August 23, 2024 • 14 mins
REP. LISA FRIZELL JOINS ME TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIAL SESSION NEXT WEEK As she represents people in Douglas County like me whose property taxes went up like 40%. As a former county assessor she's got special insight here. She's also running for Senate right now and you can support her by clicking here.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
There is going to be a lot of stuff at
the Capitol and they're going to be trying to sort
out a property tax compromise that would lead to Michael
Fields from Advance Colorado. We talked to Christy Burton Brown
about this last week about what Advanced, because she's with
Advance as well, and they seem to feel confident that
(00:23):
they are going to be able to strike a deal
that would inspire them to pull these ballot measures off
the ballot. And joining me now is a member of
the House, Colorado House who also has a lot of
knowledge about this particular issue because she was the former
county assessor for Douglas County. Lisa Frazelle, Welcome to the show,
and let's start there. Let's start with your experience as
(00:44):
a counting assessor, because your county of which I am
a part got crushed by these property tax increases. Mine
went up forty percent four d percent. So what do
you bring as an assessor to this conversation that maybe
you think is lacking.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, I'm able and Mandy, thanks so much for having
me on.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It's great to talk to you today.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
You know, I bring a lot of kind of the
nuts and bolts detail understanding of how this process works,
this property tax, property valuation process works. And so for example,
when we're talking about changing the rates the assessment rates
for non residential property, for some reason, I just think
(01:32):
this is really unfortunate. The draft bill, and actually the
bill is, it's going to be introduced on Monday, by
ricates non residential property by class. So it gives one
assessment rate for commercial property, another assessment rate for industrial property,
another assessment rate for vacant land. And that is extremely
(01:55):
confusing to people, and especially those property owners, and and
it's kendidly just ridiculous. So I'm hoping too, I'm going
to be running in anmendment to fix that, hopefully that
the bill sponsors will do that themselves, that I don't
actually think that they're planning on doing that. Now.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
You are a member of the Republican Party. You are
hopelessly outnumbered in the House of Representatives right now. But
have you been privy to any of the conversations that
are happening right now in advance of the special session.
I have a story on the blog today that apparently
the Democratic Caucus has been meeting quite often in private,
which I find very very very concerning because because of
(02:35):
their majorities, there's a chance that anything that comes out
of those private meetings could end up being the legislation.
Have you been privy to any of those conversations? Is
anybody talking to you from the Democratic Party and getting
your input?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
No?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Oh, well, okay, then I thought there's going to be
more to that answer, like, yes, but it's early in
the you know, And so do you think they're going
to be able to get this compromise that I'm not
even sure who negotiated this compromise in the first place.
I'm a little clear. I'm not clear on the history
of where this sort of compromise that we're taking into
(03:12):
the special session came from.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah. So I think that's a great question, and it's
also one that I'm not completely clear on either. And
I apologize for my abrupt answer before, but literally no,
I have not done at the table in this conversation.
I was very much part of the conversation with two
thirty three, which passed on the last day of session.
Put my name on that bill because I believe that
(03:36):
we were working to create a really solid framework. I
also didn't believe that it went far enough, but we
negotiated Barbara Kirkmeyer and Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer and I negotiated
with the Democrats really strenuously, and we were able to
get some great concessions for our citizens. It is really
(03:57):
important to understand that we are in the super minority
in the House and almost a super minority in the
Senate with a Democrat governor, and so the change that
we're actually able to effect is not great. But we
were able to leverage everything that.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
We could and I was you know, I did.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It didn't go far enough, but it was better than
what we had, which was raised rising property taxes. Again,
the thing that's really and this is really important for
your listeners to understand, Mandy, is that Gallagher was repealed
in twenty twenty. That was a bill that the Democrats led,
a referendum coming out of the legislature that the Democrats led.
(04:42):
They promised that they were going to work to replace it.
They have had four years to replace it and they
have not. They have created a band and they created
a band aid in twenty twenty one, they created another
band aid in twenty twenty two, and in twenty twenty three,
we saw the disaster that was proposition ha. And here
(05:02):
we are. And so I am very frustrated listening to
the Democrats today and all last week talk about how
they were being forced to negotiate with Michael Fields in
Colorado Concern.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
If Michael Fields and Colorado Concern, who have been at
the table running initiatives in twenty twenty one to force
the Democrats to come to the table and Laura assessin rates.
