Grand GOP Happenings

Please take a moment to review just how the Democrat controlled Legislature addressed Property Tax Relief during this Special Session.****     Thanks to Colorado Newsline for the summary info and I added the comments.

Senate Bill 23B-1: Property tax relief for Colorado homeowners

The Democrats’ main bill from the session will reduce the residential assessment rate for the 2023 tax year to 6.7% from 6.765%. Additionally, homeowners will be able exempt $55,000 of their home’s value from taxation. That amounts to about $430 million in property tax relief. Note the Republican minority had offered $1.4 Billion for property tax relief.

Senate Bill 23B-2: Opting into a federal food assistance program

Colorado will be part of the new federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program next summer, which will provide up to $120 to children at risk of food insecurity when school is not in session. Bill sponsors estimate that about 300,000 children in Colorado will benefit.  Hmmm…I sure don’t see any connection to Property Tax Relief Do You?

Senate Bill 23B-3: Making TABOR refund checks equal for every taxpayer

Colorado taxpayers will all get the same amount in their TABOR refund checks next year. Note: this was a provision included in Proposition HH you just voted down!  Nothing like a cram it down your throats anyway Taxpayers –Huh!

House Bill 23B-1002: Expanding the state’s earned income tax credit

The largest relief measure the Legislature passed that wasn’t tied to homeowners doubled the state’s earned income tax credit for this year. Right now, the state gives 25% of the federal benefit amount to those who qualify. Next year, the state amount will be 50% the federal amount.   Note: Sure don’t see any link to Property Tax Relief here AND  Nothing like adding NEW spending to the “strapped” Colorado budget–my prediction it will likely come out of roads and schools!

House Bill 23B-1003: Creating a task force for a long-term property tax plan

The Legislature formed a 19-member task force to study and develop potential long-term “permanent and sustainable” property tax plans to consider. The task force will include members of the Legislature, local elected officials, an assessor and members representing education, firefighting and business interests. Note: Nothing like avoiding the issue THEY created and YAY let’s have some more meetings! rather than helping property owners now.

Also nothing like a good protest to distract themselves and you from the business they were called to address.

Work stalled for about an hour in the House, however, during the third reading debate on the Summer EBT program bill as a dramatic scene played out in the House gallery.  This consumed more time that was allocated to discussion of the proposed solutions put forth by the Republicans.

Democratic Rep. Elisabeth Epps, a progressive lawmaker from Denver, tried to introduce an amendment that would prohibit Summer EBT dollars from being used on products that originate in Palestinian territories. She tried to offer the amendment Sunday night as well, but the chamber did not vote on it after managers determined it did not fit the title of the bill.

Epps had moved to sit with pro-Palestinian activists, and remained with them in an upper-level gallery even after sergeants cleared the gallery. For the next hour, members of the Democratic caucus spoke with Epps to try and deescalate the situation, as Epps spoke emotionally about the need to call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

“I want to sit with people who don’t like genocide,” she said at one point.

After about an hour, Epps left the gallery and Weinberg resumed his comments. Nearly every member of the House stood in support as he spoke. Epps was not in the chamber, but she returned to vote in favor of the bill in question.

 If you get the idea this Democrat controlled legislature cares at all about Colorado Taxpayers, you best reread the article.  By the way Governor Polis “praised the Legislature for their HARD WORK!

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