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< Back June 7, 2024 Signed! New Laws Will Save Seniors, Coloradans with Disabilities Money DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed three bills into law to save seniors and Coloradans with disabilities money by allowing them to deduct all federally taxed social security income on their state taxes, reinstate a refundable tax credit to save older Coloradans money on housing , and expand a refundable tax credit for seniors with disabilities. “The rising cost of living has been tough on our seniors with fixed incomes and those planning to retire soon,” said Rep. Junie Joseph, D-Boulder, sponsor of HB24-1142. “This bipartisan law saves eligible seniors and retired veterans with disabilities money by allowing them to deduct all federally taxed social security income on their state taxes. By increasing the cap of non-taxable social security income, we’re helping ensure eligible seniors receive more of their hard-earned benefits and have more money in their pockets to pay for groceries, rent and other necessities.” “Older Coloradans on fixed incomes and those living with a disability are especially impacted by high costs of living,” Senator Faith Winter, D-Westminster, said, sponsor of HB24-1142. “HB-1142 removes the current cap of social security incomes that qualifying individuals can deduct on their taxes, which will keep money in the pockets of those who need it most.” HB24-1142 , also sponsored by Representative Richard Holtorf, R-Akron, and Senator Byron Pelton, R-Sterling, saves seniors money on their taxes. Under current law, taxpayers ages 55 to 64 may deduct up to $20,000 of pension and annuity income, which includes federally taxable social security income, when calculating their taxable income. For taxpayers 55 to 64 years of age and making $75,000 or less starting in 2025, this law allows all federally taxed social security income to be deductible in Colorado. Taxpayers over the age of 65 may already deduct the full amount of federally taxable social security income, or other forms of pension and annuity income up to $24,000. This bill would lower the age to ensure eligible Coloradans aged 55 to 64 can benefit from the full deduction. The current cap still applies to all other forms of pension and annuity income, and the cap may only be exceeded when social security income specifically is higher than the cap. HB24-1052 reinstates a refundable income tax credit for Coloradans aged 65 or older with incomes under $75,000 (or $125,000 if filing jointly) who have not claimed a homestead property tax exemption for the 2024 property tax year. The income tax credit was initially created by HB22-1205 . “Amidst our statewide housing crisis, seniors on fixed incomes need additional relief to afford their rent and stay in their homes,” said Senator Chris Hansen, D-Denver, sponsor of HB24-1052. “While we’ve worked hard to extend housing support through property tax relief and a portable homestead property tax exemption, we must do more to help seniors who rent. This refundable tax credit will help even more lower and fixed income seniors remain in the homes and communities they love.” “The senior homestead property tax exemption is a helpful tool for seniors, who largely survive on a fixed income, to afford housing, but senior renters also deserve assistance,” said Rep. Bob Marshall, D-Highlands Ranch, sponsor of HB24-1052. “Renters are especially vulnerable to rising costs, with nearly 35 percent of Colorado seniors concerned over paying next month’s rent. Our new law works to ensure that all Colorado seniors, regardless of if they rent or own their home, can benefit from tax relief.” “We’ve been working hard to support Colorado seniors, and especially those living on a low fixed income while renting, or who are not eligible for the senior homestead exemption, which is why I am so proud to champion this important legislation,” Senator Chris Kolker, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB24-1052 said. “This measure will save older Coloradans millions of dollars on housing, make our state a more affordable place to live, and ensure seniors can remain in the communities they have called home for years to come.” “Housing affordability is a priority for Colorado Democrats, which is why we passed these laws to save our seniors, especially those with disabilities, money,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB24-1052 and HB24-1268. “Housing prices have skyrocketed in the last few years, making it nearly impossible for those with fixed incomes, such as seniors and people with a disability, to keep up which is why we’re reinstating an impactful housing tax credit for our seniors and improving a financial assistance program for those most in need. By converting the PTC to a streamlined, refundable income tax credit we’ll make it easier for eligible taxpayers to get the benefits they deserve so they can continue to afford to call our state home.” HB24-1268 converts the Property Tax, Heat & Rent rebate, known as the PTC, for persons with a disability to a new refundable income tax credit to expand financial support. This law will make it easier to claim the credit and increase utilization by integrating it into the tax filing system. The maximum credit amount is $1,200 for eligible single filers making less than $10,000 ($16,000 if filing jointly). “Benefiting from the tax credits you’re eligible for should be easy, which is why we passed this law to ensure people with disabilities can more easily receive the financial support that is available to them,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Centennial, sponsor of HB24-1268. “I’m proud to have sponsored this important law that will help people with disabilities better afford expenses like property tax, rent, and utilities.” “Currently, many eligible Coloradans may not know that the Property Tax, Heat & Rent Rebate is available to them,” said Senator Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, sponsor of HB24-1268. “HB-1268 will expand the rebate to more Coloradans living with disabilities, with a projected utilization increase of 1000 percent! This is a great win for communities most vulnerable to housing instability.” Previous Next

< Back August 24, 2020 JOINT RELEASE: SB19-181 SPONSORS TESTIFY AT COGCC DENVER, CO – After testifying in front of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) during their pivotal rulemaking process for SB19-181, bill sponsors Speaker KC Becker, Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, Rep. Yadira Caraveo, and Sen. Mike Foote today released the following statement: “We worked with a broad coalition of stakeholders to pass SB19-181, which represented the most sweeping reforms to Colorado’s oil and gas industry in decades. We greatly appreciated the opportunity today to continue engaging in these reforms and ensure the intent of the legislature is interpreted appropriately. We are grateful to the Commission and their staff for developing the draft rules to change the mission and fundamentally alter the way the Commission regulates the oil and gas industry. It is a monumental task and we value their careful deliberation during this process. “As we’ve made clear in the past, our intent with SB19-181, was to prioritize public health, safety and welfare, and the environment instead of “fostering” development of the industry. If a proposed oil and gas development cannot occur in a manner that is consistent with this new mission, it should not be approved. We believe this will and should represent a sea change in our state’s oil and gas industry, not just a course correction. “During this rulemaking process, the portion of this bill that has generated the most debate is the role of local governments in regulating oil and gas production in Colorado. SB19-181 makes it crystal clear that while both the COGCC and local governments have the authority to regulate surface oil and gas operations, local government regulations can only be stricter, or more protective, than state regulations. While the COGCC is now charged with creating a statewide standard to protect public health, safety and welfare, and the environment, local governments have the ability to go above and beyond this statewide ‘floor’. “We understand that there has been some opposition to this specific provision, and as elected representatives in a democracy, we welcome policy debates. However, disagreeing with a piece of legislation does not give an industry the ability to change a bill’s intent after it has become law. We look forward to seeing the COGCC continue to implement this critical piece of legislation and ensuring that health, safety and welfare, and the environment are our top priorities.” Previous Next

< Back April 13, 2023 House Advances Bill to Protect Patients from Harmful Medical Billing Practices DENVER, CO - The House today passed legislation in a preliminary vote to cap interest rates on medical debt and protect Colorado patients from deceptive medical billing practices. “Medical debt is a barrier that prevents Coloradans from seeking the health care they need to stay alive and improve their health and wellbeing,” said Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora . “The average Coloradan with medical debt owes over $2,000, which is an insurmountable cost for those that are already struggling to put food on the table or afford necessities. By improving patient protections, Colorado patients can make health care decisions that are best for their health.” “Debt collectors shouldn’t be able to excessively profit off the health care that Colorado patients need to survive,” said Rep. Kyle Brown, D-Louisville. “People are often surprised when they’re served hospital bills after receiving life-saving health care and can’t pay off the amount in full. Setting a ceiling for medical debt interest rates means that Coloradans can seek the care they need without worrying about snowballing debt impacting every part of their budget.” SB23-093 boosts patient protections from high interest rates for medical debt and confusing debt collection practices that lead to long-lasting debt and financial instability. It establishes new protections for Colorado consumers burdened with medical debt by: Capping the medical debt interest rate at three percent. Prohibiting reporting the debt to a consumer reporting agency until a certain amount of time after an individual fails to fulfill the terms of a payment plan. Pausing collections on medical debt during any appeal proceedings. Requiring medical debt creditors or debt collectors to verify total debt owed upon request by a patient and to provide a copy of a payment plan, thereby helping consumers