In twenty twenty two, they ran initiatives before the title
board to get the Democrats to come to the table
at the end of session and again provide property tax relief.
(05:39):
They did it last year and we got proposition ahh.
They had to do it again. The only reason why
we have had any property tax relief from between today
and twenty twenty is because of Colorado Concern and Michael Fields.
And you know what we should.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Be thinking for I agree, and I find it a
little challenging to hear from people when Michael says, look,
if they pass this bill as we've talked about it,
then we're going to pull these ballot initiatives, and a
lot of people don't understand that. You know, a lot
of people are saying, well, we want to vote on it.
We want to vote on it. It is not a
sure thing. It is not a done deal. It costs
(06:18):
a ton of money. And if you don't think that,
you are going to be swamped with millions and millions
of dollars in advertising against these initiatives. They're going to
tell you that if you pass these, if you vote
for this, we're going to have to fire every teacher
and every police officer in our town. That is exactly
what is going to happen. So it is not a
done deal. It is not a sure thing. And if
(06:39):
we can get a lot of what they're proposing, I'll
take it one hundred percent. I will take it. So, Lisa,
what would you like to see come out of this
special session?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I want Actually, what the governor is asking for is
property tax relief for the citizens of Colorado. We need
to improve on what we started with two thirty three.
We need to not have a lot of theatrics. We
need to not have a lot of statement vanity bills,
(07:09):
which is happening.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
We need to get to work, do this and get out.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
People don't understand these special sessions are expensive. They're very expensive,
and so you know, We've wasted enough taxpayer dollars. Let's
move on.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
So are people filing bills unrelated to this in the
special session or are they filing bills they're somehow what
their version of what they like to have happened.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Both we're seeing bills that are unrelated to the negotiated bill.
There are going to be anywhere from ten to twenty
bill additional bills that are introduced on Monday in both
the House and the Senate. One of the ones that
I find particularly frustrating is coming out of two very
(08:00):
extreme Democrats. And what it does is it says that
the framework from two thirty three and this negotiated bill
only applies to primary residences.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
And I think that's fascinating.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
So it only applies to the primary primary residences and everybody.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Else, you know, has to.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Have pay more. Well, what these are the people who
who are dump putting down their arms about affordable housing
all the time, And what apparently they don't understand is
this particular bill will in and of itself raise rents.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Yeah oh yeah, yeah yeah. And that sounds to me
like they're going after people with short term rental properties. Also,
would they be scooped up in this higher tax rate. Wow,
that's really big. I know that the perception, and there's
probably some truth to it in the mountain towns, that
the short term rental market has distorted the actual market
(09:02):
for long term renters. But a lot of people who
own short term rentals, especially people who are retired. I
met someone fairly recently that owns seven short term rental properties,
and that is her retirement. That is the money that
she brings in. She gets a tiny bit from Social Security,
so if they go after her stuff, that is a
(09:22):
huge hit. But I think that the perception is that
if you want a short term rental, you want a
second house. You're loaded over here and you can pay more.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
And that's the thing. So this has been a really
hot topic in the legislature of the last several sessions.
And what people don't understand is that seventy five percent
of the short term rentals are owned by Colorado residents,
and the vast majority of them are.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Second home ish.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
But they are they pay for themselves by short rentaling,
otherwise they can't afford to have this. And this is
you know, my neighbor next door whose daughter is really
into ski racing and so they have a place up
in winter Park, and they go out there as often
as they can so that they can enjoy the beauty
(10:12):
that is Colorado. But they can't afford that place unless
they supplement it with short term rentals. And that is
the vast majority of those the what the again? These
unintended consequences if you shut down the short term rental market.
If my neighbor can no longer afford to have that
(10:32):
short termental because her property taxes go so.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
High, she has to sell it.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
The short term rental industry is largely responsible for affordable
lodging in our mountain community, and so if you dry
that up, that is going to impact ultimately your sands
tax base because you're not going to have the tourists
coming to enjoy our mountains.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Lisa I got a text here that said, are we
ever will we get what a minute? Is there a
chance that will bring us real relief this year? Or
are we still just talking about future increases.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
So for twenty twenty four, what has been proposed is
just essentially caring forward twenty twenty three's arrangement that the
Democrats crammed down our throats in special session last November
and then next year. Next year is a reappraisal year.
We're looking at fairly flat valuation, very few increases statewide,
(11:41):
so we can expect to see slight decreases in property
taxes based on what we're talking about. And then the plan,
the hope is is that we will remain fairly stable.
