This memorandum provides a checklist of items to consider when evaluating legislation that creates or alters a tax expenditure. The items provided are listed under the following headings: incentives matter; distribution of income; ease of taxpayer compliance; transparency; Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) and the General Fund budget; local government impacts; and ease of administraton.
This issue brief provides information on mechanisms used to refund revenue in excess of the state's constitutional spending limit. The legislature determines how the excess revenue is refunded. Over the course of TABOR's history, there have been 21 different refund mechanisms.
Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires voter approval of any new taxes. Prior to voter approval, it also requires that voters receive estimates of state spending without new taxes and the new tax revenue. This issue brief provides background information on one of the consequences of actual collections differing from what was provided to voters.
Colorado's cities and towns face some of the most restrictive constitutional limits on spending and taxing found in the nation. First, the Gallagher amendment has eroded municipal property tax bases by reducing the residential assessment ratio. In addition the TABOR amendment imposed revenue and spending limits. The impacts of both these amendments, working together and separately have changed municipal governance significantly.
