Hickenlooper vetoes urban renewal authority bill
“A bill that would have given Colorado counties more say in how cities redirect tax dollars to redevelopment projects died on the governor’s desk Friday afternoon.
#City and county officials here now expect the long statewide debate over cities’ use of tax increment financing to continue.
#”There needs to be a day of reckoning here,” Routt County Commissioner Doug Monger said Monday after the bill was vetoed by Gov. John Hickenlooper. “I fully believe we’ll be seeing this discussion again next year, which I welcome.”
#House Bill 1375 was passed by the Legislature and sought to reform how cities use urban renewal authorities and tax increment financing to restore or improve blighted areas.
#The city of Steamboat used both tools to revitalize the base of Steamboat Ski Area with such things as a promenade and other infrastructure.
#But several Colorado legislators said this year the process was in need of reform because it has been abused statewide by other cities over the years.
#The bill would have required municipalities to contribute as much of a proportion of their sales tax revenue to a project as they did property tax if a deal could not be reached with their county.
#It also would have given counties the power to appoint a member on a city’s URA board.”
Franz, Scott. Craig Daily Press 9 June 2014.