We're not going to go down to taxes people paid
two years ago.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Okay, so my forty four increase is going to be
a forty percent increase and there's nothing I can do
about it.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
We would hope that it wasn't that much, but I
feel your pain. I also had a forty actually forty
five percent increase, so I know exactly. And this is
the thing, and I get really frustrated with our local
governments because I was in the tax Commission. I actually
just came from the Tax Commission, the property tax Commission,
(12:26):
and we're hearing from the special districts that you know,
they're going to have.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
To lay they're going to have to lay people off.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
And that's just even with the deal. It's not even
talking about Initiative fifty or one O eight that's talking
they're talking about that here and what they are angling
for is they want state backfill, and we've been down
this road. I am completely opposed to the state getting
into the backfield business or staying in the backfield business
(12:56):
because we've been doing that.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Holy so let me ask you this, and then we're
almost out of time. I think everybody listening is like, okay,
state local governments are going to get a huge increase
in the amount of money that they are going to get.
Yet they are now saying, if we don't get that
huge increase and only get a really really big increase,
(13:17):
we want the state to pay us the difference, even
though they're already getting a huge increase. Yep, Okay, that's
just dumb. I mean, that's just really dumb.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Well and further, this is the thing that really touts
me up is it comes out of the two so
that these backfill dollars come out of tabor surplus, which
should be going where to us.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Well, they're already given our tabor surplus away to everybody else,
all those groups that they've decided or should get my
money instead of me. I can't even talk about that.
That's infuriating. Lisa Frazille. Let's let's touch base next week.
If we could I'll get with the Laurel and kind
of get an update on what's happening, if we could
make that happen. I appreciate your coming on the show today,
(13:56):
and I appreciate you trying to fight for me as
one of your constituents. And I hope that the Democrats listen.
That's all or I you know, the Coloraden people will
handcuff them in such a way that could be really
inconvenient going forward. So I hope the threat of that
hanging over them leads to real action, you know, and
(14:17):
me both.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Mandy, thank you so much. I really appreciate your time
today and I would love to visit next week.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Perfect. That's Representative Lisa Frizzelle. She's also running for Senate,
and I put both of those links for her on
the blog so you can find out more information about
that
There is going to be a lot of stuff at
the Capitol and they're going to be trying to sort
out a property tax compromise that would lead to Michael
Fields from Advance Colorado. We talked to Christy Burton Brown
about this last week about what Advanced, because she's with
Advance as well, and they seem to feel confident that
(00:23):
they are going to be able to strike a deal
that would inspire them to pull these ballot measures off
the ballot. And joining me now is a member of
the House, Colorado House who also has a lot of
knowledge about this particular issue because she was the former
county assessor for Douglas County. Lisa Frazelle, Welcome to the show,
and let's start there. Let's start with your experience as
(00:44):
a counting assessor, because your county of which I am
a part got crushed by these property tax increases. Mine
went up forty percent four d percent. So what do
you bring as an assessor to this conversation that maybe
you think is lacking.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, I'm able and Mandy, thanks so much for having
me on.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It's great to talk to you today.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
You know, I bring a lot of kind of the
nuts and bolts detail understanding of how this process works,
this property tax, property valuation process works. And so for example,
when we're talking about changing the rates the assessment rates
for non residential property, for some reason, I just think
(01:32):
this is really unfortunate. The draft bill, and actually the
bill is, it's going to be introduced on Monday, by
ricates non residential property by class. So it gives one
assessment rate for commercial property, another assessment rate for industrial property,
another assessment rate for vacant land. And that is extremely
(01:55):
confusing to people, and especially those property owners, and and
it's kendidly just ridiculous. So I'm hoping too, I'm going
to be running in anmendment to fix that, hopefully that
the bill sponsors will do that themselves, that I don't
actually think that they're planning on doing that. Now.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
You are a member of the Republican Party. You are
hopelessly outnumbered in the House of Representatives right now. But
have you been privy to any of the conversations that
are happening right now in advance of the special session.
I have a story on the blog today that apparently
the Democratic Caucus has been meeting quite often in private,
which I find very very very concerning because because of
(02:35):
their majorities, there's a chance that anything that comes out
of those private meetings could end up being the legislation.
Have you been privy to any of those conversations? Is
anybody talking to you from the Democratic Party and getting
your input?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
No?
