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House approves bill that reclassifies some fines and sales as TABOR exclusions after heated debate
Summary
Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 173 to clarify what state receipts count toward the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) limit, a move supporters said corrects statutory ambiguity and opponents said will reduce taxpayer refunds.
The Colorado House on third reading adopted Senate Bill 173, a measure that clarifies how certain revenue — including some fines, penalties and government merchandise sales — is counted for purposes of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). The final vote was 40 in favor, 24 opposed and 1 excused.
Proponents said the bill updates statutory definitions that were left ambiguous when TABOR was drafted. Representative Zocai (Representative Zocai) told the chamber the legislature has the authority to define terms listed as exclusions in TABOR and said the bill merely “hones in on damage awards and property sales because those terms are not defined.”
Opponents argued the redefinitions carve revenue out of the spending limit and reduce the refunds that TABOR requires the state to return to…
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