Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Date:02/19/2009
ATTENDANCE
Time:09:46 AM to 11:09 AM
Acree
*
Bradford
X
Place:HCR 0111
Liston
*
McKinley
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Middleton
X
Representative Peniston
Schafer S.
X
Tipton
X
This Report was prepared by
Vigil
X
Raegan Robb
Waller
*
Soper
X
Peniston
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
JBC Presentation on Supplementals
HB09-1070
Discussion Only
Postponed Indefinitely


09:46 AM


The committee chair, Representative Peniston, called the meeting to order.

09:53 AM -- Joint Budget Committee Presentation on Supplementals

Representative Pommer, Joint Budget Committee member, explained that the Department of Local Affairs does not receive a lot of General Fund support from the state, but stated that the department would be reduced by $400,000 in FY 2009-10. He explained that local governments could be impacted cuts in state funding that is distributed to counties and municipalities. Representative Pommer talked about the schedule of supplemental bills and referred to questions from the committee concerning expenditure changes in the General Fund, cash funds, and federal funds. He also addressed questions concerning the budget and budget consolidations in the Governor's Office of Information and Technology.

09:57 AM -- House Bill 09-1070

Representative Peniston explained that House Bill 09-1070 was heard by the committee on February 10, 2009, and was laid over until February 19th. She explained that the bill was laid over to allow some of the stakeholders affected by the bill to reach a compromise prior to final action by the committee.

09:59 AM

Representative Fischer, prime sponsor of House Bill 09-1070, concerning lands prohibited from urban renewal authorities (URAs), addressed the committee and distributed prepared amendment L.011 (Attachment A). Representative Fischer discussed the changes made to the bill by the prepared amendment, which changed the definition of "blight", removed the definition of a taxing entity, and clarified that urban renewal areas cannot include agricultural or vacant land unless the exceptions in the amendment are met. He explained that inclusion of agricultural and vacant land must be agreed upon by all public entities that collect property taxes. Representative Fischer discussed how taxing entities distribute property taxes for agricultural or vacant property that is developed through tax incremental financing (TIF). Committee discussion ensued concerning provisions in the amendment that require taxing entities to agree to the distribution of taxes under a TIF and concerning conforming language concerning arbitration for TIF projects.

10:05 AM

Representative Fischer responded to questions from the committee members concerning the requirement for an agreement by all public entities in order to include agricultural or vacant land in a URA project. He discussed the current arbitration process for urban renewal projects and talked about the rights of local taxing districts. He also discussed which entities were in support, against, and neutral to the amendment.

10:21 AM

The committee stood in a brief recess.

10:31 AM

Erin Goff, Colorado Municipal League testified against the amendment and explained that the bill would create broad definitions of agricultural and vacant land. She talked about problems that these definitions could create for developments with agricultural or vacant property within an urban renewal boundary. She discussed the exceptions in the bill and talked about problems with local taxing entities approving the inclusion of agricultural or vacant land. Ms. Goff addressed questions from the committee members concerning the requirement in the bill for all local taxing entities to agree to the inclusion of agricultural or vacant land into an urban renewal area.

10:40 AM

Representative Fischer discussed the need for other local taxing entities to determine how a TIF projects for urban renewal development are implemented.

10:43 AM

Representative Fischer addressed questions from the committee members concerning local taxing entities and the local fiscal impact of the bill as amended by L.011 (Attachment A). Representative Fischer entered closing comments on the bill.
BILL:HB09-1070
TIME: 10:57:02 AM
MOVED:Tipton
MOTION:Moved amendment L.011 (Attachment A). The motion failed on a 4-7 vote.
SECONDED:Bradford
VOTE
Acree
No
Bradford
No
Liston
No
McKinley
Yes
Middleton
Yes
Schafer S.
No
Tipton
No
Vigil
Yes
Waller
No
Soper
Yes
Peniston
No
Not Final YES: 4 NO: 7 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL

090219AttachA.pdf

BILL:HB09-1070
TIME: 10:58:27 AM
MOVED:McKinley
MOTION:Moved to refer House Bill 09-1070 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion failed on a 3-8 vote.
SECONDED:Soper
VOTE
Acree
No
Bradford
No
Liston
No
McKinley
Yes
Middleton
No
Schafer S.
No
Tipton
No
Vigil
Yes
Waller
No
Soper
Yes
Peniston
No
Not Final YES: 3 NO: 8 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL
BILL:HB09-1070
TIME: 11:07:43 AM
MOVED:Waller
MOTION:Moved to postpone House Bill 09-1070 indefinitely. The motion passed on a 9-2 vote.
SECONDED:Tipton
VOTE
Acree
Yes
Bradford
Yes
Liston
Yes
McKinley
No
Middleton
Yes
Schafer S.
Yes
Tipton
Yes
Vigil
No
Waller
Yes
Soper
Yes
Peniston
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



11:09 AM

The committee adjourned.