Below are current and previous messages to the public provided by the Douglas County Commissioners.
Below are current and previous messages to the public provided by the Douglas County Commissioners.
You may have heard about the lawsuit Douglas County Commissioners joined against the State of Colorado, and you may be wondering why.
Watch this video to hear directly from your elected leaders about why they joined this lawsuit and stand opposed to Senate Bill 23-303 and the resulting Proposition HH.
The lawsuit filed against the State of Colorado challenges Senate Bill 23-303 and Proposition HH due to single-subject and “clear title” violations. Joining the original plaintiffs, the Commissioners and Douglas County seek that the bill should be declared void and unconstitutional, precluding its implementation and enforcement; or, as an alternative, that the ballot title should be corrected “to provide a clear, detailed and politically neutral explanation of its contents.”
The lawsuit alleges that the bill title does not clearly express the subject of the bill and is misleading; that Proposition HH title does not clearly express the subject of the ballot measure; the ballot measure does not have a single subject; and that both violate the state’s single subject rule for legislation and clear intent provisions in violation of the Colorado Constitution.
The Board also contends that the measure is not clear, because it does not provide the actual rates for property tax changes or projections for reductions in revenue.
Specifically, the bill and ballot titles both fail to include any numbers concerning the property tax assessment rates, and do not clearly inform voters that the property tax assessment reduction is minimal.
Colorado law and precedent require that voters be informed of significant changes to law and of relevant numbers when they are asked to vote on a ballot measure.
Douglas County invites all property owners to stay engaged during the many scheduled community conversations via live town hall meetings yet to come. For more information, visit us at douglas.co.us and search live town halls; email at bocc@douglas.co.us; or call the Board at 303-660-7401.
It’s time to separate fact from fiction.
Fact: We are committed to the delivery of exceptional public health services to Douglas County consistent with the specific needs of our communities and the following three tracks on which Douglas County has been traveling for the past year to achieve just that:
Fact: The Douglas County Health Department budget will be cost-effective and based on the outcome of these processes, funding for which would be a combination of the County’s general fund, state and federal grants, as well as charges for specific services.
Fact: As we transition to your new, expert-advised but locally-controlled Douglas County Health Department, we remain committed to an outcome that public health in Douglas County will be exceptionally tailored to your unique needs, cost-effective, with no gaps in services. We hope you will stay connected with us as we endeavor to keep you regularly updated regarding your new Douglas County Health Department. You may subscribe to receive updates and receive the news first by visiting douglas.co.us/subscribe-now.
Respectfully,
Board of Douglas County Commissioners
As the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, we believe that open and transparent government requires that the business of County government should be open to effective public review. This includes access to information as well as the knowledge of the ability to participate in public discussion.
As such we support:
For more detailed information about the Board’s adherence to principles of governance please visit review the Board of County Commissioners Policy Governance Manual.
We welcome your ideas and comments by phone 303-660-7401 or e-mail bocc@douglas.co.us
Sincerely,
Abe Laydon, George Teal and Lora Thomas