Just when we all thought there was a fix set up to resolve the looming property tax increases for Coloradoans, a conservative group has launched a legal challenge to the ballot measure planned for the November General Election that would take the edge off the property tax spikes by increasing the cap on state revenue.
SB23- 303 was proposed to save taxpayers more than $1 billion on their property taxes, averting some, but not all of the property tax increase.
According to Section 3 of the Bill Summary, it requires the secretary of state to refer a ballot issue to voters at the November 2023 election that asks voters whether property taxes should be reduced. The same bill seeks voter approval to retain and spend excess state revenues that will be used to backfill some of the reduced property tax revenue.
But a group calling itself “Advance Colorado”, together with Englewood City Council member Steven Ward filed a lawsuit on Monday in Denver County District Court that directly challenge the measures.
The lawsuit alleges that SB23-303 violates the state constitution’s single-subject rule for legislation and clear intent provisions.
Exactly why anyone would purposely block a measure intended to prevent Colorado property taxes from rising a projected 40 to 60 percent next year — attempting to hold the increases to perhaps 20 to 30 percent to prevent massive taxpayer property tax shock — is anyone’s guess. But there it is.
Featured image: Colorado Senate Chambers. Courtesy image.
They want excess funds to fill the gap and that is most likely to be TABOR which is supposed to be given back to the taxpayers.
Even if the bill does violate some technicality, the idea that a conservative group would try to block the bill on a technicality really does say a lot about how stupid and useless the current conservative movement in America really is.
“Based on a technicality, let’s.protest this bill that will save everyone money!”
Keep up the great work, Republicans. I’m sure it’ll really pay off for you in 2024. 😂😂😂😂😂
Maybe because it violates the Colorado constitution and Advance Colorado wants a court to decide constitutionality? The bill could always be re-written as two separate bills and thus two spectate ballot measures.
Exactly why anyone would want to follow the state constitution is anyone’s guess. But I guess some do.