(Opinion ) State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer: Polis’ bait and switch

Amid an affordability crisis that has pushed Coloradans to their limit, an unprecedented surge in property taxes could push many over the edge. Those on a fixed income are already struggling with higher bills across the board, but unlike an energy bill or the cost of groceries, property taxes are directly within the purview of our state government.

This year, Coloradans waited 113 days (into a 120-day legislative session) to see what Governor Polis and the Democrat majority in the legislature had planned to curb the incoming surge in property taxes. So, forget disappointment, Coloradans should be outraged that this is the best they could come up with.

For those in Weld County, we’re facing a 34% hike in our assessment rates — meaning an average increase of nearly $700 in a single year in our property taxes.

Governor Polis and his allies in the General Assembly could have capped the percentage that assessment rates increase each year. Instead, they decided not to let a good crisis go to waste.

Governor Polis’ plan, dubbed Proposition HH, is the worst of politics, and every Coloradan should feel cynicism when evaluating it. Effectively, liberals have decided to dangle a carrot today (a slight .095% reduction in property taxes) in exchange for a stick tomorrow (the permanent end of your Taxpayer Bill of Rights refunds).

Projecting a decade in advance is difficult, but initial projections estimate that Coloradans will give up $10 billion in TABOR refunds over the next decade.

It accomplishes this by modifying the TABOR cap equation, essentially adding 1% to the amount of money the government can keep each year. One percent doesn't sound like much, but it's compounding, meaning that it will be impossible for government revenues to hit that TABOR cap in just a few years.

That means no more refunds! Government keeps the pot of cash no matter the growth.

Bait and switch. Shady dealing. Dishonest.

Truthfully, legislation like this blurs the line between ideological disagreement and character deficiency. While a simple solution existed — a simple cap on the percentage that property taxes could rise yearly — liberals couldn't help but take advantage of your crisis.

Thankfully, organizations like Advance Colorado are stepping up to fight back, first with a legal challenge. Their political arm, Advance Colorado Action, has also filed a potential ballot measure that simply caps assessment rate growth at 3%.

If Proposition HH makes it past legal challenges and onto the ballot, you’ll undoubtedly hear from proponents that this is the only solution to curbing property taxes. This is not true.

Suppose Coloradans defeat HH on the ballot in November. In that case, the Governor can quickly convene a special session during November and December to pass real property tax relief free of any strings.

It may be early, but these are complicated issues. Do your research and you’ll see what a bad deal this is for you and Colorado.

Vote no on Proposition HH.

— Barbara Kirkmeyer, of Brighton, represents District 23 in the Colorado Senate and is a former commissioner of Weld County.

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