Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Property taxes

As seniors try to downsize, Colorado’s housing market shuts them out
The Colorado Sun, State

As seniors try to downsize, Colorado’s housing market shuts them out

By Brian Eason | Colorado Sun Most older residents want to age in place. But experts say Colorado’s housing stock wasn’t built with their needs in mind. Pat Malone moved to Arvada with her husband in the early 2010s for a more affordable retirement than they could have found in California. “Or so we thought,” she said wryly. The empty-nesters rented at first, then bought a single-family home. When the stairs became more daunting for her husband, it took them a long time to find what they needed. A single-floor condominium, with no stairs and no garden to maintain is a unicorn in Colorado. “We couldn’t find anything like that when we were (first) looking for a property,” said Malone, 76. “We really had no choice but to buy a house.” Seniors like Malone make up Colo...
Federal funds to assist Coloradans in online filing of state, federal tax returns
The Center Square, Approved, State

Federal funds to assist Coloradans in online filing of state, federal tax returns

By Joe Mueller | The Center Square Federal tax money is returning to Colorado via free online tax filing for state and federal returns, which could help low-income taxpayers obtain more credits. Taxpayer money from the $500 billion Inflation Reduction Act will pay for Coloradans to electronically file their state and federal returns for tax year 2025 in 2026 through a program called Direct File. The Colorado Department of Revenue currently offers a free electronic service to file state tax returns. However, the Democratic Gov. Jared Polis and the Department of Revenue contend Direct file will save Coloradans millions in filing fees, hours of time and help taxpayers get information on possible additional tax credits. READ THE FULL STORY THE CENTER SQUARE
Colorado avoided big funding cuts for schools. But relief for districts could be short-lived.
Approved, State, The Colorado Sun

Colorado avoided big funding cuts for schools. But relief for districts could be short-lived.

By Erica Breunlin | Colorado Sun Colorado lawmakers averted the potential for serious funding cuts for schools after passing a set of modest property tax cuts during the special legislative session in August. But the relief for school districts could be short-lived. A tight state budget forecast and competing funding priorities are stoking fears that Colorado elected leaders could drop their pledge to begin ramping up funding for schools next year. A new funding formula — signed into law in May after three decades of little change to the way Colorado distributes money to schools — was celebrated by a bipartisan group of lawmakers as a landmark accomplishment of the 2024 legislative session. The new approach added to momentum for school finance after Gov. Jared Polis and legislator...