Last week, lawmakers met for 3½ days in a special session with the mission to head off two property tax-related measures (50 and 108) headed to the ballot in November. Even though the likelihood of the two measures passing seemed dim, they were so extreme that Democrats and Republicans alike were motivated to make a deal, rather than face the possibility of being required to divert upwards of $3 billion out of the general fund budget next year. At the end of this session, two bills passed — HB24S-1001 and HB24S-1003.

Earlier in the year the legislature passed SB24-233, which enacted cut and cap measures on property taxes both commercial and residential. Measures 50 and 108 were introduced with the same idea, but more extreme percentages, while also forcing the state to backfill local municipal losses. HB24S-1001 met the measures in the middle and increased property tax rate cuts (with an emphasis on commercial property taxes) while putting year-over-year increase caps in place; however, it did not demand the state to backfill local losses, protecting billions in the State’s general fund. This does mean local services such as fire districts and k-12 education are now expected to lose $255 million in property tax collections in the first year.

Why are we here?

Colorado’s legislature leans heavily Democratic, sometimes frustrating Republican agenda across Colorado. What we’ve seen in recent years is an attempt to circumvent Democratic policymaking at the Capitol with big money spending on the ballot. This trickles into nonpartisan work when, in Colorado, it can be difficult for grassroots efforts with small financial backing to make it on the statewide ballot, but big money interests that can pay the heavy lift of signature-gathering efforts find far fewer barriers. Advance Colorado, the entity that brought us Initiatives 50 and 108, are among these entities.

Advance Colorado has until this Friday to submit the paperwork required to remove Initiatives 50 and 108 from the ballot. They’ve made a handshake deal that they won’t bring another measure on property taxes for an additional six years, but there is no guarantee. Even if they uphold their end of the deal, no other organizations made the same commitment. Regardless, Advance Colorado has secured an additional three measures (Initiative 138: School Choice in K-12 Education, Initiative 112: Concerning Eligibility for Parole, Initiative 157: Funding for Law Enforcement) to the ballot this fall, continuing to play a large role in this year’s election. What doe this means for the battle to the ballot in the years’ ahead? Time will tell if this tactic becomes increasingly popular.