know how much to properly budget for debt payments. Requiring a health care provider or health care facility to provide, upon request, an estimate of the total cost of medical services to a person who intends to self-pay for the service, and Reinstating the attorney general’s authority to protect consumers from deceptive trade practices related to billing practices and surprise billing. Debt incurred from medical costs can be financially devastating for patients. When combined with high interest rates and complicated collections practices, consumers may never be able to pay off their medical debt. According to a 2022 report from the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Coloradans overall held more than $1.3 billion in medical debt and over 12 percent of Coloradans have medical debt in collections. Previous Next

< Back April 28, 2022 BIPARTISAN BILL INTRODUCED TO SAVE PARENTS MONEY AND INCREASE ACCESS TO CHILD CARE FOR COLORADO FAMILIES Legislation will invest $16 million of federal pandemic relief funds toward improving youth behavioral health outcomes and access to healthy food DENVER, CO – The House passed two bills today that will improve behavioral health access for Colorado youth and make healthier food more accessible to vulnerable communities. These bills will invest $16 million of federal pandemic relief funds to build a healthier Colorado. “By making smart investments, we can increase access to food and critical services and save people and small businesses money,” said Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver, sponsor of HB22-1380 . “This legislation will foster new markets for Colorado agriculture, support small food retailers, and reduce the cost of food for Coloradans. We’re also improving how we deliver food benefits and other critical services to low-income Coloradans who were hit the hardest by the pandemic to help save them money on critical necessities.” “We’re investing once-in-a-generation funding to improve behavioral health outcomes for our kids six-years-old and younger,” said Rep. Emily Sirota, D-Denver, sponsor of HB22-1369 . “Research shows stressful and traumatic conditions can have negative effects on our youngest kids. This is why we’re investing $2 million toward the creation of early intervention and home-based prevention programs tailored towards children and their families experiencing chronic stress or trauma.” Reducing the Cost of Food and Boosting Access to Critical Services: HB22-1380 , sponsored by Representatives Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez and Rod Pelton passed by a vote of 45 to 18 and would direct $14 million in federal pandemic relief funds to save people money on healthy food and increase critical services for low-income individuals. This bill invests $8 million to create the Community Food Access Program to support small food retailers and small farmers to ensure underserved communities have access to healthy, fresh foods through a consortium and grant program. The program supports small food retailers and grocery stores with technical assistance, and one-time grants of up to $25,000 to strengthen Colorado’s food value chain. The bill also directs $2 million in federal relief funds to efficiently identify SNAP recipients who are also eligible for utility bill assistance, $3 million for a universal high-quality work management system to reduce administrative costs and streamline the application process for various benefit programs; and $1 million to support technology upgrades and integrate the Double Up Food Bucks Program in local food retails stores increasing the access to healthy foods for SNAP recipients Children’s Mental Health Programs: HB22-1369 , sponsored by Representatives Emily Sirota and Rod Pelton, passed by a vote of 52 to 11. This bill would invest $2 million in pandemic relief funding to provide evidence-based behavioral health programs for children six years old and younger experiencing chronic stress or trauma at home. This bill invests in a home-based prevention and early intervention mental health program for children and their families to address the psychological damage caused by chronically stressful experiences. Previous Next

< Back January 28, 2020 STATE EMPLOYEE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BILL ADVANCES Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs & Services Act would, for the first time, allow state employees to collectively bargain for better pay and benefits DENVER, CO — Representative Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo) today released the following statement after HB20-1153, the Colorado Partnership for Quality Jobs and Services Act, passed the House Committee on State, Veterans, and Military Affairs by a vote of 6-3: “This is a great step forward for the tens of thousands of hardworking Colorado state employees who deserve the essential right to collectively bargain for better pay and benefits. This bill is long overdue and will foster important partnerships between the state and front line state employees to improve state services. “House Democrats are committed to improving pay and benefits for our state employees, and this legislation will help us achieve this important goal. It will help us fill the hundreds of state positions that are currently vacant while improving retention rates. I will always fight for our state employees, and I’m pleased to see this bill move forward.” The legislation would allow state employees to collectively bargain on pay and benefit issues and improve state services by fostering new partnerships between frontline workers and the state. The bill would not permit state employees to strike, which is similar to collective bargaining laws for state employees in the states that have them. Previous Next

