Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Taxes

Colorado districts hope voters support tax measures for new school buildings, scholarships, and more
Approved, Chalkbeat Colorado, State

Colorado districts hope voters support tax measures for new school buildings, scholarships, and more

By Yesenia Robles | Chalkbeat Colorado More than 30 of Colorado’s 178 school districts are asking voters to approve a local tax measure in this November’s election. The number of requests on the ballot isn’t more than in some past years. But what has gone up is the amount of money districts are requesting — nearly $7 billion. There are two types of tax measures districts are putting to voters this year. Bond and capital measures would mostly go to pay for new school buildings, renovations, new air conditioning in some districts, and safety upgrades. Mill levy overrides would raise operating dollars that would mostly help increase staff pay and add more career education opportunities for students. READ THE FULL STORY AT CHALKBEAT COLORADO
Harris struggles to provide clear answers on economy, taxes, and unions in MSNBC interview
Approved, National, The Federalist

Harris struggles to provide clear answers on economy, taxes, and unions in MSNBC interview

By Brianna Lyman | The Federalist Ruhle did concede that Harris couldn’t “give a clear and direct answer.” For perhaps the first time, MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle was the smartest person in the room during her Wednesday interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The interview went about as well as you could expect between a candidate who has dodged press questions and a “journalist” who justified Harris’ lack of availability to the American public because “she’s running against Trump.” Ruhle did concede that Harris couldn’t “give a clear and direct answer,” though couched that by saying it was “okay because we’re not talking about clear and direct issues.” READ THE FULL STORY AT THE FEDERALIST
US judge tosses machine gun possession case, calls ban unconstitutional
Approved, denvergazette.com, National

US judge tosses machine gun possession case, calls ban unconstitutional

By Nate Raymond | Denver Gazette A federal judge has dismissed charges against a Kansas man for possessing a machine gun, saying prosecutors failed to establish that a federal ban on owning such weapons is constitutional. The decision by U.S. District Judge John Broomes in Wichita on Wednesday appeared to mark the first time a court has held that banning machine guns is unconstitutional after the conservative-majority U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 issued a landmark ruling that expanded gun rights. In that ruling, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, the Supreme Court established a new test for assessing firearms laws, saying restrictions must be "consistent with this nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation." The Supreme Court clarified that standard ...
Property tax bill passes Colorado House during special session
Approved, CBS 11 KKTV, State

Property tax bill passes Colorado House during special session

By Tony Keith | CBS11 The Colorado House passed HB24B-1001 on Wednesday hoping it will help reduce property taxes. News releases from both House Democrats and House Republicans shared their take on the legislation. ”We are committed to making Colorado a more affordable place to live, and with this bill we’re delivering additional property tax relief in a responsible way while protecting funding for our schools, parks, libraries and community institutions,”said Speaker Julie McCluskie, D-Dillon.“Two initiatives from wealthy special interests on the November ballot would de-fund schools, lengthen emergency response times, and strip health care away from our most vulnerable Coloradans. Stopping these measures with small changes to the bipartisan property tax package from last session...
Mayor’s push for ‘affordable’ housing will lead to Denver voters considering $100M sales tax hike in November
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

Mayor’s push for ‘affordable’ housing will lead to Denver voters considering $100M sales tax hike in November

By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette A divided Denver City Council on Monday approved a measure that will ask Denver voters in November to hike the city’s sales tax by 0.5 points to generate $100 million, which Mayor Mike Johnston wants to spend on "affordable" housing.  The council adopted several amendments, including a 40-year sunset provision. If approved by voters, Denver’s sales tax would be 9.31%, and if another sales tax measure to fund Denver Health — the city’s hospital system — also sails through, the sales tax would increase by another 0.34 points. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE DENVER GAZETTE
‘I’m opposed to the timing’: Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb pushes back on tax initiative
Approved, CBS Colorado, Local

‘I’m opposed to the timing’: Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb pushes back on tax initiative

By Shaun Boyd | CBS Colorado Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb says now isn't the time to ask voters to approve a sales tax hike for affordable housing.   Webb says the measure, pushed by current Mayor Mike Johnston, will put a tax measure by Denver Health in jeopardy. "I'm not opposed to affordable housing, I'm opposed to the timing," Webb said. "I was surprised that Mayor Johnston, who has a lot of issues on his plate primarily around homelessness, did not delay it until the spring in order to get one of these issues passed." READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
Panel of Colorado lawmakers schedule meeting amid talk of property tax compromise, special session
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Panel of Colorado lawmakers schedule meeting amid talk of property tax compromise, special session

By Deborah Grigsby | Colorado Politics A panel of Colorado lawmakers tasked with crafting long-term property tax policy is meeting on Monday, potentially laying down the groundwork for a special session amid speculation that parties are negotiating a potential compromise that would pull two initiatives from the November ballot in exchange for deeper reductions to people's tax liabilities. The agenda posted on the state’s legislative website stated that the 19-member Commission on Property Tax will convene to discuss potential changes to legislation that Democrats and Republicans passed just this last session. That measure, the product of a deal reached by Democrats and Republicans, reduced commercial property tax assessment rates and decreased property valuations. The pr...
Prop. 108, the ‘Citizens’ Tax Cut’ plan, could be headed to the ballot with nearly 200k signatures
Approved, coloradopolitics.com, State

Prop. 108, the ‘Citizens’ Tax Cut’ plan, could be headed to the ballot with nearly 200k signatures

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics A ballot initiative to reduce property tax assessment rates has received enough signatures to qualify for the November 2024 ballot, its sponsors announced Tuesday.  Proposition 108, also known as the Citizens' Tax Cut, has submitted nearly 200,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's Office, exceeding the required threshold by over 75,000. The signatures will now undergo a verification process to ensure their validity. Backed by Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern, Proposition 108 aims to reduce assessment rates to 5.7% for residential properties and 24% for commercial properties. If passed alongside Constitutional Amendment 50, which is also on the ballot this November, Proposition 108 would cut this year's tax increase and limit ...
Denver mayor wants a tax increase. Proposes lifting sales tax to 9.31%.
Approved, kdvr.com, Local

Denver mayor wants a tax increase. Proposes lifting sales tax to 9.31%.

By Samantha Jarpe | Fox 31 News Denver Mayor Mike Johnston unveiled a proposal Monday to raise $100 million a year for affordable housing projects by raising the sales tax in Denver by 0.5%. The proposed 0.5% tax will account for about 5 cents on a $10 purchase, according to a release sent by the mayor’s office. There would be exceptions for many of the everyday essentials people buy including food, fuel, medical supplies and personal hygiene products, meaning the new tax would not apply to those purchases. Because it involves raising taxes, the proposal will need to be approved by the City Council and then by voters in November before being implemented. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
IRS plans to close ‘major’ tax loophole used by wealthy Americans
Approved, Fox Business, National

IRS plans to close ‘major’ tax loophole used by wealthy Americans

By Megan Henney  | Fox Business The IRS and Treasury Department on Monday unveiled a plan to end a major tax loophole used by wealthy taxpayers, a move that could generate as much as $50 billion in revenue over the next decade. The plan targets so-called "partnership basis shifting," a transaction that allows a business or person to operate through many different legal entities in order to take more deductions and minimize what they owe, according to Treasury. "These tax shelters allow wealthy taxpayers to avoid paying what they owe," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX BUSINESS