Over the last few weeks, officials in Douglas County have been working to find a work-around to mitigate the property tax increases that came this year.
I definitely can give the commissioners a lot of grief over a variety of things — but on this one, I applaud what they are doing. They are doing something our state’s elected leaders failed to do — they are attacking the issue head on and trying to find a true solution.
Will their plans work? Only time will tell. However, they are trying to get Douglas County some kind of relief using an old law.
The other thing our Douglas County officials did was call a regional “tax summit” in late September. They held it with regional leaders, not just in Douglas County. The commissioners clearly understand the issue and know it affects all of the state and not just them.
During the recent summit, Douglas County hosted metro district leaders, elected officials and more to discuss what the concerns are. We had metro fire officials talking about the worries over how they will make ends meet, over the cost of a fire truck that once sold for $800,000 and has now increased to more than $1.2 million.
The property tax issues do not just sit on the doorstep of homeowners. No — this problem will affect our fire districts, metro districts, and school districts.
Douglas County Assessor Toby Damisch gave some eye-popping numbers for homeowners. In 2022, a home valued at $636,000 had homeowners paying about $6,000 in taxes. In 2023, that same home, valued at $980,000, will likely cost upwards of $9,000.
With inflation, a tough economy and families being strapped for cash — that is a huge increase for us to manage.
Douglas County is doing something the state should have been doing in the 2023 session. They are trying to find some kind of relief for hard-working families. They are trying to find a solution.
For the state, the legislature introduced Proposition HH three days before the 2023 session ended. No time for debate, not time to sort it out — they passed it, and from what I can see, the Democratic leaders assumed it would just be passed by voters this November.
I think my mother-in-law summed up what Proposition HH really is — It’s nothing more than an attack on TABOR, or Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. It’s not a property tax relief bill, it’s a way to attack and get around TABOR.
As I have tried to understand and give Proposition HH a fair shot, I have to agree with opponents — it does not address this pressing property tax issue.
While I do not tell other voters what they should do, I have to say I will be voting no on the measure this November.
In late September, the Colorado Association of Realtors announced that the organization is also opposed to Proposition HH.
State Rep. Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, introduced a bill last year to tackle this issue with plenty of time to discuss, debate and sort out in the 2023 session. It could not even make it out of committee.
I think Frizell has a pretty good “I told you so” moment coming as she continues to make the rounds pressing for the state to call a special session and force our selected leaders to take actual action because Proposition HH is not your answer.
Thelma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.
Douglas County may be the wealthiest in the state but rising real estate values affect every property owner, not just those well off. When stressing the impact of property tax increases on “hard-working families”, don’t forget the greater impact it has on retirees living on a fixed income. Senior tax relief has not risen to keep pace with inflation or property values.