< Back April 17, 2019 EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK TAKES BIG STEP IN HOUSE (Apr. 17) – The House Business Affairs and Labor committee approved Rep. Janet Buckner and Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez’s bill to help close the wage gap in Colorado. Currently, the gender wage gap is projected to not close until 2057 in Colorado and 2059 nationally. “This bill is extremely important to me on a personal level. Black women make 56.1 cents on the dollar compared to white men. Pay discrimination is a real and persistent issue that short changes women and their families. Women are the sole breadwinners in a growing number of hardworking families in Colorado,” Rep. Buckner, D-Aurora, said. “We believe we are taking a bold step to help close the gender wage gap by addressing the root cause of pay disparity.” Colorado women are paid 86 cents for every dollar paid to men for doing the same job and African-American women earn 63 cents for every dollar paid to men for doing the same job. The bill, SB19-085, provides an avenue by which Coloradans can, through mediation via the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment and through the court system, seek relief if they have been discriminated against in their compensation based on their sex. The bill puts proactive measures to reduce the gender pay gap and prohibits employers from discriminating against workers based on sex. “In order to solve the pay gap, we must address unintentional wage disparity. This bill implements common sense prevention and transparency measures to fight the pay gap,” said Rep. Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver. “ We are fighting for women to be treated with the dignity, fairness and respect they deserve. This bill is a Colorado solution that strikes a balance between workers and employers. It’s time for our state to take the lead in achieving equal pay for equal work.” SB19-085, the Equal Pay For Equal Work Act, passed on a vote of 7-3 and now goes to the House Appropriations committee. Previous Next

< Back May 23, 2024 SIGNED! 2024 School Finance Act to Pay Off Budget Stabilization Factor, Increase Education Funding to Historic Levels AURORA, CO – Today Governor Jared Polis signed the 2024 School Finance Act, which sets funding levels for Colorado’s public school districts. Sponsored by Senators Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, and Janet Buckner, D-Aurora, and Representatives Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, and Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, SB24-188 raises the base level of per-pupil funding by $780 to $11,450 per-pupil on average. This year’s School Finance Act increases total funding for public schools by more than $500 million to $9.7 billion and completely buys down the Budget Stabilization Factor, a longstanding goal that helps ensure Colorado students get the quality education they deserve. "Fully funding our schools is one of the main reasons I ran for the state senate, and I am absolutely thrilled that the 2024 School Finance Act will make it happen,” Zenzinger said. “All our students deserve a quality education that meets their needs and prepares them for success. While we have much more to do to truly fully fund our schools, this year’s School Finance Act represents a great start, and will help reduce class sizes, increase teacher pay, and provide a world class education for our children and youth." “After years of strategic budgeting and planning, the 2024 School Finance Act finally pays off the budget stabilization factor which means schools can increase teacher pay, reduce classroom sizes and better support our students living with disabilities,” said Bird. “This is a record-breaking increase of $780 per-pupil funding which brings the total per-pupil funding to more than $11,450 on average. My passion for public service began with the drive to fully fund our K-12 public schools and support our hardworking educators – this bill fulfills that promise and more to support each and every student in Colorado.” “As Chair of the Senate Education Committee and a former educator, ensuring our schools and students have the resources they need is personal to me, and this year’s School Finance Act will do just that,” said Buckner. “By eliminating the Budget Stabilization Factor and fully funding K-12 education, we’re opening the door to so many more opportunities to improve our schools, support our teachers, and make Colorado the best state in the nation to learn and grow.” “This year’s School Finance Act is historic because it fully eliminates the budget stabilization factor, increases per-pupil funding by nearly $780 on average and supports our rural school districts directly,” said McLachlan. “Our commitment to improving educational outcomes for each and every student is unwavering, and this year we’re stepping up to help recruit, retain, and support the educators who make all