Lakewood voters to decide on eliminating taxpayer protections in November

Freedom Unaffiliated

Lakewood voters to decide on eliminating taxpayer protections in November

By Savana Kascak

LAKEWOOD–The Lakewood City Council in August referred a measure to the November 5 ballot asking voters to permanently eliminate revenue limitations in place under the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Despite some complicated ballot wording, a yes vote on the measure boils down to an end to refunds of taxes over-collected by the city for good starting in 2026.

TABOR is a constitutional amendment that, among other things, limits the growth of local government spending to a reasonable annual rate based on inflation and local economic growth. Excess revenue must be returned to taxpayers unless voters give permission to exceed those limits. The Lakewood measure would allow city government to keep and spend revenue that would otherwise be refunded in perpetuity.

But according to Lakewood resident Natalie Menten, the city has paid $65,000 to a political strategy firm in an effort to word the ballot question in an intentionally misleading way.

Menten, who is also running for a Jefferson County Commissioner seat, has a long history advocating for taxpayers, having previously led the repeal of the grocery tax in Lakewood, as well as the defeat of two previous attempts by Jefferson County to eliminate TABOR limits.

“When I say I’m a taxpayer’s government watchdog, that is true, I have saved taxpayers millions,” notes Menten, who questions the true motives of the Lakewood City Council in asking for a permanent end the revenue limits.

“They are ignoring TABOR and presenting it to the voters in a fraudulent type of way and that shows very little respect to the voters” Menten said, “What it really does is eliminate the consent of future voters, forever.”

Menten says that the council is also pitting homeowners against renters, claiming the only way they can give a TABOR refund is if homeowners get it and renters don’t.

Lakewood residents have previously received TABOR rebates in the form of a property tax reduction, as well as a temporarily reduced fee charged to property owners.

But, according to Menten, the city could also refund overpayed taxes through things such as a temporary sales tax reduction, or lower vehicle registration fees.

“The city could easily give refunds that include all taxpaying Lakewood residents, renters as well well as property owners, but instead they wanted to present inaccurate and misleading information,” Menten said, noting that there should be another TABOR rebate coming to Lakewood taxpayers starting in 2025 should voters reject the November ballot measure.

Lakewood voters will also see several other TABOR related questions on the November ballot, as Jefferson County is also asking for permanent lifting of TABOR revenue restrictions, as is the Regional Transportation District (RTD), which includes Lakewood as part of its jurisdiction.