Toby Damisch News Today

Douglas County this week sued the Colorado Board of Equalization, claiming officials overstepped their authority when they denied the county's attempt to reduce property tax valuations.

Douglas County this week sued the Colorado Board of Equalization, claiming officials overstepped their authority when they denied the county's attempt to reduce property tax valuations.

Douglas County's "tax summit" event in Castle Rock drew a crowd of representatives of local governments to discuss property tax relief.

Douglas County leaders have approved a plan to reduce property values by about $4 billion in a push to help residents hammered by soaring taxes but the plan still requires state review.

As an impending wave of higher property tax bills continues to loom over the Denver metro area, Douglas County officials have put out a call for a meeting of local government leaders in hopes they …

But the three in 10 who were successful had significant amounts shaved off their home values.

In a year that saw property owners file a record number of attempts to lower their property values — as calculated for tax purposes — in Arapahoe and Douglas counties, thousands of property owners have now received notices that their values have been decreased. 

Denver's success rate held fairly close to the historical average, despite a record volume of residential appeals, which was covered by staff working overtime hours, said Assessor Keith Erffmeyer.

Metro Denver and Boulder saw a record number of residential property valuations contested, but county assessors rejected about seven in 10 of those appeals.

Since the unveiling of Proposition HH this spring, the plan from Colorado Democrats in response to an impending wave of property tax bill increases has become a political flash point in Douglas County, with claims flying and public officials openly opposing the proposal.