By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
It is simply Day 2 of the 74th General Assembly’s special session, but it has already become contentious.
Take, for instance, the mere mention of the Gallagher Amendment by Douglas County Republican Rep. Brandi Bradley.
“This body deceived the people and here we are five years later without property tax relief,” she said.
That deception, she says, was the repeal of the Gallagher Amendment in 2020. It set forth property tax guidelines for the state for 38 years, but was undone in 2020 by voters.
“The voters voted out Gallagher,” countered Democrat Rep. Marc Snyder.
“Voters did vote out Gallagher in the misplaced trust that it would be replaced,” said Republican Rep. Ken DeGraaf.
So, for the second time in 10 months, lawmakers have returned to the state capitol for a special session with the single subject of property tax relief.
“Another special session robbing the taxpayers of their money,” Bradley said.
Coloradans have seen the state’s population boom by merely 2% in five years, she says, but general fund revenues grew by 43% under Democratic-led House and Senate majorities.
“Where did that money come from?,” Bradley asked. “The people in my district working more than one job? Has your income gone up 43%? Because mine hasn’t.”
She lamented that Democratic control of the state has led to higher taxation and wastefulness of the state’s resources.
“The state is taking way too much of your money,” Bradley said. “It is out of control growth in spending.”
Bradley was rankled by two bills she brought forward for the special session, both of which would have restored elements of the Gallagher Amendment and “it was killed in five minutes.”
Meanwhile, she and other Republicans have focused on the actions of the Colorado House under Democratic leadership.
“Our constituents are losing their homes because of legislation of this body,” Bradley said. “Our seniors are moving from their homes because of legislation of this body.”