democrats in the Colorado legislature this year unveiled their marquee bill to enact new transportation fees to pay for road and transit projects, the measure’s conservative opponents had a quick, confident response: See you at the ballot box. The opposition wasn’t necessarily talking about trying to unseat Democrats, however. They were vowing to bring […]
Posted inBusiness, Crime and Courts, Economy, News, Politics and Government
Billionaire Phil Anschutz and his wife are suing Colorado for a tax refund. How much they want is a secret.
Colorado billionaire Phil Anschutz and his wife, Nancy, are suing the Colorado Department of Revenue for a tax refund in a case that could have big financial consequences for the state. The couple argue that due to changes to federal tax law made as part of Congress’ 2020 pandemic response bill, the CARES Act, Colorado’s […]
Posted inEconomy, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Democrats want to use one of TABOR’s most effective tax-halting mechanisms for themselves
One of the most effective parts of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights when it comes to stopping tax-raising ballot questions in Colorado is a requirement that voters be informed, IN CAPITAL LETTERS, about the eye-popping sum they are deciding whether to allow the government to collect. “SHALL STATE TAXES BE INCREASED $766,700,000 ANNUALLY FOR A […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: The American dream will fade without public investment in health, education
Even before the pandemic, economic prospects for many Colorado families were dwindling into stagnation. COVID-19 has only further widened the gulf between working families and Colorado’s wealthiest. As our state looks to recover (and recover better than before), new evidence published by the Bell Policy Center supports what we have seen throughout American history — […]