City Council Agenda and Packet 1997 01 14

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CML Legislative Workshop Don't forget to register for the CML Legislative Workshop scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30, 1997. For more on the work- shop, see page 11, and look for registration details in future issues of Statehouse Report and the CML Newsletter. CML's Growth Committee, chaired by Glenwood Springs Councilmember Lou Trapini, continues to study this issue to help determine what the municipal pos- ture on takings and other land use items should be in 1997. Rep. Bob Hagedorn, D- Aurora, will likely reintroduce a version of his HB 96 -1124, which would have required local governments to submit to a media- tion process whenever a regulation "dis- proportionately affects" someone's prop- erty. CML opposed his measure (taken generally from a recently- enacted Florida law) on the grounds that it imposed numerous unfunded procedural mandates on local governments in con- nection with the process set forth in the bill. It was killed on second reading on the House floor. At a minimum, municipal officials are encouraged to remind legislators about the importance of local control over land use policies. What is essential for city and town officials is to forge solid lines of communication and a sense of trust with legislators on land use issues. Please keep League staff posted on potential land use disputes or controver- sies in your own community. Tax policy Will there be tax reform, tax relief, or both? Expect to see Rep. Larry Schwarz, R- Wetmore, reintroduce his legislation exempting certain valuations from the personal property tax. Others may follow suit. This move will be strongly supported by the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI) and the National Federation of Independent. Businesses (NFIB). Unclear to local officials is how the lost revenue will be made up. This is what caused the governor to veto the bill last session at the request of local govern- ment interests, including CML. In the area of tax reform, there may be legislative attempts to try to develop a tax policy study. Feeley championed this cause in 1996. Senate President Norton may introduce legislation setting up a tax data collection effort at the state and local level. Sen. Ben Alexander, R- Montrose, may attempt to eliminate the reliance upon the property, tax and substitute other revenue sources for it. Finally, expect to see taxation of posses- sory interests and agricultural property assessments surface again during the session. School construction needs A big part of the school finance debate in 1997 will be whether the Legislature should establish a program, to aid school districts with their construction and facility needs, estimated to exceed $2.5 billion over the next several years. Lawmakers are still divided over whether this is an appropriate area for state funding in the School Finance Act and whether local school districts should be left to sort out this issue locally. The vast majority of school districts with such bond issues on the Nov. 5 ballot passed. House Majority Leader Anderson and Sen. Joan Johnson, D- Thornton, will carry a constitutional amendment to redirect lottery proceeds away from GOCO and local governments (via a reduction in the Conservation Trust Fund shareback) into a new grant pro- gram for school capital needs. CML will strongly oppose this measure. It is unclear just how much support there is, if any, for this amendment within the school finance lobby. It will take a two- thirds vote of the Leg- islature to place this on the ballot. Electric deregulation Rep. Paul Schauer, R- Littleton, will be carrying legislation again to restructure certain aspects of the electric utility industry. A bill he carried last session died in his own House committee. A coalition of utility and consumer inter- ests opposed the legislation, as well as CML. This is also an issue at the federal level, championed mainly by Con- 4 CML Statehouse Report December 6, 1996