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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 SB25-37, Coal Transition Grants

CUT opposes this bill. The taxpayers cannot afford to compensate for the loss of businesses that the state destroyed. The proper remedy is to undo the legislation that ended the coal business. Where are the solar and wind industries that were going to employ these people?

  • Bill: SB25-37
  • Bill also known as: Coal Transition Grants
  • Sponsors: Dylan Roberts, Barbara Kirkmeyer, Rick Taggart, Tisha Mauro

Bill SB25-37 Summary

The office of just transition (office) in the department of labor and employment provides money to support programs that implement the just transition plan, provide supplemental funding for targeted investment in coal transition communities, and provide grants and other support to coal transition communities. The bill requires the office to coordinate with councils of government representing regions established by the department of local affairs (department) that have coal transition communities, employee associations that represent workers in coal transition communities, and economic development councils formed by the department prioritize awarding funding to tier one and tier 2 coal transition communities experiencing socioeconomic impacts of coal closures and for opportunities for economic diversification, local community input, feasibility studies of specific proposed projects, and needs assessments. The office is required to use money appropriated to the just transition cash fund after July 1, 2025, to support programs that support targeted investment in coal transition communities by collaborating with coal transition communities and eligible entities, state and regionally recognized governmental and economic development entities, employee organizations that represent coal transition workers, and workers who are not affiliated with employee organizations to implement the most effective projects and programs for those communities. The bill requires the office to annually report to the joint budget committee and at the annual “State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act” hearings of the senate local government and housing committee and the house transportation, housing, and local government committee about the grants awarded by the office during the preceding state fiscal year, their recipients, and the purpose for which they were awarded.

A public entity may invest public funds only as allowed by law. The bill specifies that the investment of a payment or settlement to offset the socioeconomic impacts to a community or government from the closure of a coal mine or coal power generating station is not subject to these investment limitations.

 

Currently, 70% of the money credited to the local government severance tax fund (fund) must be distributed to political subdivisions that are socially or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels subject to taxation and used for the planning, construction, and maintenance of public facilities and for the provision of public services, and to compensate political subdivisions for loss of property tax revenue resulting from the deduction of severance taxes paid in the determination of the valuation for assessment of producing mines. The bill requires allows the executive director of the department (executive director) to annually expend this money as follows:

 

  • First, an amount equal to the least of $15 million, the total amount of money available, or the amount of compensation applied for to compensate political subdivisions for the loss of property tax revenue resulting from the deduction of severance taxes paid in the determination of the valuation for assessment of producing mines; or incurred by political subdivisions that are coal transition communities created as due to the closure of coal-fired power plants. The executive director must consider the economic needs of a political subdivision when granting money and must not require a political subdivision to contribute money to be eligible for a grant.
  • Second, an amount equal to the least of $75 million, the total remaining amount of money available, or the amount of grants applied for through 3 grant cycles per year for grants to political subdivisions socially or economically impacted by the development, processing, or energy conversion of minerals and mineral fuels subject to severance taxation and used for the planning, construction, and maintenance of public facilities and for the provision of public services; and
  • Third, any remaining money in excess of the lesser of $90 million or the total amount of compensation and grants actually awarded as described above must be distributed annually by the executive director to political subdivisions based upon community need as determined in consultation with the Colorado Municipal League, Colorado Counties, Inc., and the Special District Association of Colorado, and to other recipients as provided by existing law of local affairs to establish a policy preference for awarding funds to just transition communities for a 3-year period beginning January 1, 2026 .

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

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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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