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October 28, 2019 02:51 PM UTC

FACT CHECK: Prop CC Ballot Measure Would Not Take Away Tax Exemption For Seniors and Veterans

  • 8 Comments
  • by: Jason Salzman

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Opponents of Proposition CC are saying the ballot measure would “take away” a property tax exemption for seniors and veterans when, in fact, it would not.

Prop CC allows Colorado’s state government to keep already-collected taxes that otherwise would have been refunded under TABOR–and to spend the money on schools and roads.

9News and ColoradoPolitics reported that Prop CC would not affect the Homestead Property Tax Exemption, which significantly reduces property taxes for seniors and disabled veterans.

Asked by a viewer, “Does Prop CC affect the Homestead Property Tax Exemption,” 9News anchor Kyle Clark replied succinctly on air, “No, it does not.”

Viewers may have been confused by widespread misinformation about Prop CC that’s being spread by its opponents.

The Arapahoe County Republican Party posted on its Facebook page that Prop CC would “take away Seniors’/Veterans’ property tax exemption.”

A message asking the Arapahoe GOP to remove the inaccurate information was not returned.

The official website of the “No on CC” campaign states that Prop CC “would hurt seniors and veterans” by putting their property tax exemptions “at risk.”

“Proposition CC would take that refund money away,” falsely states the No on CC campaign.

ColoradoPolitics reporter Marianne Goodland cleared up misinformation from the “No on CC” campaign in a post Saturday that referenced No on CC’s false statements.

Goodland reported:

A rumor making the rounds (including here) is that Proposition CC will eliminate long-cherished property tax exemptions for seniors and disabled military veterans, if it passes on the Nov. 5 ballot. Not so, say experts such as state Treasurer Dave Young and the state economists who wrote a fiscal analysis of the measure. Among the reasons: Proposition CC is a statutory measure that seeks to change state law, not the state Constitution. However, the property tax exemptions for seniors and disabled veterans came about from voter approval of not one, but two constitutional measures.

Others who’ve been spreading misinformation about Prop CC include Pueblo County Republican Chair Marla Spinuzzi Reichert.

Riechert shared a Facebook post stating, “Prop CC will hurt Colorado’s Disabled Veterans and their families the most.”

Reichert did not return a message, left with the Pueblo Republican Party, seeking to know if she would remove the misinformation from her Facebook page.

Reichert’s inaccurate information came from the Taxpayer Chamber of Commerce, an advocacy group, that should not be confused with any real chamber of commerce.

In recent weeks, the No on CC campaign, as well as the Arapahoe County Republican Party and a Republican lawmaker also falsely stated that Prop CC would halt all tax refunds, including personal tax refunds for those who overpaid on their state taxes during the year.

This misleading ad implies that Prop CC would take away your personal tax refund. This is false.

During the past 14 years, taxpayers received just one refund under TABOR rules, in 2015. The checks ranged from $13 to $41. This year, the refund is estimated to be around $60, and the state wants this money for roads and schools.

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8 thoughts on “FACT CHECK: Prop CC Ballot Measure Would Not Take Away Tax Exemption For Seniors and Veterans”

  1. I like that folks are pushing back against the misinformation, but I wish they could do it with a more accurate set of actual information.

    Among the reasons: Proposition CC is a statutory measure that seeks to change state law, not the state Constitution. However, the property tax exemptions for seniors and disabled veterans came about from voter approval of not one, but two constitutional measures.

    While true, this is bullshit.  Yes, the homestead exemptions are in the constitution.  So's this bit, emphasis mine:

    (2)  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, section 20 of this article, or any other constitutional provision, for any property tax year commencing on or after January 1, 2003, the general assembly may raise or lower by law the maximum amount of actual value of residential real property of which fifty percent shall be exempt under subsection (1) of this section.

    Which means the legislature can reduce (to zero!) the amount of value subject to the senior exemption.  In fact, they've done it six times.  And, here's the shocker, they do that with a statutory measure just like Proposition CC.

    So, while they can still choose to fund the exemption entirely from the General Fund, and well may, because they have before, it doesn't mean they will.  Will not having to refund a TABOR surplus be the key to this decision?  I think probably not, since they'll likely "funge" some existing transportation or some other money into the retained TABOR excess and keep the exemption in the General Fund, but that's not "no."

    1. P seudo is right.  One of the reasons I supported the senior tax credit is that it can be suspended in critical budget years when critical needs like education need the cash.  That's a good thing, not a bad thing.  But Pseudo is right– it's a thing.

    2. Dude/ette – 

      Facty truthiness is … so '00's

      We want blistering attack

      Name calling is good. Somthing that slams a demographic, ostensibly related to the subject, but slyly disparaging a candidate or branch of gov't

      A for math.
      B- for message.
      F for inflamaiton

  2. There is a law,  or whatever they call the method used to screw seniors out of a homestead exemption, sitting in a legislative  committee. I'm hoping they will not need to proceed with it if prop cc passes. 

    1. Frankly, I don't believe in this special tax break for seniors.  They are the least impoverishrd group.  We donate most of ours to camfed, which educates African girls.

      1. Donating a portion of your tax exemption that you write off as a deductible charitable donation and can then spend with moral superiority . . .

        . . . Sweet.

        God bless America.

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