Did you know that your local City Council can lower your property taxes?
Yes, your city council, county commissioners and special districts can lower your Mill Levy rate!
And these local governments will be deciding later this year if they should lower these Mill Levies.
Now is the time for you to get prepared to protest your property tax levy.
And, if possible, work with your city council members to put together a plan to lower the mill levy in your community this year!
In this video, Natalie Menten walks you through a step-by-step process of how you can get the information to present to your local elected representatives.
Example Resolution from the video:
Create a resolution to share with your elected representatives. Make your own as it varies.
Here’s an example:
- Whereas, Lakewood’s total taxable property value has increased ____% (+24.3%) over the last two years, __________ over the last ______ years and
- Whereas, the taxable values result in higher property taxes and bear financial harm to residents, businesses, and consumers in property tax bills payable 2024, and
- Whereas, Lakewood City Charter requires the 2024 budget and 2023 Mill Levy to be adopted by the first day of November, and
- Whereas, Lakewood City Council has the statutory duty to certify the ad valorem property tax levy to the Jefferson County Commissioners no later than December 15 each year, and
- Whereas, 2023 proposed ballot issue Proposition HH doesn’t include a property tax cap for the City of Lakewood or other home-rule jurisdictions, and
- Whereas, the City of Lakewood should follow the lead of other jurisdictions such as the counties of Mesa and Garfield, and other property tax jurisdictions, by evaluating the mill levy following this period of increased property values which raise the tax burden to owners, and
- Whereas, property taxes are a factor in housing affordability and such tax assessments should be limited to promote financial stability, and
- Whereas, the City of Lakewood has retained nearly $38 million dollars in Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) rebates due to a temporary waiver from revenue limits for years 2017-2022 which includes an additional $7 million above the initial 2022 budget, and those over-collected taxes would otherwise have been refunded to taxpayers, and
- Whereas, prior to the temporary TABOR rebate forfeiture, the over-collected taxes were refunded by reducing the property tax levy in years 2015-2017 and reducing property fees to owners in prior years, and
- Whereas, the City of Lakewood’s ability to withhold TABOR rebates from taxpayers extends through December 31, 2025, and
- Whereas, the City of Lakewood did not reduce the mill levy for years 2019-2022 resulting in 24% more in tax revenue over a three-year period, an average 8% per year, while private sector salary increases hovered around 4% per year, and
- Whereas, city sales tax collections increase directly due to the recent inflated cost of goods creating a compounded additional amount of revenue to the city funds while taking more from taxpayers, and
- Whereas, the Lakewood City Charter 12.12 states that the City Council should not levy an ad valorem tax on taxable property in an amount greater than was levied in the preceding year plus seven percent, with exceptions, and
- The mill levy should be reduced to __________________________
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