What do the Colorado Oil & Gas Association and Progress Now Colorado have in common? They both support repealing the Gallagher Amendment. This is not a left/right issue; it’s an urban/rural issue. In rural areas like Summit County, a small number of businesses are asked to pay an inordinate share of funding basic services like schools and fire departments, all because of an outdated ratio that isn’t even indexed for inflation. It’s not fair to our small employers, and it’s not fair to our kids.

In 1982, when Gallagher was passed, residential properties were assessed at a rate of 21%. Today, homes are assessed at 7.15% of their market value, while businesses still pay 29%. Amendment B repeals Gallagher and locks in the current assessment rates for both residential and business property owners. This means that any potential future rate increase would come back to voters for approval, giving voters a chance to approve or block it. Colorado’s property tax rates are the third-lowest in the nation, and repealing Gallagher will not change that.

At the Summit Daily News’ election forum, opponents of Amendment B suggested leaving Gallagher in place while waiting for some imagined regional solution. This is a stall tactic. Gallagher is a constitutional amendment affecting the whole state. Our neighbors from Dillon to Meeker to Sterling all deserve the same fix. The time to repeal Gallagher is now. Please join me in voting “yes” on Amendment B.