Taxpayers in Colorado’s Lower South Platte Water Conservancy will receive refunds from an illegally doubled property tax after the Colorado Supreme Court denied review of a previous decision in favor of James Aranci and taxpayers Monday.
The District doubled its property tax in 2019 without holding a public approval vote as required by Colorado’s Constitution.
The decision is a win for Colorado taxpayers statewide and will strengthen Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). The National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF)’s Taxpayer Defense Center, in conjunction with Advance Colorado, represented Aranci and other taxpayers in the case.
“TABOR means what it says, and so a local government cannot double the property tax rate without a vote of the people,” NTUF Senior Attorney Tyler Martinez said. “We’re glad the Colorado Supreme Court declined to review this case further and left in place the unanimous decision by the Court of Appeals.”
NTUF’s Taxpayer Defense Center advocates for taxpayers’ rights across the country. The organization’s in-house team of attorneys challenge overzealous and unfair tax administration. Because of lawsuits brought by the Taxpayer Defense Center, individuals and businesses nationwide have benefitted from fair, equitable policy and victories worth tens of millions of dollars.
“We are grateful for the Taxpayer Defense Center taking up the case,” Chuck Miller, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said. “We wanted to stand up for all taxpayers in the district and protect our TABOR rights.”
For more information on the Taxpayer Defense Center’s victory for taxpayers in Colorado or to discuss the case with NTUF’s legal team, please contact NTUF Marketing Director Courtney Manley at courtney.manley@ntu.org.