Another Special Legislative Session

from the Action Report

at Colorado Freedom Force

August 18, 2024

For the third time since he was elected Governor, and for the second time in less than a year, Jared Polis is calling a Special Legislative Session.

Like in 2023, the subject of this special session is limited specifically to property tax legislation in order to keep things on track.

This time, lawmakers are reconvening out of fear Colorado taxpayers (voters) will pass Initiatives 108 and 50 this November and enact tax cuts too big for elected officials to stomach.

In other words, the people responsible for spending your tax money are afraid you might vote in November to keep more of your own money than they think you should.

This special session will start August 26th, and will need to last at least three days in order to send a bill to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

Behind closed doors, a coalition of Colorado's "leaders", which includes business executives, non-profit representatives and elected officials have worked out a deal to take the decision making away from voters like you and place it in the hands of heavily-lobbied elected officials.

And while these Legislators work their own property tax deal, you will foot the bill for their per diems and travel reimbursements while the special session takes place.

If it feels like you're getting the short end of the stick, it's because you are.

Initiatives 50 and 108

Should they remain on your ballot, Colorado Freedom Force recommends a "YES" vote on both of these initiatives.

Initiative 50 would amend the state constitution and limit property tax revenue growth to 4% statewide, offering no flexibility for local governments or their voters to opt out without another statewide referendum.

Initiative 108 would cut property taxes for homeowners and businesses by an estimated total of $2.4 billion the first year.

Both of these initiatives properly gathered and submitted the sufficient amount of verified signatures to be placed on your ballot. In recent years the ballot initiative process has been the only real chance Coloradans have had to lower our own tax burden.

It should come at no surprise that when asked directly whether they want higher or lower taxes, Colorado voters consistently choose the latter.

It's clear Governor Polis knows both of these initiatives will pass if left to the voters, so he and others are desperately scrambling to disenfranchise you.

The Terms

The terms of this privately brokered deal supposedly include a much more modest percentage of tax cuts and additional, long-term limits on property tax growth.

In exchange for this new package, the organizations responsible for the initiatives (Colorado Concern and Advance Colorado) will remove their initiatives from the ballot before the September 6th deadline so the Colorado Secretary of State can certify the ballot before September 9th. 

The "tax and spend" side of the agreement demanded these organizations agree not to bring back initiatives similar to this for the next ten years.

In order to "preserve the agreement", Governor Polis has pledged to not sign anything into law until both initiatives have been formally withdrawn.

Voters Can Block This

It's important to keep in mind these outside organizations do not have the final say in the matter, and this agreement will need to be made into legislation which must pass the State House and State Senate.

This suggested solution is not specifically partisan, and Colorado's Legislature has several term-limited and lame duck Democrats who may be compelled to throw a wrench in the gears if they don't agree to the terms.

So even if your Representatives are Democrats, don't assume they will automatically support this deal!

No matter your stance initiatives 108 and 50, why not allow them to remain on the ballot so you can cast your ballot the way you see fit?

For Freedom,

The Colorado Freedom Force