Colorado voters decisively reject property tax measure backed by Democrats

Chase Woodruff

(Colorado Newsline) A proposal backed by Colorado Democrats to cut property tax rates while allowing the state to retain more excess tax revenue in the long term appeared to be decisively rejected by voters on Tuesday.

Unofficial results showed Proposition HH, referred to the 2023 ballot by Democratic majorities in the Legislature, garnering just 39% support out of more than 1.2 million ballots cast as of 9:30 p.m.

Advance Colorado, the conservative group that bankrolled opposition to the measure, called the result “good news for taxpayers.” A so-called dark-money group that is not required to disclose its donors, Advance Colorado contributed more than half of the nearly $2 million raised by the No on HH campaign.Two other right-wing dark-money groups, Defend Colorado and Ready Colorado, contributed nearly all of the rest.

“HH was a deceptive measure, crafted in secret, to give Coloradans a huge tax increase wrapped in tiny tax relief,” Michael Fields, Advance Colorado’s president, said in a statement. “Voters caught on, and tonight they clearly said they deserve better.”

Senate President Steve Feinberg, a Boulder Democrat who chaired pro-HH campaign Property Tax Relief Now, said in a statement that the measure aimed to provide “long term tax relief for Colorado seniors and families in a way that doesn’t hurt our teachers, firefighters, and local communities.”

“Prop HH was a nuanced, balanced policy that appears to have fallen prey to a misinformation slogan campaign by the far right, who would prefer to cut property taxes on the backs of our schools and fire districts,” Fenberg said.

Proposition HH emerged in the final days of the 2023 legislative session following substantial increases in assessed home values across Colorado. Average home values in Colorado’s most populous counties increased by 30% to 40% over the last two years.