Lawmakers will vote on final House passage today of a Democrat measure that would undermine Coloradans’ rights to pass future statewide ballot measures cutting property taxes.
The measure will need a two-thirds supermajority to pass — 44 votes — before moving to the state Senate for consideration.
HCR24B-1001 would make the passage of future statewide ballot measures nearly impossible by also requiring approval from voters of any local government claiming it could be impacted by the initiative.
This measure passed committee on a party line vote and should give voters pause that it’s also passed two full House votes.
HCR24B-1001 is intended for the sole purpose of NEGATING tax relief by requiring taxing jurisdictions to hold elections to approve those constitutional ballot initiatives over anything that effects property tax revenue or the spending of it.
take a map of Colorado and include… pic.twitter.com/iE6Vtkr7Q1— Rep Ken deGraaf, CO HD-22 (@COrepKdeGraaf) August 27, 2024
PeakNation™ will recall that when the property tax problem first erupted, Gov. Polis called for a local solution, and now here we are in a special session because none evolved.
Rep. Weismann’s resolution is currently being heard on the house floor. Here is what Rep. Taggart had to say. pic.twitter.com/5LuQbdW9Hz
— Colorado House Republicans (@COHouseGOP) August 27, 2024
Republican state Rep. Lisa Frizell appeared on Ross Kaminsky’s radio show Tuesday and said the measure threatens the whole special session deal to cut property taxes for homeowners and businesses.
“If this particular referendum goes through, I think the deal is off the table,” Frizell said.
“The compromise is over. This is a really bad faith effort, in my opinion, on the part of the Democrats to usurp what is a really important process in Colorado, and that is the ability for citizens to bring initiatives to the ballot, Frizell said.
“The Democrats would like nothing more than to usurp that authority that Colorado citizens have, and this is just another way that they’re trying to get around it,” she added.
Contact your state lawmaker in the House today and let them know what you think. Here’s the link.