A panel discussion with Dee Wiser, Butler Snow, Reeves Brown, Building a Better Colorado, Sen. Chris Hansen, Rep. Matt Soper, Rep. Denaya Esgar, moderated by Sarah Mercer, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, who discuss the unintended consequences of the statewide amendment which has adversely impacted Colorado’s rural communities.

While the Gallagher Amendment was intended to address specific challenges at a specific time when it was proposed and passed in 1982, changes in real estate market conditions over time and the voters’ adoption of subsequent constitutional amendments which retroactively affect the Gallagher Amendment have created unforeseen and unintended consequences that are causing significant challenges for Colorado today.

The continual decline, or as some refer to it as the “ratcheting down effect,” of the Residential Assessment Rate has adversely impacted our communities in many ways. From disproportionately impacting our poorest communities with depressed property values, to rural areas with low rates of growth in residential property values, to the declining ability for local school districts to adequately fund K-12 education – shifting the burden from local school districts to the State. This decline often leads to local taxing authorities needing to increase their mill levy to offset the decline. This opportunity may be limited in areas of the tate struggling with depressed property values or with little Non-residential property value, such as rural areas. In this session, attendees will learn about the complexities of the Gallagher Amendment, what it means for the future of their communities post-COVID, and what the Repeal Measure is on November’s ballot.

You may also like the following:

• EDCC’s Virtual Series: Why Should I Care About Gallagher?
• Overview of the Gallagher Amendment with Reeves Brown
• DCI’s Big Talks Series: Future of Taxes + Fiscal Health
• The Impacts of Gallagher on our Metro Areas
• PDF – Session Highlights
• Presentation PDF – Reeves Brown, Gallagher Overview
• Presentation PDF – Carol Hedges, Leslie Colwell, & Program Slides