2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 34 - MINERAL RESOURCES (§§ 34-1-100.5 — 34-70-101) › MINES AND MINERALS (§§ 34-20-101 — 34-54-107) › METAL MINES (§§ 34-40-100.3 — 34-54-107) › Article 51 - MINE DRAINAGE DISTRICTS (§§ 34-51-101 — 34-51-124) › Section 34-51-117 - Board may levy tax

(1)
In order to provide for the payment of the expenses of a drainage system and for the payment of any issue of bonds, the board of supervisors has power to levy and cause to be collected a tax upon all mining claims within the district. Such tax shall be voted only at a regular meeting of the board and shall not exceed in any one year fifty mills on every dollar of valuation as shown by the assessment roll of the county assessor.
(2)
The board of supervisors in lieu of said tax levy upon the valuation for assessment, or in the event such levy will not produce sufficient revenue to meet the payments from time to time accruing upon said bonds and interest thereon and the expenses of the mine drainage district, may order a levy against the net sale price of all ores produced in the mine drainage district, using either in combination, with such division or combination of the tax to be raised as to the board of supervisors seems meet and proper.
(3)
Said tax levy, whether by one or both of said methods, or a combination thereof, shall be voted by said board of supervisors annually and shall be certified to the board of county commissioners of the county wherein said mine drainage district is located on or before the first Monday in November in each year.
(4)
In any mining district where there already exists a drainage tunnel which has lowered the water or drained the district to some ascertained level, there shall be no taxation on the net value of ores under the provisions of this article, in respect to any ore taken out of any portion of any mine above the level now drained by any existing tunnel.
(5)
The additional levy last mentioned shall not exceed ten percent of the net sales price of such ores, and the moneys so levied and collected from said levy on said net sales price shall be used for the payment of bonds and interest thereon and other expenses of the mine drainage district the same as if it had been collected under the tax levy provided in subsection (1) of this section. Said net sales price shall be computed from the gross sales price after deducting the reasonable cost of haulage from the mine to the railroad or smelter or mill, and railroad freight and smelter or other treatment charges in mill or smelter. In order to effectuate the payment of said royalty, said board may order that all such ore so produced and sold from the mine drainage district shall be shipped under such rules and regulations as the board of supervisors may prescribe, either in the name of the board of supervisors, or with notice to the ore purchaser, smelter, or miller that the said ores are subject to the taxation provided in this section.
(6)
It is the duty of the ore purchaser, smelter, or miller to deduct said tax before making settlement with the mine owner, lessee, or other shipper, and to pay the amount of said tax direct to the county treasurer of the county in which said drainage district shall be situated; and it is the duty of the county treasurer to issue proper receipts therefor to the purchaser, smelter, or miller, and to all persons interested in the net proceeds of the ore sale so taxed.
(7)
The tax on the net sales price of such ores shall be levied against the mine owner or lessor, and against the lessee, sublessee, or other persons having property rights in said ore, and shall be paid by them respectively in the proportion in which they are respectively interested in the net sales price. Said persons respectively shall file with the board of supervisors proper papers to evidence their respective interest in said net sales price, and if such filings are not made then the board of supervisors shall collect said tax against the owner of the property, or against the owner and lessee as their respective interest may appear from any recorded lease or working contract which is on record in the office of the county clerk and recorder of said county at the date of said levy or tax.
(8)
In the event that at the date of said tax there are any valid mining leases on property within the drainage district executed prior to January 30, 1934, said tax shall be apportioned among and paid by the owners, lessors, lessees, or sublessees or other persons in interest in the sale of said ores in the manner provided in subsection (7) of this section. Whenever any such lease or any mining lease is executed after January 30, 1934, and contains a covenant that the lessee shall pay taxes, or general taxes, such covenant shall not be construed to include any special tax authorized by this article; and in such event the mine drainage district taxes shall be apportioned as provided in this section, and said taxes shall not be chargeable against the lessee or sublessee except by express mention of mine drainage district taxes. It is lawful for the parties in interest to contract for and agree among themselves as to their respective liabilities for the mine drainage district taxes, and upon recording such contract or agreement in the office of the county clerk and recorder in the county in which the mine drainage district is situated and serving a copy of said contract or agreement upon the board of supervisors, it is the duty of the board of supervisors to make such orders as will effectuate the division of the tax liability according to the terms of said contract or agreement.
(9)
It is the duty of the county treasurer to carry all taxes collected by him under the provisions of this article in a separate fund in the name of the mine drainage district and to disburse the said funds under the provisions of this article and the orders of the board of supervisors of the mine drainage district; and said funds shall be disbursed only for the lawful purposes of the mine drainage district.
L. 11: p. 512, § 19. C.L. § 3341. L. 33-34, 2nd Ex. Sess., p. 63, § 1. CSA: C. 110, § 234. CRS 53: § 92-28-19. C.R.S. 1963: § 92-28-19.