After asking for and receiving community feedback and with much consideration for what is happening with our economy and its effects on our residents, the commissioners are exploring language for a ballot measure to remove all non-property tax revenue, like state grants, from the TABOR formula. This will be coming forward for discussion and comment at the Tuesday, July 19 hearing.
While this doesn’t solve the larger General Fund shortfall issue, this would allow the county to keep dollars for important programs like wildfire mitigation and public safety. This type of ballot measure would not require property taxpayers’ bills to go up, would not create a new tax, and would help the county with the unfunded mandates that the state imposes. Currently, those funds go to other counties because when Jeffco has reached its TABOR revenue limit, those dollars must be refunded or not accepted.
You can attend this hearing in-person or virtually to hear the conversation and offer your comments. Find the information on when and how to join the meeting on the Meetings & Agendas page of the jeffco.us website.