the difference in the education our kids receive. I’m beyond proud of our legislative efforts to drive resources to small rural schools and those who serve students with the greatest needs.” Increased Funding for Rural Schools: Colorado’s small and large rural school districts often have a difficult time recruiting and maintaining a high-quality workforce needed to support Colorado students and school functions. In conjunction with legislation passed this year to update Colorado’s school funding formula, the 2024 School Finance Act eliminates rural school districts’ reliance on one-time funding, which makes it difficult for districts to plan ahead using multi-year budgets. Ninth Grade Success Program: This important program helps ninth grade students with the skills they need to successfully reach tenth grade on-track, on-time and with their peers. This year’s School Finance Act increases funding for this program to support our students’ growth and educational trajectory. Support for Students Living with a Disability: The 2024 School Finance Act amends the definition of “concurrent enrollment” to include students in special education. This means students living with a disability and those who receive transition services on their Individualized Education Program can access college-level courses for credit as well as some credential and apprenticeship programs to create stronger workforce pathways and opportunities. Previous Next

< Back Rep. Brianna Titone: Colorado needs a right to repair law for agricultural equipment Feb 13, 2023 See more The following op-ed was published in the Greeley Tribune When you buy something and a component breaks, you should be able to fix it. This principle goes beyond the irritation you may feel at how difficult it is to get a replacement part or battery. Many people may be unaware that there is a solution to this frustrating lack of repair problem. Last year, we passed a bill to help people in Colorado who use motorized wheelchairs to be able to fix them themselves or choose someone they trust to make the repair. This was because they had to endure extremely long wait times, parts not being available, and high costs. This law has been exercised successfully and is an example of how we can help consumers take back control over the things they own. In the case of people using wheelchairs, access to the software is also crucial to make small, but critical adjustments. Robin Buldoc lives with her quadriplegic husband, Bruce, in Broomfield. He has a small button he uses on his headrest to move the chair. But the button has an automatic two second timeout, which doesn’t allow Bruce enough time to complete the action. Robin knew this could be changed to seven seconds, which would be enough time, but couldn’t get access to the software to make this change. They had to wait days for the authorized repairer to come and do it. Imagine waiting days or weeks for the one authorized car mechanic to come change a tire on your car. You don’t have to because you have a lot of options, from your handy uncle to the local repair shop to the dealer itself. Most people don’t know that they can use any car mechanic they want because of a right to repair law from 2012 that is similar to the legislation we’ve introduced this year. This year, we are supporting the agriculture community with their right to repair their equipment. I’ve heard many stories about farmers who say they don’t have the luxury to wait for their equipment to be fixed during planting or harvesting seasons. They have enough complex environmental variables and obstacles to deal with — fixing their equipment should not complicate things further. Agricultural equipment has become more computerized over the years. Currently farmers are dependent on using large corporations’ expensive technicians and waiting for them to either visit the farm or having to bring the equipment to the dealer even for simple repairs. The right to repair can make it possible to fix even these simple repairs without dealer intervention. Our bipartisan bill is supported by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, the Corn Growers, Wheat Growers, Wool Producers, Fruit and Vegetable Producers, the Cattleman, and the National Federation of Independent Businesses. They support this legislation because it will save farmers money on critical equipment repairs, support more independent repair techs, and make it easier for farmers to get back to work in the event their equipment breaks down. The agriculture industry is the largest industry in Colorado and we all have a lot riding on their equipment. I want to be sure they can repair it effectively. This bill will do just that — give farmers more flexibility to fix their own stuff, save time and money, and focus on the important aspects of their work which is providing quality agricultural products. — Brianna Titone represents House District 27 in the Colorado Legislature Previous Next

