The vacancy tax idea has been tossed around Colorado state and local governments for a few years now. There isn’t enough housing for Colorado residents and second homes are just sitting empty. If there is an extra tax for the owners of those homes, maybe the owners would consider renting it out to a local instead. Maybe the owners would sell it to a local. Maybe neither would happen, but then the extra tax could fund housing for locals. There is currently a vacancy tax bill being discussed at the state level in Colorado. It’s up to owners of Colorado properties to tell state lawmakers their opinion about the vacancy tax bill now.
House Bill 36
The Colorado HB26-1036 gives local municipalities the option to impose a vacancy tax. Apparently, there is concern that the Colorado constitution does not allow local lawmakers to charge a vacancy tax. This bill allows local governments to choose to create a vacancy tax bill and let the voters decide whether or not to implement it. This bill does not create a vacancy tax, it just allows one to be created at the local level. It also allows for a local government to determine how long a home should sit empty to be considered vacant for the purpose of the tax. It excludes short term rentals from the tax. This bill is still in the introduction stage. It will likely go through many revisions before it becomes a bill that lawmakers will vote on.
Tell your story
As a Colorado voter, we have a say in this. As a non-resident, Colorado property owner, there are no voting rights. That does not mean lawmakers shouldn’t hear those voices too. If you are a Colorado resident or a Colorado property owner with an opinion about this bill, take a few minutes and tell your story to Colorado lawmakers. Let them hear all the voices that this law impacts. Let them know what it means for the state of Colorado. Tell them what it means for your Colorado property.
Colorado lawmakers
This bill is sponsored by Brianna Titone that represents District 27 in Jefferson County and Elizabeth Velasco representing District 57 in Eagle, Pitkin & Garfield counties. Julie McCluskie is the representative for Summit County as well as Grand, Jackson, Lake & Park counties, District 13. As a Colorado resident, call the representative for your own district too. There are 65 Representatives in the Colorado House. Choose one or several to tell your story to. It might be too early to contact Colorado Senators or the Governor regarding this bill. It might not make it out of the House. However, it’s not a bad thing to let them know we are paying attention and voicing our opinion about the vacancy tax bill.
There is a recent article about the vacancy tax bill in the Summit Daily.
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