‼️Today the House Finance Committee will hear a bill that would allow local governments to: 1) Tax vacant residential properties for being vacant (in addition to property tax) and the money raised has to be used for affordable housing 2) create RTD-style regional Housing Tax Authorities to jointly tax residential property Vacant is NOT defined in the law. Short term rentals are excluded. There are so many things wrong with this law, first and foremost empowering cities to ADD more taxes on homes based on it being vacant. Based on how you, the owner, choose to use it. On your lifestyle. On circumstances entirely out of your control. Since vacant is not defined, here are some scenarios that could be subject to additional tax. Why might a home be unoccupied for some length of time? —military deployment (tax those who serve!) —people in rehab programs (tax grandma while she recovers for 6 months from surgery, or a car crash victims learning to walk again) —people who’s job sends them out of state or the country from months or years (screw them, add a tax!) —people visiting family out of state to help care for a new baby, a sick relative (screw you! Tax them) —saved all your life for a long trip? (Screw you! Add a tax!) —sick of winter and want to live part-time here and part-time elsewhere? (Screw you! Add a tax!) —trying to remodel and your permits or inspections are taking ages, your contractor quit or things out of your control cause delay? (Screw you! Add a tax) —had a tenant destroy your property and now Hazmat remediation is required? (Screw you, add a tax!) —death or divorce keeping property in limbo? (Screw you! Add a tax!) —in jail, serving your time? —Got a kid graduating from college in May? Want to leave your condo vacant so he can move back to town? (Screw you! Add a tax!) The absolute greed and hubris of these legislators to try this is beyond me. Hearing is at 1:30. Call and email the committee members. Sign up to testify.