House Committee on Local Government (04/23/2014)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Date:	04/23/2014	ATTENDANCE

Time:	02:01 PM to 03:03 PM	Dore	E
		Exum	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Garcia	*
		Gardner	E
This Meeting was called to order by		Landgraf	X
	Representative Fields	Lebsock	X
		Navarro	X
This Report was prepared by		Rankin	X
	Damion Pechota	Rosenthal	X
		Vigil	X
		Wright	X
		Singer	X
		Fields	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB14-183 SB14-179		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations

02:02 PM -- SB14-183

Representative Holbert and Representative Pabon presented and summarized Senate Bill 14-183 concerning an increase in the maximum term of a business incentive agreement that a local government enters into with a taxpayer who pays business personal property tax. Under current law, local governments, including counties, municipalities, and special districts, may negotiate an incentive payment or property tax credit with taxpayers that pay business personal property tax, and establish a new business facility, expand an existing facility, or are considering relocating an existing facility out of state. These payments or credits are included in agreements commonly known as business incentive agreements (BIAs). This bill extends the existing 10-year statutory limit on the term of a BIA to 35 years.

Representative Holbert answered questions from the committee regarding opposition of the bill in the Senate.

02:07 PM -- Sandra Solin, representing the Colorado Technology Association and the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance, spoke in favor of the bill. She discussed the current technology industry in Colorado and the need to update tax policy.

02:10 PM -- Matthew Smith, representing himself, spoke against the bill. He said that he is concerned that the bill is a subsidy for businesses and that it unfairly focuses on specific industries. He discussed the growth of new businesses and said that counties should not be afraid of a changing business environment. He said that a thirty-five year extension is too long for providing business incentives.

Mr. Smith answered questions from the committee regarding business incentive agreements. He said that local government agreements with businesses should not be incentives for individual businesses. Mr. Smith said that it is important for the free market to make the decisions regarding the success of businesses.

Representative Holbert and Representative Pabon provided closing comments on the bill.


BILL:	SB14-183
TIME:	02:19:01 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 14-183 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-1.
SECONDED:	Vigil
		VOTE
	Dore	Excused
	Exum	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Gardner	Excused
	Landgraf	Yes
	Lebsock	Yes
	Navarro	Yes
	Rankin	Yes
	Rosenthal	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
	Wright	No
	Singer	Yes
	Fields	Yes

FINAL YES: 10 NO: 1 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:21 PM -- SB14-179

Representative Sonnenberg and Representative Foote presented and summarized Senate Bill 14-179 concerning the creation of a flood debris cleanup grant account to facilitate watershed cleanup efforts in areas affected by the September 2013 flood. The reengrossed bill creates the Stream Restoration Grant Account in the Flood and Drought Response Fund and transfers $2.5 million from the Disaster Emergency Fund to the stream restoration account. The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has continuous spending authority for grant-making purposes to help pay the costs of watershed cleanup and stream restoration in areas affected by the September 2013 flood. The bill requires the CWCB to adopt criteria and procedures for awarding grants and requires that private entities and individuals be able to apply for grants. The CWCB is authorized to seek gifts, grants, and donations to increase the availability of grant funds. The account is repealed July 1, 2015, when the unexpended funds revert to the response fund.

Representative Foote and Representative Sonnenberg answered questions from the committee regarding the debris from the Fall 2013 flood and the restoration of the landscape. Representative Singer discussed the Flood Disaster Study Committee. Representative Sonnenberg answered questions from the committee regarding the CWCB.

02:29 PM -- Chris Sturm, representing the CWCB, spoke for questions only. Mr. Sturm answered questions from the committee regarding the restoration of a flooded stream and the debris. He discussed the debris that is being removed or reconfigured in a way that will help protect against future flooding.

02:32 PM -- Keith Cowan, representing himself, spoke in favor of the bill. He said that he is the owner of the mobile home park that was destroyed by the flood. Mr. Cowan said, under current local govern policies, that he is responsible for the costs of the debris cleanup, without the ability to use the property in the future. He said that this bill is important in helping clean up the debris that has collected on the property. He said that the current debris is being brought to the dump and that the cleaning process is very costly. He answered questions from the committee regarding flood insurance and FEMA mitigation grants.

02:37 PM -- Donna Brosemer, representing the City of Greeley and the Colorado Water Congress, spoke in favor of the bill. She discussed the current assistance to the City of Evans in providing support for debris cleanup.

02:38 PM -- Jim Feehan, representing himself, spoke in favor of the bill. He said he is the owner of a mobile home park that was destroyed in the flood and said that he will be able to rebuild the park. He said that he is responsible for the cost of the debris cleanup. Mr. Feehan discussed the costs of removing the debris and for rebuilding the mobile home park. He answered questions from the committee regarding the flood plain and flood insurance coverage.

02:42 PM -- Meghan Storrie, representing the Colorado Municipal League, spoke in favor of the bill. She discussed the current work on stream restoration.

02:43 PM -- Andy Karsian, representing Colorado Counties Inc., spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the provisions of the bill that will assist private landowners.

02:44 PM -- Ian Hyde, representing the Colorado Division of Emergency Management in the Department of Public Safety, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the current needs for environmental restoration and debris clean up. Mr. Hyde answered questions from the committee regarding met and un-met needs.

02:46 PM -- Brett Moore, representing the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the need of providing services for debris removal and answered questions from the committee on the source of the funds.

02:48 PM -- Leslie Irwin, representing Boulder County, spoke in favor of the bill and distributed images of the flood damage in Boulder County (Attachment A). She discussed the current cost of flood damage, and the un-met costs. Ms. Irwin discussed the long term process for providing restoration and the issues with spring and thunderstorm runoff that will cause debris and water ways to shift.

14HseLocal0423AttachA.pdf

02:53 PM -- Sandra Seader, representing the City of Longmont, spoke in favor of the bill. She discussed the impact of the flood on Longmont and the City Reservoir.

Representative Foote answered questions from the committee regarding the number of counties that would be supported by the provisions of the bill.

Representative Sonnenberg and Representative Foote answered questions from the committee regarding the effective start date for the bill and what counties will be covered.

Mr. Hyde was called back to the table. He said that El Paso County was included in the Presidential Emergency Declaration.

Mr. Sturm was called back to the table and answered questions from the committee and said that the provisions of the bill would be available to all flood affected counties, including El Paso County.

The committee members discussed their positions on the bill.


BILL:	SB14-179
TIME:	02:55:57 PM
MOVED:	Fields
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 14-179 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:	Vigil
		VOTE
	Dore	Excused
	Exum	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Gardner	Excused
	Landgraf	Yes
	Lebsock	Yes
	Navarro	Yes
	Rankin	Yes
	Rosenthal	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
	Wright	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Fields	Yes

FINAL YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:03 PM

The committee adjourned.