
This election in Colorado is following comparable patterns of tax and spend. I want considered one of these elections we may vote to cut back taxes and spending! Did voters in Denver approve 1 billion in new spending? What ski city proposed a 17% quick time period rental tax? What different large election outcomes do that you must find out about that can influence actual property?
State stage poll initiatives ( each handed)
There are two statewide poll initiatives specializing in offering free lunches to all children. The premise behind each is to make rich taxpayers choose up the tab at no cost lunches.
- Proposition LL: With out elevating taxes, could the state maintain and spend all income generated by the 2022 voter- permitted state tax deduction limits on people with incomes of $300,000 or extra and preserve these deduction limits so as to proceed funding the wholesome faculty meals for all program, which pays for public faculties to supply free breakfast and lunch to all college students in kindergarten via twelfth grade. That is very deceptive as technically they aren’t elevating taxes, they’re simply maintaining extra money that might have been refunded as a result of Taxpayer Invoice of Rights, so this can be a tax improve as you’re getting much less a reimbursement
- Proposition MM: SHALL STATE TAXES BE INCREASED BY $95 MILLION ANNUALLY BY A CHANGE TO THE COLORADO REVISED STATUTES TO SUPPORT ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD FOR COLORADO KIDS AND FAMILIES, INCLUDING THE HEALTHY SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL PROGRAM, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, INCREASING STATE TAXABLE INCOME ONLY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A FEDERAL TAXABLE INCOME OF $300,000 OR MORE BY LIMITING ITEMIZED OR STANDARD STATE INCOME TAX DEDUCTIONS TO $1,000 FOR SINGLE TAX RETURN FILERS AND $2,000 FOR JOINT TAX RETURN FILERS FOR THE PURPOSES OF FULLY FUNDING THE HEALTHY SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL PROGRAM. That is additionally a tax improve on the rich.
These measures sadly are the start of a worrying pattern in Colorado. No matter your tackle wholesome meals, this can be a dangerous precedent to proceed to concentrate on excessive earnings earners to fund each social program. Ultimately these excessive earnings earners transfer and go to different states which can be extra tax pleasant leaving large issues for the state of Colorado; we’ve seen this play out in California and New York.
Denver poll initiatives (all handed)
Vibrant Denver bond would offer one billion {dollars} for shelters, roads, libraries, the kitchen sink and every little thing in between. The Bond is roofed in Measures 2A-2E which asks Denver voters to approve a bond package deal of just about 1 billion. Every measure begins the identical, with out growing taxes :< I hope everybody understands that somebody goes to pay for the 1 billion in bonds as Denver makes use of different income to fund these tasks. On the finish of the day taxpayers are on the hook for 1 billion and if tax revenues fall from different areas like a lower in property taxes as a consequence of declining values you possibly can guess that Denver should increase taxes to cowl the shortfall on account of 1 billion extra owed to collectors.
Key Colorado ski/mountain city election outcomes
- Eagle County nightly rental taxes (PASSED): Poll measure 1A: SHALL EAGLE COUNTY LODGING TAXES BE INCREASED BY $4,500,000 ANNUALLY COMMENCING ON JANUARY 1, 2026, AND BY WHATEVER ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS ARE RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, BY INCREASING THE LODGING TAX RATE FROM TWO PERCENT (2%) TO FOUR PERCENT (4%), SUCH TAX TO BE LEVIED ON THE RENTAL FEE, PRICE, OR OTHER CONSIDERATION PAID OR CHARGED FOR THE LEASING, RENTAL,SALE OR FURNISHING OF A ROOM OR ACCOMMODATION FOR A SHORT- TERM PERIOD OF LESS THAN THIRTY (30) CONSECUTIVE DAYS
- Metropolis of Vail (FAILED BY 30 VOTES): Poll measure 2A: SHALL TOWN OF VAIL TAXES BE INCREASED $8,700,000 IN THE FIRST FULL FISCAL YEAR AND BY WHATEVER AMOUNTS ARE RAISED ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, BY THE LEVY OF A NEW TAX ON SHORT-TERM RENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS AT A RATE OF SIX PERCENT (6%) OF THE TOTAL CONSIDERATION PAID FOR SUCH ACCOMMODATIONS, TO TAKE EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 2026. Notice this might improve the lodging tax to a complete of 16.8% (at present the speed is 10.8%).
- On a aspect be aware, Airbnb had bankrolled the marketing campaign to defeat this poll initiative; I used to be very stunned that this initiative failed on the poll field, however with how shut it was, search for it to come back again to life in an upcoming election.
Littleton housing density rollback (handed)
Littleton 3A is an attention-grabbing initiative. Littleton voters permitted a poll measure enshrining single-family zoning within the metropolis’s constitution, successfully blocking native officers from permitting denser types of housing throughout many of the southern Denver suburb. The brand new amend the town constitution, which might take away the council’s means to vary the single-family zoning code with out voter approval.
The modification would put the town out of compliance with state legislation, rolling again a neighborhood ordinance permitting accent dwelling items, or granny flats, in single-family neighborhoods. It will additionally make it troublesome for Littleton to fulfill the state’s new necessities for housing density close to transit.
Steamboat council make-up
I believed the Steamboat election was attention-grabbing as two members of council had been changed with new members that had been prioritizing locals over development and specifically they each look like very skeptical of the present council route particularly on reasonably priced housing.
2025 election is a rinse and repeat cycle in Colorado
Sadly, Colorado continues to elect politicians which can be on the fixed cycle of tax after which spend greater than you tax in order that you must ask for much more taxes! This cycle is very true in Denver and there’s no finish till taxes get so excessive that voters lastly say sufficient is sufficient. The mountain cities usually are not immune persevering with to spend greater than they soak up then designating a disaster so as to tax even additional.
This rinse and repeat cycle of tax and spend shouldn’t be sustainable in Colorado or anyplace else. In some unspecified time in the future excessive internet price people and firms determine to maneuver to greener pastures which have much less taxes and comparable high quality of life like Utah, Wyoming, or Montana. We’re already seeing this pattern in Denver with companies relocating and it’ll probably unfold to different components of the state making the spend/tax cycle even worse. Sadly, I see no indication of this spend/tax cycle ending till one thing large breaks in a metropolis’s finances.
Extra Studying/Sources:
- https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/Initiatives/poll/contacts/2025.html
- https://www.kunc.org/information/2025-10-25/vails-proposed-short-term-rental-tax-draws-big-money-opposition-led-by-airbnbs-30-000-contribution
- https://www.eaglecounty.us/departments___services/clerk___recorder/elections___voter_information/coordinated_election,_nov_4,_2025.php#collapse60170b8
- https://coloradosun.com/2025/11/04/littleton-ballot-question-3a-results/
- https://coloradohardmoney.com/what-does-colorados-debt-mean-for-real-estate-prices/
- https://coloradohardmoney.com/are-politics-leading-to-lower-denver-house-prices/
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