On October 18, 2023 the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District (BFFRPD) Board of Directors discussed the concerns with Proposition HH, which will be on the November 7th ballot. The BFFRPD Board of Directors passed a Resolution to urge Colorado voters to vote NO on Prop HH. This was done primarily to keep government local and not turn over control and taxpayer money to the State of Colorado.
Opposition to Proposition HH is not only about Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District, it is about all Colorado Special Districts (over 2,500). Special Districts are an integral piece of Local Government in Colorado. Special Districts provide vital life-saving and critical infrastructure services throughout Colorado. These services include fire protection, ambulance, health care, sanitation, wastewater, parks and recreation, and libraries.
Keep Government Local
- Local taxpayers and Local elected officials should be making Local taxing decisions, not Governor Polis or State Legislators in Denver.
Proposition HH Information
- Proposition HH would limit property tax revenue being provided to local governmentswho provide vital services.
- Proposition HH would allow the State to retain and spend revenue that exceeds the HH Cap.
- Proposition HH ballot language offers a backfill to counties. Backfill is only available to special districts in counties with less than 300,000 population and those countiesover that population if their valuation grew less than 20%.
- El Paso County Special Districts will NOT be eligible for backfill.
- Proposition HH changes the TABOR Refund Mechanism and permits the State ofColorado to keep more taxpayer money. Property owners would see a reduction in their TABOR refund for the next 10 years and may lose their TABOR refund forever.
Proposition HH Impacts
- Special Districts, like Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District, will see impacts to their ability to remain on track for long-term and strategic planning (including theprocurement of necessary lifesaving equipment, apparatus, and facility improvements).
- BFFRPD will see an impact to our recruitment and retention of our firefighters. Fire Districts do not collect sales tax and therefore rely on property tax to ensure firefighters are compensated appropriately and aligning with those agencies funded by sales tax.
Please join the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District Board of Directors in voting NO on Proposition HH on November 7th. Keep government local, where it works. Please see below for applicable links and resources.
Resources
Colorado Counties Inc. https://ccionline.org/research/property-tax/
Special Districts Association of Colorado. https://www.sdaco.org/news/sda-news/sb-23-303- property-tax-resources
Ballotpedia. https://ballotpedia.org/Colorado_Proposition_HH,_Property_Tax_Changes_and_Revenue_Chan ge_Measure_(2023)
Common Sense Institute. https://www.mypropertytaxco.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInMrS6YiugQMV8g2tBh2bNgk- EAAYAiAAEgI_hfD_BwE
Proposition HH in the News
CBS Colorado. https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/polis-michael-fields-colorado- property-tax-bill-tabor-proposition-hh/
Colorado Politics. https://www.coloradopolitics.com/opinion/prop-hh-is-ridiculous- counterpoint/article_f8c69788-059e-11ee-98f8-c7fedd23efcb.html
Denver 7 ABC. https://www.denver7.com/news/politics/12-colorado-counties-join-lawsuit-to- block-new-property-tax-relief
Denver 9 NBC. https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/next/next-with-kyle-clark/colorado- groups-for-and-against-prop-hh-2023/73-6c7a36d7-be5f-4289-b628-d089c5e9ba18
Complete Colorado. https://pagetwo.completecolorado.com/2023/08/05/murrey-the-case- against-colorados-proposition-hh/
*The Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District Board of Directors does not endorse any specific news station or other resource listed above. These are provided for reference only and not all views represented in these resources are those of the Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District, the Board of Directors, and/or any employee of Black Forest Fire Rescue Protection District.
