• AGC Advocacy Report

  • Michael Gifford, AGC Advocacy Director
    August 23, 2024

     

     

  • State

    Special Legislative Session on Property Tax Starts August 26
    AGC has been involved in the property tax discussion at the state capitol for years, and has consistently pressed the message that commercial property tax rates need to be lowered.
     
    Now we have the chance to support a bill that will lower those rates from 29% to 25%, a step in the right direction, while still making sure there is enough property tax funding to support important building infrastructure construction projects like K-12 schools and mixed-use/housing development (funded by school bonds and metro district bond financing). When combined with SB24-233 passed earlier this year, the new measure would yield $1.6 billion in annual tax savings. Watch for an action alert next week to ask your legislator to SUPPORT the bill lowering commercial property tax assessment rates and lowering the rate of growth in residential rates.
     
    AGC Continues to Meet with Construction Defects 2025 Bill Sponsor
    AGC Advocacy Director Michael Gifford met this week with Homeownership Opportunity Alliance (HOA) members and State Rep. Shannon Bird to discuss a potential construction defects bill in the 2025 state legislative session. Stay tuned as drafting and discussion with bill sponsors continues.
     
    AGC Meets with Simplify Colorado Sales & Use Tax Coalition on Potential 2025 Legislation
    AGC Advocacy Director Michael Gifford is a member of Simplify Colorado Sales & Use Tax Coalition (Simplify) and he met with the coalition this week to discuss potential 2025 state legislation to make company information obtained from a sales & use tax audit confidential at both the state and local level. The coalition has received reports that 3rd party vendors hired to do sales & use tax audits may be sharing some of that information with other government entities that they work with and the proposal would make the sharing of that information illegal, and look at the practice of audit firms being paid a percentage of funds raised through sales & use tax audits (commission basis). AGC will continue to protect construction companies through it’s participation in the coalition and the state’s legislative task force on sales & use tax.
     
    AGC Legislative Committee to Meet on Sept 10
    The next AGC Legislative Committee meeting is scheduled for Sept 10. There are 50 current members of the legislative committee. All member companies are eligible to have a member on the Legislative Committee. To attend a meeting and check it out or join the committee email Nicole Hoekstra at nicole@agccolorado.org or call Nicole at 303-388-2422.
     
    AGC Bill Tracker
    For a complete list of AGC bill positions for the 2024 legislative session see our handy dandy AGC Bill Tracker. For questions, contact Michael Gifford at mgifford@agccolorado.org.

  • Federal

    AGC Discusses Tax Priorities with Congress
    Among the various provisions set to expire from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act includes the ability to fully deduct the cost of new and used equipment in the year it is purchased, the increased exemption level for the estate tax, and the so-called "qualified business income deduction." - Read more
     
    AGC Urges Supreme Court to Protect Industry Groups' Rights to Challenge Federal Agency Overreach
    AGC joined an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review an appeals court decision that creates roadblocks for trade associations and businesses challenging illegal federal agency actions. - Read more
     
    OSHA's Heat Enforcement Actions - What Contractors Need to Know
    Everything AGC has done (to date) in response to OSHA’s Heat Enforcement Actions. - Read more
     
    Federal Judge Blocks FTC's Non-Compete Ban Nationwide
    A Texas federal judge has blocked the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent rule banning post-separation non-compete agreements nationwide. - Read more
     
    Cybersecurity Requirements for Defense Contractors
    The Department of Defense published a second proposed rule for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program that places unified cybersecurity and information security requirements on DoD contractors and subcontractors. - Read more