DENVER — Tens of thousands of Coloradans are protesting soaring property valuations that threaten to take out a lot more from people's pockets than in previous tax years.
The sharp rise in protests also means a significant increase in the workload for county assessors and their staffers and, later, for county commissioners and district courts that ultimately have the final say on how much tax liability each property owner faces.
> The video above aired April 26: Why Colorado property tax bills are going up
In Arapahoe County, the commissioners extended the deadline to send "notices of determination" — the assessor's initial response to the tax protests — to Aug. 15, instead of June 30. The county saw a nearly 600% increase in protests this year compared to 2021, the last time property values were appraised for taxing purposes.
Unlike some states, Colorado does not cap the property valuation in determining tax liability, which means a 40% increase in market valuation translates to roughly the same amount in tax valuation increase, with some adjustments for mill levy hikes or decreases made by local jurisdictions and an assessment ratio decrease adopted by the state.
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