Ballot Measure 1A would allow Jefferson County to keep about $54 million in taxes it recollected.

The editors note:

This story has been updated with corrections. We incorrectly stated the amount of tax revenue collected by Jefferson County that would be withheld if Ballot Measure 1A is approved. Jefferson County will refund taxpayers’ money. US$30,527,450 including interest later this month whether 1A passes or not. This money was accrued two years ago.

The estimated amount the county will retain if Measure 1A is approved is actually $54.4 million. This is the tax revenue it collects in 2024 and will be returned in 2025. We explain in more detail how Jefferson County’s system of over-tax revenue collection differs from that of most other states, resulting in over-collection over the past 4 years. years.

For the third time in five years, Jefferson County is asking voters to permanently remove restrictions that limit the amount of tax revenue the county can retain and spend, including a new cap imposed by the Legislature two months ago.

“We’ll be the first in Colorado to have no cap, and what they’re trying to say is that it’s not a tax increase,” says Natalie Menten, who leads the No 1A campaign.

While Jeffco argues that 1A is a “revenue retention” measure to fund infrastructure and public safety, Menten says, taxpayers not only forfeit all future refunds from the county, but also about $54 million in property tax revenue estimated in 2023 that Jeffco over-delivered. year: “They took our money. They hold them, earning interest on them, knowing that people are suffering. And they want to continue it.”

The county knew the property taxes it assessed last year were above the state’s cap of 5.5 percent. Under state law, the company was required to cut its plant tax in December to account for this. This is wrong. Menten filed an open records request and discovered that the Colorado Department of Local Affairs had repeatedly asked the county to reduce the mill’s levy, even sending it two notices of non-compliance.

Until 2019, Jefferson County reduced its mill tax, as other counties do when they exceed the cap. Starting in 2021, he began collecting property taxes — in violation of state law — and mailing refund checks. As CBS News reported last year, the company spent $250,000 on postage on checks and sent out a leaflet about the impact of refunds on services, although it was considering putting 1A on the ballot to get rid of all refunds. Last spring, Jeffco spent $300,000 of taxpayer money on a political consultant trying to convince taxpayers to pass 1A and allow the county to keep most of its tax revenue.

The ballot measure would not affect this year’s $30.5 million property tax refund because that money was assessed two years ago and was collected too much last year. The county says those checks will be paid out after the election in mid-November. Jefferson County told CBS Colorado: “The county is meeting state law deadlines for property tax refunds. Waiting until after the election ensures that the district does not influence the election results in any way.” CBS Colorado requested documentation that the county is not withholding refunds because it fears voters will reject 1A. No documents provided.

“So they ignored the law, kept our money and are now holding it hostage in hopes they can fool 1A voters,” Menten says. “Then they’ll just keep it. And they will treasure it forever.”
Menten is now running for the county commission: “I’ve been watching the county for years, and this kind of disrespect for taxpayers is happening more than this one year.”

During the research of this article, the following documents were used: