PECK: Citizens’ Tax Cut is solution to Colorado crisis

When taxes are soaring and taxpayers are struggling, the solution is simple: real, permanent tax relief. That is what the Citizens’ Tax Cut will do, and we will have the chance to vote it into law this fall.

Across Colorado, families and small businesses have been hit with huge property tax increases averaging 25% or more. In Douglas County, where I live, we have experienced some of the biggest property tax hikes in the state, with increases of 40 percent or more. Whether in my county or elsewhere in our state, this sticker shock has placed significant and needless strain on family budgets.

This crisis didn’t occur by chance. For years, Gov. Jared Polis and legislative leaders were aware of this looming problem. Instead of defusing it, they allowed it to escalate. Unlike in the movies where the hero disables the bomb at the last second, the property tax crisis exploded.

Despite calls to provide a meaningful and lasting solution, state leaders ignored the problem, kicking it from one legislative session to the next. Then they came up with Proposition HH, which they claimed would give us tax relief. But when taxpayers considered the details — rather than just trusting the word of anti-taxpayer politicians — they quickly found out that HH would have forced us to pay for our own tax “relief” by using TABOR refunds.

Fortunately, Douglas County’s commissioners stepped in and provided tax relief. This was an important recognition that many local taxpayers were struggling and that those dollars could be better spent by families than by the government. At the time, the commissioners made it clear that a permanent solution was needed from the governor and the legislature.

Fast forward to early May. As the final days of this year’s session approached, the legislature introduced a last-minute tax plan that, while certainly a step above Proposition HH, fails to provide the permanent and deep tax break that we need. In fact, we will pay more under this plan, which has many loopholes and is temporary, not permanent.

Colorado deserves better. Advance Colorado has proposed the Citizens’ Tax Cut, which, in my view, delivers property tax relief in Douglas County and around the state. It is simple, responsible and permanent, without the convoluted and complex gimmicks that have been hidden in so many of the alleged “relief” plans.

The Citizens’ Tax Cut is a package with two elements. The first cuts taxes back to 2022 levels. This reset is critically important, particularly for senior citizens and those on fixed incomes. The second measure caps future increases at 4%, so we will not have the unexpected, huge tax increases we are dealing with today. It’s like TABOR for property taxes.

One concern I had, as a former school board member, is that providing property tax relief would hurt funding for schools in Douglas County and across the state. If there is a bipartisan consensus in Colorado, it’s that we want our schools properly funded.

The good news is that the Citizens’ Tax Cut protects funding for schools, law enforcement, fire departments and other important local priorities. It does so by directing the state to take a small portion of its $40 billion budget and backfill local revenues. I believe that investing in local services such as schools, public safety and fire protection is a much better and more tangible use of these dollars than bureaucratic state programs.

The Citizens’ Tax Cut is the solution Colorado taxpayers have been seeking from state leaders. It is balanced and fair by cutting and capping local taxes while protecting our vital local services. My prediction is that it will win a big victory in November.

Steve Peck is the chairman of the Douglas County Republicans. This article was originally published by Colorado Community Media.