Elbert County lobbyist briefs commissioners on multiple bills; board votes to meet in executive session over utility strategy

Elbert County lobbyist Steve Balsarovich briefed the county commissioners on a package of bills at the Colorado General Assembly during a March 4 special meeting, and the board voted to enter executive session to discuss strategy related to an impending utility hearing.

Balsarovich said the legislative session was on day 50 of 120, with 489 bills introduced and Elbert County tracking 32 of them. He guided commissioners through a paginated bill-tracking packet and reviewed several items he recommended the county monitor closely.

Among the bills discussed, Balsarovich summarized House Bill 12‑33, described as coming from county assessors, which would increase penalties tied to the property tax abatement process for nonresidential owners who provide inaccurate information and would allow the county to retain some funds when false information was provided. "I would guess that this is probably a good proposal," he said, calling it an incentive against false reporting.

He reviewed House Bill 12‑39, a 38‑page measure advanced by Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI) that would update county enforcement tools…