Editorial: New legislation doesn’t address urban renewal fairness
“With the arrival of July, a whole slate of new laws in the Colorado General Assembly have taken effect. Laws affecting the recreational marijuana industry, Internet postings and the statute of limitations for vehicular homicides were among the 50 new pieces of legislation that went into effect after passage earlier this year.
It’s worth noting, however, one piece of legislation that passed through both houses of the Colorado General Assembly but was vetoed by Gov. John Hickenlooper.
House Bill 1375, sponsored by Minority Leader Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland, would have changed the rules regarding the representation of urban renewal authorities and reconfigured how money generated from them would be distributed.
Urban renewal authorities allow cities to work with developers to rejuvenate property that had otherwise become “blighted.” Those authorities can use increased property tax revenues — generated by the greater value of the rejuvenated properties — to pay for improvements within the renewal area.
However, counties usually get left out of the deal, having to provide more services while their share of the property taxes is flat while the urban renewal authority is in effect. If a development includes many new restaurants, for instance, the county will have to inspect them, but without any new money for inspectors.”
Reporter Herald 1 July 2014.