This is one of many questions arising out of HB21-1311 (Income Tax) and HB21-1312 (Insurance Premium Property Sales Severance Tax), combined legislation that expanded tax credits for working families and small businesses but hurt the coal industry. Each passed with a 41-23 vote and were signed into law by Governor Polis.
The first bill expands eligibility for the state earned income tax credit and essentially doubles funding for the Colorado Child Tax Credit. “Modernizing” or as some like to quip “social engineering” the Colorado tax code is either way a topic to be avoided at extended family reunions.
The second bill focuses on a property sales severance tax increasing the number of businesses that will be exempt from business personal property tax and is just plain smart legislation for most all Colorado business owners, except the coal industry of course. Coal is dead anyhow, right?
Well, we will see I suppose. The bill phases-out the 50% tax credit for coal produced from underground mines & lignitic coal. It also phases out the exemptions for the severance tax on the first 300,000 tons of coal produced (each quarter) starting in 2022. So why keep digging?
Nevertheless kudos to Rep. Emily Sirota (D-Denver), Rep. Mike Weissman (D-Aurora), Sen. Chris Hansen (D-Denver) and Sen. Dominick Moreno (D-Commerce City) for skillfully sponsoring and shepherding both bills across the threshold and into Governor Polis’ office.
Recent Comments