HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996 Resolution No. 088RESOLUTION NO. if
SERIES OF 1996
A RESOLUTION OPPOSING THE PASSAGE OF AMENDMENT 11 lN THE 1996
ELECTION WHICH IS A PROPOSAL TO SUBJECT REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY
NONPROFIT AND RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS TO ,\.D VALOREM PROPERTY
TAXATION .
WHEREAS, Colorado exempts property owned and used exduaively for religious or
charitable purposes from property taxation; and
WHEREAS, Amendment 11 proposes to largely rev •ne this long-standing
cor atitutionat tradition; and
WHEREAS , under Amendment U, real estate owned by private nonprofit entities and
used for the following purposes will be taxable: churches and other religious institutions,
ce meteries, fraternal and veterans organizations, hospitals and clinics, blood banks, little
leagues, hospices, senioT or1tanizations , gi rl and boy scouts , arts and cultural facilities,
job training and rehabilitation programs, etc.; and
WHEREAS, the state estimates that a pproximately 7,500 properties will become taxable
and the religious or charitable organizations that own them will be compelled to pay at least
SiO million dollars in new taxes; and
\VHEREAS, gi ven the complicated dynamics involving the Gallagher Amendment and
other factors, it is projected that the a ddition of all this religious and nouprofit property to
the tax rolls will result in so me minor ta, relief for other nonr1!11idential property owners
around the state, but no real savings fo r residential property owners; and
WHEREAS . local governments are prohibited by the proposed initiative from realizing
"11)' net property tax revenue gain as a result of the expanded tax base; and
WHEREAS, it is important to note that Amendmen t 11 will not disturb the tax exemption
for real property owned by local gove rnm ents themselves and therefore will not have a
direct fiscal impact on municipa lities; and
\VHEREAS , the passage of this cons titutional a mendm ent will result in a number of
negative indirect co nsequences fo r municip aliti es; a nd
WHEREAS , as more and more people come to the realization the ,.go vernment" cannot
provide the answen for all of the problems that plague thei r communities, more
municipalities are looking ways to share responsibilities for servic es, not just \\ith the
private sector , but with the "third sector" that is comprised of religious institutions.
chari table and philanthropic groups and other nonprofit, co mmunity-based organizations;
and
WHERE.AS. municipaliti es anc! such groups are ofte n natural allies in work.mg towa rd
the adequ ate delivery of soc ial, medi ca l, cultu ra l ar,d rca tio nal services. especially for
their yo ungest and old es t citizens; and
WHEREAS , e,·ef)' doll ar diverted from nonprofit gro u ps to pay taxes w1ll be one less
do ~r to mee t these co mm on co mm unity objec ti ves; nnd
WHEREAS, if the nonprofit organizatio!lll are less capable of serving, it does not
nrcessarily follow that the demand for their services will simply go away; and
WHEREAS , more likely, the demand will simply de redirected to local governments
themselves , creating even greater stress on municipal budgets;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
ENGLEWOOD , COLORADO, THAT :
S!s1ilm.J.. The City Council of the City of Ei,gl ewood , Colorado oppos es the passage of
Amendment 11 in the November 1996 Election .
ADOPI'ED AND APPROVED this ;l__"'#;ay of ~ 1996.
I. Loucris bia A. Ellis, City Clerk fll,Uh e City of Englewood,
above is a true co py of Resolution N<O..L , Seri es of 1996.
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