Speaker 1 (02:51):
Oh, well, okay, then I thought there's going to be
more to that answer, like, yes, but it's early in
the you know, And so do you think they're going
to be able to get this compromise that I'm not
even sure who negotiated this compromise in the first place.
I'm a little clear. I'm not clear on the history
of where this sort of compromise that we're taking into
(03:12):
the special session came from.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Yeah. So I think that's a great question, and it's
also one that I'm not completely clear on either. And
I apologize for my abrupt answer before, but literally no,
I have not done at the table in this conversation.
I was very much part of the conversation with two
thirty three, which passed on the last day of session.
Put my name on that bill because I believe that
(03:36):
we were working to create a really solid framework. I
also didn't believe that it went far enough, but we
negotiated Barbara Kirkmeyer and Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer and I negotiated
with the Democrats really strenuously, and we were able to
get some great concessions for our citizens. It is really
(03:57):
important to understand that we are in the super minority
in the House and almost a super minority in the
Senate with a Democrat governor, and so the change that
we're actually able to effect is not great. But we
were able to leverage everything that.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
We could and I was you know, I did.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
It didn't go far enough, but it was better than
what we had, which was raised rising property taxes. Again,
the thing that's really and this is really important for
your listeners to understand, Mandy, is that Gallagher was repealed
in twenty twenty. That was a bill that the Democrats led,
a referendum coming out of the legislature that the Democrats led.
(04:42):
They promised that they were going to work to replace it.
They have had four years to replace it and they
have not. They have created a band and they created
a band aid in twenty twenty one, they created another
band aid in twenty twenty two, and in twenty twenty three,
we saw the disaster that was proposition ha. And here
(05:02):
we are. And so I am very frustrated listening to
the Democrats today and all last week talk about how
they were being forced to negotiate with Michael Fields in
Colorado Concern.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
If Michael Fields and Colorado Concern, who have been at
the table running initiatives in twenty twenty one to force
the Democrats to come to the table and Laura assessin rates.
In twenty twenty two, they ran initiatives before the title
board to get the Democrats to come to the table
at the end of session and again provide property tax relief.
(05:39):
They did it last year and we got proposition ahh.
They had to do it again. The only reason why
we have had any property tax relief from between today
and twenty twenty is because of Colorado Concern and Michael Fields.
And you know what we should.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Be thinking for I agree, and I find it a
little challenging to hear from people when Michael says, look,
if they pass this bill as we've talked about it,
then we're going to pull these ballot initiatives, and a
lot of people don't understand that. You know, a lot
of people are saying, well, we want to vote on it.
We want to vote on it. It is not a
sure thing. It is not a done deal. It costs
(06:18):
a ton of money. And if you don't think that,
you are going to be swamped with millions and millions
of dollars in advertising against these initiatives. They're going to
tell you that if you pass these, if you vote
for this, we're going to have to fire every teacher
and every police officer in our town. That is exactly
what is going to happen. So it is not a
done deal. It is not a sure thing. And if
(06:39):
we can get a lot of what they're proposing, I'll
take it one hundred percent. I will take it. So, Lisa,
what would you like to see come out of this
special session?
Speaker 2 (06:48):
I want Actually, what the governor is asking for is
property tax relief for the citizens of Colorado. We need
to improve on what we started with two thirty three.
We need to not have a lot of theatrics. We
need to not have a lot of statement vanity bills,
(07:09):
which is happening.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
We need to get to work, do this and get out.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
People don't understand these special sessions are expensive. They're very expensive,
and so you know, We've wasted enough taxpayer dollars. Let's
move on.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
So are people filing bills unrelated to this in the
special session or are they filing bills they're somehow what
their version of what they like to have happened.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Both we're seeing bills that are unrelated to the negotiated bill.