< Back May 6, 2021 BIPARTISAN BILL TO INVEST IN COLORADO’S JUST TRANSITION ADVANCES Majority Leader Esgar’s bipartisan bill to support coal workers and communities passes committee DENVER, CO– The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee today advanced Majority Leader Daneya Esgar’s bill to invest millions into helping communities transition. This bill is part of the Colorado Comeback state stimulus , a package of legislation that will invest roughly $800 million into helping Colorado recover faster and build back stronger. The bill passed by a vote of 10-3. “As market forces, consumer choices, and environmental policies move our economy toward renewable energy, we can’t leave workers and communities behind,” said Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “As a representative of Pueblo, I know firsthand how much support will be needed to help my community transition into the clean energy economy of the future. The bold investment we’re making today lays the groundwork for a smoother and more equitable transition.” The Office of Just Transition was created by the legislature in 2019 to support coal workers, employers, and communities as they plan for the future closings of coal plants and mines upon which their communities depend. As market shifts, consumer choices and environmental policies move our state toward renewable energy, the Office and the Just Transition Action Plan were created to ensure a smooth adjustment for our coal transition communities . HB21-1290 , also sponsored by Rep. Perry Will, R-Garfield County, would invest $15 million of state stimulus funds into the Office of Just Transition. Of that amount $8 million will go to the Just Transition Cash Fund and $7 million to the newly created Coal Transition Worker Assistance Program account within the fund. The bill requires the Office of Just Transition to use these funds to implement the Just Transition Action Plan and provide funding for existing programs that make targeted economic development investments in coal transition communities for business retention, creation, expansion and attraction; infrastructure investments; and strategies for attracting increased investment in these communities. In turn, the Coal Transition Worker Assistance Program’s share of the funding will be allocated to programs that directly assist coal transition workers, including apprenticeship programs, financial planning support, tuition reimbursements, job search assistance, on the job training, or other strategies to help workers transition to as prosperous a future as possible. Previous Next

< Back April 21, 2021 BIPARTISAN BILL TO LOWER RECIDIVISM, SUPPORT SUCCESSFUL RE-ENTRY PASSES HOUSE DENVER, CO– The House Today passed Representative Kerry Tipper and David Ortiz’s bipartisan bill to support individuals leaving the criminal justice system with acquiring state-issued identification cards and other documents necessary to obtain state-issued identification. The bill passed by a vote of 50-13. “We can’t expect recently incarcerated people to seamlessly reintegrate into their communities if we don’t provide them with basic, necessary support,” said Representative Kerry Tipper, D-Lakewood. “In this day and age, an ID is an absolute necessity for accessing education, employment, housing and much more. Simply by helping people leaving prisons obtain identification documents, we’re taking an important step toward lowering recidivism and building stronger communities.” “Finding stable housing, a good job, and decent health care after a prison sentence is hard enough on its own. Without an ID, it’s nearly impossible,” said Rep. David Ortiz, D-Littleton. “I’m proud that we were able to pass this bill today, and I hope it sends a clear message: that we are committed to helping people finishing their prison sentences avoid the mistakes of their past and chart a new path forward.” SB21-153 requires the Department of Corrections (DOC) to operate a program to assist people finishing their prison sentences with acquiring state-issued identification cards and other identification documents, such as a replacement social security card or birth certificate, that are necessary to obtain state-issued identification. This assistance includes determining eligibility, navigating online forms, and providing transportation to and from a facility that issues IDs. Previous Next

< Back Rep. Weissman: Here’s a plan to keep local property tax control local Aug 25, 2024 See more This story was originally published in the Sentinel here . After years of increasing home values, no one loves property taxes, but they are how we fund our schools, counties, and “special districts” that fight fires, provide drinking water, maintain parks and libraries and more. As Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. put it over 100 years ago “Taxes are what we pay for civilized society.” In Colorado, property taxes are LOCAL taxes paid to LOCAL governments – not the state. So it’s fair to wonder why there’s been a lot of discussion recently about STATE ballot measures that would impact property taxes . Or why, for the second time in less than a year, Gov. Jared Polis summoned the STATE legislature to a special session about property taxes. The short answer is: Our State Constitution and laws have mixed up the state in property taxation for a long time. But given the reality that our state is an economically and politically diverse place, we shouldn’t necessarily keep doing what we’ve been doing. In fact, I think a lot of local government leaders and organizations that care about state and local government decisions in Colorado would rather we don’t. A number of them have said so loudly and clearly, as recently as this past Friday, at a meeting of the state’s Property Tax Commission . That is why, as the Legislature convenes this week, state Sen. