Overview

• Republicans in the Colorado House blame three measures passed this spring—HB25-1296, SB25-173 and HJR25-1023—for altering revenue calculations and draining the TABOR surplus.
• Democratic officials attribute the refund loss to federal tax law changes enacted last month, estimating those cuts removed nearly $1 billion from the state’s tax base.
• Gov. Jared Polis has begun mailing “Colorado Cash Back” checks even as opponents contend the branding masks underlying policy shifts that narrowed refund eligibility.
• Lawmakers have scheduled a mid-August special session to explore revenue-raising options, spending cuts or reserve transfers to close the growing budget gap.
• House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese published an op-ed urging Coloradans to pressure Democratic legislators to roll back measures she argues weakened TABOR protections.