There are going to be anywhere from ten to twenty
bill additional bills that are introduced on Monday in both
the House and the Senate. One of the ones that
I find particularly frustrating is coming out of two very
(08:00):
extreme Democrats. And what it does is it says that
the framework from two thirty three and this negotiated bill
only applies to primary residences.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
And I think that's fascinating.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
So it only applies to the primary primary residences and everybody.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Else, you know, has to.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Have pay more. Well, what these are the people who
who are dump putting down their arms about affordable housing
all the time, And what apparently they don't understand is
this particular bill will in and of itself raise rents.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Yeah oh yeah, yeah yeah. And that sounds to me
like they're going after people with short term rental properties. Also,
would they be scooped up in this higher tax rate. Wow,
that's really big. I know that the perception, and there's
probably some truth to it in the mountain towns, that
the short term rental market has distorted the actual market
(09:02):
for long term renters. But a lot of people who
own short term rentals, especially people who are retired. I
met someone fairly recently that owns seven short term rental properties,
and that is her retirement. That is the money that
she brings in. She gets a tiny bit from Social Security,
so if they go after her stuff, that is a
(09:22):
huge hit. But I think that the perception is that
if you want a short term rental, you want a
second house. You're loaded over here and you can pay more.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
And that's the thing. So this has been a really
hot topic in the legislature of the last several sessions.
And what people don't understand is that seventy five percent
of the short term rentals are owned by Colorado residents,
and the vast majority of them are.
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Second home ish.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
But they are they pay for themselves by short rentaling,
otherwise they can't afford to have this. And this is
you know, my neighbor next door whose daughter is really
into ski racing and so they have a place up
in winter Park, and they go out there as often
as they can so that they can enjoy the beauty
(10:12):
that is Colorado. But they can't afford that place unless
they supplement it with short term rentals. And that is
the vast majority of those the what the again? These
unintended consequences if you shut down the short term rental market.
If my neighbor can no longer afford to have that
(10:32):
short termental because her property taxes go so.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
High, she has to sell it.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
The short term rental industry is largely responsible for affordable
lodging in our mountain community, and so if you dry
that up, that is going to impact ultimately your sands
tax base because you're not going to have the tourists
coming to enjoy our mountains.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
Lisa I got a text here that said, are we
ever will we get what a minute? Is there a
chance that will bring us real relief this year? Or
are we still just talking about future increases.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
So for twenty twenty four, what has been proposed is
just essentially caring forward twenty twenty three's arrangement that the
Democrats crammed down our throats in special session last November
and then next year. Next year is a reappraisal year.
We're looking at fairly flat valuation, very few increases statewide,
(11:41):
so we can expect to see slight decreases in property
taxes based on what we're talking about. And then the plan,
the hope is is that we will remain fairly stable.
We're not going to go down to taxes people paid
two years ago.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Okay, so my forty four increase is going to be
a forty percent increase and there's nothing I can do
about it.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
We would hope that it wasn't that much, but I
feel your pain. I also had a forty actually forty
five percent increase, so I know exactly. And this is
the thing, and I get really frustrated with our local
governments because I was in the tax Commission. I actually
just came from the Tax Commission, the property tax Commission,
(12:26):
and we're hearing from the special districts that you know,
they're going to have.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
To lay they're going to have to lay people off.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
And that's just even with the deal. It's not even
talking about Initiative fifty or one O eight that's talking
they're talking about that here and what they are angling
for is they want state backfill, and we've been down
this road. I am completely opposed to the state getting
into the backfield business or staying in the backfield business
(12:56):
because we've been doing that.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
Holy so let me ask you this, and then we're
almost out of time. I think everybody listening is like, okay,
state local governments are going to get a huge increase
in the amount of money that they are going to get.
Yet they are now saying, if we don't get that
huge increase and only get a really really big increase,
(13:17):
we want the state to pay us the difference, even
though they're already getting a huge increase. Yep, Okay, that's
just dumb. I mean, that's just really dumb.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Well and further, this is the thing that really touts
me up is it comes out of the two so
that these backfill dollars come out of tabor surplus, which
should be going where to us.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Well, they're already given our tabor surplus away to everybody else,
all those groups that they've decided or should get my
money instead of me. I can't even talk about that.
That's infuriating. Lisa Frazille. Let's let's touch base next week.
If we could I'll get with the Laurel and kind
of get an update on what's happening, if we could
make that happen. I appreciate your coming on the show today,
(13:56):
and I appreciate you trying to fight for me as
one of your constituents. And I hope that the Democrats listen.
That's all or I you know, the Coloraden people will
handcuff them in such a way that could be really
inconvenient going forward. So I hope the threat of that
hanging over them leads to real action, you know, and
(14:17):
me both.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
Mandy, thank you so much. I really appreciate your time
today and I would love to visit next week.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Perfect. That's Representative Lisa Frizzelle. She's also running for Senate,
and I put both of those links for her on
the blog so you can find out more information about
that
The Mandy Connell Podcast News
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.