Court Opinion

ID: 9569208
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:11:30.586131+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:50:19.820921
License: Public Domain

Chief Justice VOLLACK
concurs in part and dissents in part.

Appendix

PROPOSED INITIATIVE “1997-98-# 26”
The title as designated and fixed by the Board is as follows:
AN AMENDMENT TO THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION CONCERNING SCHOOL IMPACT FEES, AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, BARRING THE USE OF ANY STATE OR LOCAL PUBLIC FUNDS OTHER THAN IMPACT FEES ASSESSED ON NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING UNITS, TO CONSTRUCT, EXPAND, EQUIP, OR UPGRADE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, OR HIGH SCHOOLS NECESSITATED BY INCREASED STUDENT POPULATION FROM NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING UNITS; AND REQUIRING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DETERMINE FAIR AND ADEQUATE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES TO FINANCE ALL SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR NECESSARY PERSONNEL FOR ONE YEAR TO ATTAIN OR MAINTAIN PROPER RATIOS OF ALL PERSONNEL NEEDED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF INCREASED STUDENT POPULATION FROM' NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING UNITS.
The ballot title and submission clause as designated and fixed by the Board is as follows:
SHALL THERE BE AN AMENDMENT TO THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION *595CONCERNING SCHOOL IMPACT FEES, AND IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, BARRING THE USE OF ANY STATE OR LOCAL PUBLIC FUNDS OTHER THAN IMPACT FEES ASSESSED ON NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING UNITS, TO CONSTRUCT, EXPAND, EQUIP, OR UPGRADE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, OR HIGH SCHOOLS NECESSITATED BY INCREASED STUDENT POPULATION FROM NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING UNITS; AND REQUIRING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DETERMINE FAIR AND ADEQUATE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES TO FINANCE ALL SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR NECESSARY PERSONNEL FOR ONE YEAR TO ATTAIN OR MAINTAIN PROPER RATIOS OF ALL PERSONNEL NEEDED BY A SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE OF INCREASED STUDENT POPULATION FROM NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSING UNITS?
The summary prepared by the Board is as follows:
This measure prohibits the use of state or local government tax revenues, property taxes, or any other state or local public funds, except impact fees assessed on newly constructed housing units, to construct, expand, upgrade, or equip public elementary, middle, or high schools necessitated by increased student population from newly constructed housing units. The measure requires school districts to determine fair and adequate school impact fees that are sufficient to pay all salaries and benefits for necessary personnel for one year to attain or maintain proper ratios of all personnel needed by a school district because of increased student population from newly constructed housing units.
The fiscal impact of the proposed initiative on local governments other than school districts is indeterminate, but it is not expected to materially affect such local government operations.
State funding of the School Finance Act would increase at a slower rate insofar as the state would not fund its share of the act for one year for students living in newly constructed housing units. Due to a lack of data concerning the number of new students that will be attributed to new housing unit construction and the location of the school district in which the construction and consequent enrollment will occur, the amount of state fiscal impact is indeterminate.
In the year following the assessment of the school impact fees, the state would resume paying for the costs of education for pupils living in the housing units on which the school impact fee was assessed. The fiscal impact of this initiative on the state in years following the first assessment of school impact fees is indeterminate, since it depends on whether the number of students from newly constructed housing units is stable or increases.
8/6/97 Rehearing
Francis B. Howes, III motion denied with exception of partial rewording of title, ballot title and submission clause.
Adjourned 3:25 p.m.