A5EE21267F2A88F0872582C8006003BA Hearing Summary

Dianne Criswell, Legislative and Policy Advocate, Colorado Municipal League (CML), and Geoff Wilson, Special Counsel, Murray Dahl Kuechnenmeister Renaud LLP, provided an update on a project to encourage municipalities to adopt a set of standard definitions for purpose of assessing sales and use taxes.  Ms. Criswell and Mr. Wilson shared date about the municipalities that have adopted standard definitions.

Ms. Criswell explained that CML is trying to remove as many obstacles to adopting the standard definitions as possible.  Mr. Wilson said he has worked with several municipalities to make necessary changes to the definitions in order to avoid a TABOR election.

Ms. Criswell and Mr. Wilson addressed task force member questions.  Ms. Criswell discussed her experience in Washington joining the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement and said that it took eight to ten years to streamline.  She said that CML can encourage its members to adopt standard definitions, but that adopting these definitions is optional.  She also discussed some of the challenges municipalities face in adopting standard definitions. 

Mr. Wilson responded to a concern raised by members of the task force that the new definitions can sometimes expand the tax base of a municipality.

The committee recessed for lunch.