On this September 7, 2023 broadcast, Colorado homeowners face unprecedented property tax increases following the Gallagher Amendment repeal. Douglas County Assessor Toby Damisch breaks down why assessments jumped 40-50% statewide and exposes Proposition HH as a permanent TABOR revenue grab rather than genuine relief. The program also features discussions on school safety with survivors and advocates, and an inside look at the documentary A Climate Conversation.
Toby Damisch, Douglas County Assessor, reveals the staggering scope of Colorado’s property tax crisis. Douglas County received over 35,000 property tax appeals this year compared to roughly 3,500 in a typical year. Residential assessments jumped 48% in Douglas County, with some resort counties seeing increases over 100%. The crisis stems from the 2020 Gallagher Amendment repeal, which removed automatic assessment rate adjustments that had protected homeowners for four decades.
Damisch explains the County Board of Equalization appeal process, with September 15th as the deadline for large counties on the alternate calendar. He reduced 41% of residential appeals, averaging $45,000-$50,000 in valuation reductions, though property taxes will still increase dramatically. The assessor notes that strict state auditing rules prevent county assessors from exercising discretion to provide relief.
The conversation exposes Proposition HH as fundamentally misleading. While marketed as property tax relief, HH reduces assessment rates by less than 1% while permanently capturing TABOR refunds. Damisch calculates that Douglas County residents will lose money in year one. He urges citizens to contact local taxing authorities, including cities, counties, fire districts, and metropolitan districts, to demand they lower mill levies rather than absorb windfall revenue from increased assessments.
“Repeal and replace. Well, they repealed it. They never replaced it. And I assure you, Proposition HH, which I’m sure we’ll talk about, is not a replacement for Gallagher.”
Toby Damisch, Douglas County Assessor
Lori Gimelshteyn, co-founder of Colorado Parents Advocacy Network, outlines the organization’s mission to restore parents’ influence in their children’s education. The grassroots effort focuses on academic excellence, school choice, family partnerships with schools, and lesson transparency. Gimelshteyn announces an upcoming School Safety Summit at St. Thomas More Church featuring survivor panels and solutions experts.
Daniel Finlinson, a survivor of the 2014 Seattle Pacific University shooting, shares his perspective on what communities truly need after tragedy. He emphasizes moving past political rhetoric to focus on genuine care for survivors and practical solutions to reduce school violence. The summit will bring together Evan Todd from Columbine, Brendan Baile who fought alongside Kendrick Castillo at STEM School, and Kendrick’s father John Castillo.
“One of the things I want to make sure people understand is when you survive one of these just horrible tragedies of what the students and the victims truly need from the community.”
Daniel Finlinson, School Shooting Survivor and Board Member, Colorado Shooting Sports Association
Karen Levine, RE/MAX Alliance realtor with nearly 30 years of experience, counsels buyers not to let interest rates deter them from purchasing in the current market. Despite rate concerns, inventory shortages mean prices are unlikely to decrease. She anticipates some downward pressure on pricing in the fourth quarter, creating negotiating opportunities for buyers, including seller assistance with rate buydowns.
For sellers, Levine emphasizes the importance of strategic marketing plans in the current environment. She highlights her team’s representation of Sheffield Homes’ Carr Estates project in northern Colorado, featuring customizable semi-custom homes in the $2 million range. Levine stresses the importance of buyer representation when purchasing new construction, as sales office staff represent builder interests exclusively.
“Well, the advice I would give someone buying a home is that there is opportunity out there, and don’t let the interest rates shy you away, because we truly believe in an inventory short market, which is a nationwide problem, that prices won’t be any cheaper than they are today.”
Karen Levine, RE/MAX Alliance Realtor
Dave O’Rourke, media contact for A Climate Conversation documentary, describes the film as an antidote to climate alarmism. Created by fifth-generation Coloradan geophysicist Walt Johnson and Denver filmmaker Colton Moyer, the documentary uses a Socratic method to examine climate science through honest questions rather than political rhetoric.
O’Rourke explains that achieving net zero in the United States would cost an estimated $290 trillion, equivalent to U.S. GDP for many years. The film challenges the notion that scientific consensus settles debates, noting that historical consensus once supported flat earth theory. The Colorado premiere screening is scheduled for September 28th at Rockleys Event Center, with all scientists featured in the film attending for a panel discussion.
The documentary correlates warmer periods throughout history, including Minoan, Roman, and Medieval warming periods, with explosions in human flourishing. O’Rourke emphasizes that CO2 benefits to agriculture are well documented, with warming benefits estimated at 76 times greater than harmful weather effects. The film will debut on Newsmax on October 14th following the Colorado premiere.
“What we badly need, science-based answers to honest and simple questions about climate change and what exactly would be the wise remedy to the extent that this really is a significant problem.”
Dave O’Rourke, Media Contact, A Climate Conversation
Retired Air Force Colonel Bill Rutledge walks through Benjamin Franklin’s life, inventions, diplomacy, and warnings on liberty in a special two-hour show.
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