The confusing directives of CO school financing

Mark Counch's article "Poorest pay more school taxes," in the April 9th Denver Post is a facsinating analysis of the impacts of competing constitutional ammendents on school financing in Colorado.

The article discusses how state goals of equilizing per student funding across the state combined with the constitutional amendments such as TABOR, Gallagher, and Amendment 23 have created an odd financing equation that ironically eases school spending demands on wealthier communities more than poorer ones.

As the article illustrates, since at least1993, "Colorado taxpayers have picked up an increasing share of the cost of educating children in some of the state's wealthiest school districts. Although the state's share of school bills in poorer districts has also grown, homeowners in those districts are paying higher property-tax bills than they used to pay."

Although the amendments all seemed like good ideas at the time, their combination and location in the state constitution will continue to create headaches for legislators, the Governor, and taxpayers for the forseeable future.

Read the full article . . .

Read Ten Years of Tabor by The Bell Policy Center (PDF)


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