The Citizens’ Tax Cut Gains Momentum

The Citizens' Tax Cut – the statewide plan to cut and cap property taxes – is gaining support across the state this summer. The plan is winning support because it's rooted in common sense and directly addresses taxpayers' concerns about Colorado's current property tax crisis.

First, the plan cuts taxes back to 2022 levels before the current tax spike hit. Then, it caps future increases at 4 percent, ensuring that the government can't grow faster than taxpayers' wages.

The plan also backfills local revenue losses by using a small portion of the state's $40 billion budget to safeguard local services including public safety and emergency services.

The plan has no impact on revenue for public schools. Advance Colorado's efforts have secured over 100 media hits nation-wide. And leaders are publishing op-eds focused on the benefits of The Citizens' Tax Cut for Colorado homeowners.

This week, proponents turned in nearly 200,000 voter signatures to place Initiative 108 -- the tax cut portion of the plan -- on the November ballot. The tax cap initiative is already certified for the ballot.

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Ballot Measures Earn Nearly

600,000 Voter Signatures

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Ballot measures that cut property taxes, protect school choice rights and keep violent criminals in jail earned a total of nearly 600,000 voter signatures to ensure they appear on the November ballot.

Proponents of the ballot initiatives turned in petitions this week for the three measures, each with approximately 200,000 signatures:

Initiative 108 cuts property taxes back to near-2022 levels, part of the Citizens’ Tax Cut. A separate measure to cap future tax increases at 4 percent has already qualified for the ballot.

Initiative 138 safeguards Coloradans’ existing rights by placing a basic right to school choice in the state Constitution.

Initiative 112 ensures Truth In Sentencing by requiring the state’s most violent criminals to serve 85 percent of their sentences before being eligible for parole. This would be an increase from the current 46 percent average)– a key reason why Colorado has the 4^th highest recidivism rate in the nation.

Model Policy Study Delivered

to Local Government Officials

Advance Colorado's groundbreaking, in-depth look at policy innovations effectively tackling some of our state's toughest issues—including challenges of crime, homelessness, and mental health—has been sent to locally elected officials. The report titled Closer To Home was specifically designed to highlight policies that can be replicated across Colorado.

The report drew attention from Colorado media – including local television in Denver.

Read the Report

Why School Choice Must Be In The Constitution

A new Advance Colorado study makes a detailed case for placing the right to school choice in the state Constitution, providing this popular and effective system with strong legal protections against annual state and local ideologically driven assaults.

The study, "Protecting Educational Freedom," was authored by Advance Colorado Policy Analyst Michael Tsogt.

"School choice in Colorado has a decades-long record of popularity among families and educators, opening doors for students to choose schools that better suit their needs, and that popularity has been backed by bipartisan support at the State Capitol," the study states. "Despite this, school choice faces an annual barrage of legislative assaults – including an existential threat to charter schools this year. The most effective way to protect school choice is to put this basic right into the state Constitution."

This week, proponents delivered more than 200,000 voter signatures to place this measure on the November ballot.

Michael Tsogt authored a major oped in the Denver Gazette discussing the report.

Read the Report

Sign Up for the New Leader Program!

The deadline to apply for this year's cohort of our New Leader Program is August 9th. Do you know somebody who might make a fantastic conservative leader in their community?

The Advance Colorado New Leader Program is the perfect opportunity for individuals seeking a leadership role at the local or state level, the boardroom, the classroom, or within their own neighborhood. New Leaders will take part in a 5-week program designed to motivate and sharpen the fundamental skills all leaders need to succeed. Participants will learn from and engage with a host of subject matter experts who can help promote leaders to the highest level of competence.

New Leaders will also be given the opportunity to network with experts and elected officials who have seen the good, weathered the storms, and achieved success at all levels of leadership. At the conclusion of the 5-week program, New Leaders will be given access to a rich library of resources to continue on their road to success as well as become part of a robust network that will encourage and support them throughout their leadership journey.

Apply Today

Advance Colorado Academy Alumni

Win Big on Election Day

Congratulations to the 19 alumni of Advance Colorado Academy who were victorious during June's primary election:

Gabe Evans – 8th Congressional District

Kristi Burton Brown - State Board of Education

Yazmin Navarro - State Board of Education

Lisa Frizell - State Senate

Robyn Carnes - State Senate

Pedro Espinoza - State Senate

Rose Pugliese - State House of Representatives

Scott Bottoms - State House of Representatives

Dan Woog - State House of Representatives

Heidi Pitchforth - State House of Representatives

Jeffrey Patty - State House of Representatives

Matt Burcham - State House of Representatives

Anthony Hartstook - State House of Representatives

Ryan Gonzales - State House of Representatives

Rick Taggart - State House of Representatives

Dusty Johnson – State House of Representatives

Ryan Armagost – State House of Representatives

George Brauchler – District Attorney

Cody Davis - Mesa County Commissioner

Policy Agenda Scores Capitol Victories & Creates Momentum for Ballot Measures

Advance Colorado's common-sense policy agenda scored several victories in enacting center-right measures, despite overwhelming liberal control of the Legislature. Among the successes in the 120 day legislative session were bills enhancing school choice for military families, focusing on higher education credits for practical work experience, preventing government from seizing taxpayers' home equity in a foreclosure and making the Senior Property Tax Exemption permanent.

We also pushed hard for anti-crime and property tax cut measures that were not successful in the legislative process. The focus on Truth in Sentencing and the Citizens' Tax Cut plan to cut and cap property taxes provided public attention – and momentum – for these measures to appear on the 2024 ballot.

Advance Colorado was also very active in defeating anti-taxpayer, anti-parent legislation through aggressive advocacy in the media and with the grassroots. Among the proposals that were killed included bills that aimed to eliminate charter schools and to massively and illegally increase taxes on short-term rental properties across the state.

Listen to Our Latest Podcast!

In our latest Advance Colorado Rundown, Advance Colorado President Michael Fields and Vice President Sean Duffy discuss the Citizens' Tax Cut – and how liberals are freaking out at how popular this property tax cut and cap plan is becoming across the state.

Listen Now

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