Property Tax Crisis Threatens Colorado Homeowners as Proposition HH Fails to Deliver Relief

On this September 7, 2023 broadcast, Colorado homeowners face unprecedented property tax increases following the Gallagher Amendment repeal. Douglas County Assessor Toby Damisch breaks down why assessments jumped 40-50% statewide and exposes Proposition HH as a permanent TABOR revenue grab rather than genuine relief. The program also features discussions on school safety with survivors and advocates, and an inside look at the documentary A Climate Conversation. Property Tax Crisis After Gallagher Repeal Start listening at 23:48 – Hour 1 Toby Damisch, Douglas County Assessor, reveals the staggering scope of Colorado’s property tax crisis. Douglas County received over 35,000 property tax appeals this year compared to roughly 3,500 in a typical year. Residential assessments jumped 48% in Douglas County, with some resort counties seeing increases over 100%. The crisis stems from the 2020 Gallagher Amendment repeal, which removed automatic assessment rate adjustments that had protected homeowners for four decades. Damisch explains the County Board of Equalization appeal process, with September 15th as the deadline for large counties on the alternate calendar. He reduced 41% of residential appeals, averaging $45,000-$50,000 in valuation reductions, though property taxes will still increase dramatically. The assessor notes that strict state auditing rules prevent county assessors from exercising discretion to provide relief. The conversation exposes Proposition HH as fundamentally misleading. While marketed as property tax relief, HH reduces assessment rates by less than 1% while permanently capturing TABOR refunds. Damisch calculates that Douglas County residents will lose money in year one. He urges citizens to contact local taxing authorities, including cities, counties, fire districts, and metropolitan districts, to demand they lower mill levies rather than absorb windfall revenue from increased assessments. “Repeal and replace. Well, they repealed it. They never replaced it. And I assure you, Proposition HH, which I’m sure we’ll talk about, is not a replacement for Gallagher.” Toby Damisch, Douglas County Assessor Restoring Parental Voice in Education Start listening at 13:50 – Hour 1 Lori Gimelshteyn, co-founder of Colorado Parents Advocacy Network, outlines the organization’s mission to restore parents’ influence in their children’s education. The grassroots effort focuses on academic excellence, school choice, family partnerships with schools, and lesson transparency. Gimelshteyn announces an upcoming School Safety Summit at St. Thomas More Church featuring survivor panels and solutions experts. Daniel Finlinson, a survivor of the 2014 Seattle Pacific University shooting, shares his perspective on what communities truly need after tragedy. He emphasizes moving past political rhetoric to focus on genuine care for survivors and practical solutions to reduce school violence. The summit will bring together Evan Todd from Columbine, Brendan Baile who fought alongside Kendrick Castillo at STEM School, and Kendrick’s father John Castillo. “One of the things I want to make sure people understand is when you survive one of these just horrible tragedies of what the students and the victims truly need from the community.” Daniel Finlinson, School Shooting Survivor and Board Member, Colorado Shooting Sports Association Navigating the Real Estate Market Start listening at 61:56 – Hour 2<...