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, and I will introduce a measure that, if passed by the requisite two-thirds of both the House and Senate, will allow voters statewide to consider whether they want to stop voting on each other’s property tax bills, while retaining the right to vote on their own. Wherever you live in Colorado, you pay property taxes to your school district and your county. You may also pay property taxes to one or more special districts, and possibly to a “metropolitan district” associated with the development of your residential community. We all expect the ability to vote on LOCAL taxes related to funding OUR LOCAL governments. Because of how property tax laws work right now, statewide property tax ballot measures do a lot more than this. But one size does not fit all. For example, when a voter in Douglas County (generally a conservative county) votes yes on a statewide measure to cut property taxes, that impacts local government funds in the San Luis Valley. However, Douglas County is an exurban, affluent, fast-growing area, and the San Luis Valley is a rural, agricultural area in which some counties are actually losing population. Or, consider a different statewide ballot measure, say to increase taxes on commercial property (like office buildings or warehouses). If a voter in Boulder County (generally a pretty liberal county) votes yes, that same yes vote contributes to increasing taxes in conservative areas, such as Mesa County, that probably have a lower tax philosophy. Again, this is in the context of LOCAL government and LOCAL taxes like property taxes (contrasted to income taxes, which we pay to fund state government, of which we’re all a part). Compared to other states, Colorado has a pretty live-and-let-live philosophy. We want to be able to walk our chosen path, and as long as others aren’t keeping us from doing that, most of us are OK if others walk their own chosen paths. In the parlance of government, this live-and-let-live approach is called “local control.” “Home rule” cities and towns (including Aurora) possess authority that would otherwise be a matter for state government. Our 64 counties all choose their own commissioners (or councilors, in Broomfield and Denver) and can, and do, choose to do things differently. Our 178 school districts across the state educate from fewer than 100 to over 80,000 students. Currently however, property tax law treads on local control by putting voters in the position of voting to cut, or potentially raise, local property taxes in parts of our state far from their own, even if they don’t want to be in that position. We can change this. The special legislative session this week will move quickly, and the dominant focus will be on legislation intended to avoid billions of dollars of cuts to schools and other critical services. I hope, in addition, the Legislature will seriously consider the need to truly keep LOCAL taxation LOCAL. If the Legislature does not act on this subject this week, it must do so in the near future, for the sake of stability of communities across Colorado. Democratic State Rep. Mike Weissman represents House District 36 in Aurora, Arapahoe and Adams counties. Previous Next

< Back May 31, 2019 GOV SIGNS BIPARTISAN COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL EDUCATION LEGISLATION (May 31) – Gov. Polis signed Rep. Susan Lontine and Rep. Yadira Caraveo’s bill to expand the content in the comprehensive sexual education that many students in Colorado already receive. This law does not require schools to teach sex education; however, existing law requires that if they do provide sex education, it must be comprehensive. The law adds consent, defining a healthy relationship, and sexual orientation to the current standards. “Colorado’s students deserve access to age-appropriate, accurate and comprehensive information regarding sex education to keep themselves and their classmates healthy and safe,” said Rep. Lontine, D-Denver. “This new law will teach our students that not everyone is exactly the way you are and that’s okay because every Coloradan should be allowed to live our authentic lives.” Colorado does not have a mandatory sex education requirement. Existing law does provide a set of standards if schools decide to teach about sex education. This law would increase the ranges of topics to include birth control and pregnancy, abstinence, STD prevention, consent, healthy relationships, and sexual orientation. “As a doctor in a clinic, I only have the ability to affect one child and one life at a time,” said Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Thornton. “Schools have the ability to improve the health of hundreds of kids at a time through the ability to provide comprehensive sex ed that will prevent countless young people from facing life-altering illnesses or unplanned pregnancies.” This bill would also allocate $1 million in funds to an existing grant program administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for teaching comprehensive sex education. Rural schools and public schools that do not have the resources to offer sex education will be prioritized for receiving this grant money. The bill was sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora and Sen. Don Coram, R-Montrose. Previous Next