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CUT Engaged

How to Send a Message to Legislators

Use this form to contact the sponsors of this bill and share your support CUT’s position.

CUT has provided a message for you, but you also have the option to personalize it before sending.

Steps to Complete:

  1. Enter your name and email address, then click Next.
  2. Review the pre-written message or add your own comments.
  3. Optional: Add your state senator and representative to the email to make sure they hear from you as well.
  4. Click Send to submit your message directly to the bill sponsors (and your legislators, if selected).
 

Important: The reply-to address for this email will be Kim Monson, President of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT). Legislators may respond directly to Kim regarding this issue.

Your message will be sent to the legislators listed as sponsors of this bill. Your state senator and representative will also receive your message if you include them.

Make your voice heard!

Step 2: Add Your Message (Optional)

Below, you can add a custom message to personalize your email to the bill sponsors. If you prefer, you can send the pre-written message from the Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) as is.

Tips for Writing an Effective Message:

  • Be respectful and to the point.
  • Explain why this bill matters to you personally.
  • If possible, reference how it affects taxpayers, businesses, or your community.

Note: If you do not enter a custom message, the email will be sent with CUT’s recommended message only.

Would you like to include your state senator and representative in this message?

In addition to sending your message to the bill sponsors, you have the option to also notify your state senator and representative. This ensures that your elected officials are aware of your stance on this bill.

Select an option below:

Use the fields below to enter the email address for your state senator and representative.

You can find them by entering your address on Colorado Legislature website . (The tool will open in a new tab. After finding your legislators, return to this page to enter their email addresses.)

Mobile Tip: If you're using a phone and prefer to open the tool manually, click below to copy the link:

https://leg.colorado.gov/FindMyLegislator

CUT Opposes HB25-1211, Tap Fees Special District

CUT opposes this bill. The bill limits tap fees charged by the board of a sanitation district, water and sanitation district, or water district. This bill is outside of the proper role of government. The state is not a water utility. While water usage minimization is commendable, the provisions in the bill give no assurance of less usage. The cost of the tap to the customer is a one-time fixed fee, so a lower tap fee produces no incentive for lower usage. At present, water utilities may incentivize lesser consumption by charging lower rates.

  • Bill: HB25-1211
  • Bill also known as: Tap Fees Imposed by Special Districts
  • Sponsors: Rebekah Stewart, Sheila Lieder, Jeff Bridges

Bill HB25-1211 Summary

A tap fee is a fee that is paid by a developer or property owner in order to connect a property to a public water or sewer system. Current law allows the board (board) of any sanitation, water and sanitation, or water district (water district) to impose and set the amount of a tap fee.

 

The bill states that a board of a water and sanitation or water district has a duty to provide water service if the water special district has the capacity to do so , with certain exceptions . The bill also requires a board of a water and sanitation or water district , in determining the amount of a tap fee, to:

 

  • Ensure that the amount of the tap fee is reasonably related to the costs incurred by the water district in providing water service, which may include certain specified costs relating to the acquisition of water rights and do not include other specified costs ; and
  • Take into consideration as supporting a reduced or proportional tap fee at least 2 1 of the following factors in supporting the calculation and setting of proportional or reduced fees :
  • Expected long-term water usage, both indoor and outdoor , including the existence of nonnative turf grass and use of water-wise landscaping, with an emphasis on native plants ;
  • The square footage of the unit or the number of bedrooms in the unit ;
  • The presence of low-water-usage appliances, if applicable;
  • The number of bedrooms and bathrooms Per-unit fixture counts in bathrooms, kitchens, and other spaces, interior and exterior, that provide water or sanitation service ; and
  • The presence of graywater treatment works, if applicable as may be authorized within the district boundaries.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

Link to bill

Welcome to CUT Engaged

CUT Engaged is a new initiative by the Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) designed to empower Colorado citizens to take direct action on legislation that impacts them. Through CUT Engaged, taxpayers can easily send messages to the sponsors of selected bills, urging them to support or oppose policies based on CUT’s pro-taxpayer stance.

How CUT Engaged Works

  • Stay Informed – CUT reviews key legislation and explains each bill’s impact on taxpayers.
  • Take Action – Each CUT Engaged post features a personalized form that allows you to email the bill sponsors directly.
  • Make Your Voice Heard – You can send CUT’s recommended message or personalize your email to include your own perspective.
  • Amplify Your Impact – You can add your state senator and representative to ensure they also hear your stance.
  • Legislators Get the Message – Your email is sent directly to the lawmakers responsible for the bill, with Kim Monson, President of CUT, as the reply-to contact for any legislative responses. This ensures CUT has full visibility of the communication and minimizes potential abuse of the system by bad actors. 

Why CUT is Providing This to Colorado Taxpayers

For nearly 50 years, the Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) has been the state’s leading advocate for fiscal responsibility, transparency, and taxpayer rights. CUT Engaged is an extension of this mission, making it easier than ever for Colorado citizens to have a voice in the legislative process.

Many bills pass without real public input. Lawmakers need to hear from the people who will be affected most—you, the taxpayer. CUT Engaged removes the barriers to participation, ensuring that Colorado’s taxpaying citizens can quickly and effectively communicate with legislators before critical votes take place.

Stay informed. Take action. Protect Colorado taxpayers.

CUT Engaged Opposed Bills

CUT Engaged Supported Bills

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