By Shaun Boyd, CBS Colorado
For the third time in five years, Jefferson County is asking voters to permanently remove caps that limit how much tax revenue the Colorado county can keep and spend, including a new cap just put in place by the state legislature two months ago.
“We would be the first in Colorado to have no cap, and they’re trying to say it’s not a tax increase,” says Natalie Menten, who is leading the “No on 1A” effort.
While Jeffco says 1A is a “revenue retention” measure to fund infrastructure and public safety, Menten says, not only would taxpayers forfeit all future refunds from the county, but $30.5 million in property tax revenue from 2023 that Jeffco deliberately overcollected.
“They took our money. They’re holding it, earning interest on it, knowing people are hurting. And they want to just continue that.”
The county knew last year’s property tax revenue would come in over the state cap of 5.5%.