Title 39
Valuation and Taxation
ARTICLE 9
State Board of Equalization
39-9-101. State board of equalization.
(1) The state board of equalization shall consist of the governor or his designee, the speaker of the house of representatives or his designee, the president of the senate or his designee, and two members appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate. Each of the appointed members shall be a qualified appraiser or a former assessor or a person who has knowledge and experience in property taxation. Said board shall elect a chairman and a vice-chairman; the vice-chairman shall act as chairman in the absence of the chairman.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in section 2-2-326, each member is entitled to receive a per diem allowance of fifty dollars for each day spent attending meetings or hearings of the state board of equalization or otherwise spent discharging the member’s duties as a member of the board; except that a member shall not receive the per diem allowance provided for in this subsection (2) for any day for which the member receives a per diem allowance from the state under any other statute and except that a member shall not receive the per diem allowance provided for in this subsection (2) if the member receives a salary from the state for a full-time position with the state. Except as otherwise provided in section 2-2-326, each member of the board is entitled to receive actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing the member’s duties as a member of the board. The members appointed by the governor serve at the pleasure of the governor but shall not serve for more than four consecutive years unless reappointed by the governor and reconfirmed by the senate at the conclusion of the four years. Vacancies in either of the appointed positions on the board shall be filled by appointment by the governor with the consent of the senate for the unexpired term.
39-9-102. Meetings of state board of equalization.
(1) The state board of equalization shall meet at a place designated by the chairman, at such times as the chairman may deem necessary.
(2) All sessions of said board shall be conducted in public, and a full and correct record of its proceedings shall be kept, which record shall be a public document and available for public inspection. Opportunity shall be afforded any person to appear before said board to present facts and information for its consideration.
(3) Two weeks before each meeting of the state board of equalization, a news release stating the time and location of the meeting shall be sent throughout the state to radio stations, television stations, and newspapers of general circulation. Not later than two weeks before each meeting, the board shall also mail notice to each assessor and board of county commissioners of a county with regard to the nature of any action it may take pertaining to current year valuations for assessment.
39-9-103. Duties of state board – enforcement – reappraisal orders.
(1) The state board of equalization shall order reappraisals of classes as provided in section 39-1-105.5, make other orders as provided in said section, and perform such other duties as are provided for in said section.
(2) The state board of equalization shall conduct hearings on petitions filed by the administrator for the reappraisal of one or more classes or subclasses of taxable property pursuant to section 39-2-114. The state board of equalization shall also conduct hearings upon complaints filed by the administrator, upon his own motion or upon petition by any tax-levying authority in this state, concerning valuation for assessment of one or more classes or subclasses of taxable property if a reappraisal has not been conducted or ordered pursuant to the provisions of section 39-2-114. Decisions of the state board of equalization shall be subject to judicial review as provided in section 24-4-106, C.R.S.
(3) Said board may compel compliance with its orders by proceedings in the nature of mandamus, by injunction, or by other appropriate civil remedies.
(4) It is the duty of the state board of equalization to examine and review the valuations for assessment of taxes upon the various classes and subclasses of taxable real and personal property located in the several counties of the state as reflected in the abstract of assessment of each county, the decisions of the board of assessment appeals, the recommendations of the administrator, and, effective January 1, 1983, the study conducted by the director of research of the legislative council pursuant to section 39-1-104 (16).
(5) The decisions of the board of assessment appeals which affect the valuation of classes or subclasses of property may be reversed or modified by the state board of equalization, and such action shall be taken only if a written appeal has, within thirty days of the board of assessment appeals’ decision, been lodged with the state board of equalization by one of the parties to the proceedings before the board of assessment appeals. Decisions of the state board of equalization shall be subject to judicial review as provided in section 24-4-106, C.R.S.
(6) The state board of equalization shall conduct hearings upon complaints filed by the property tax administrator, upon his own motion or upon petition by any tax-levying authority in this state, concerning alleged dereliction of duty on the part of a county assessor.
(7) The state board of equalization shall review abstracts of assessment and may, by order, change the valuation for assessment of any class or subclass of property which was changed by a county board of equalization.
(8) The state board of equalization may promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary for the implementation of its duties and responsibilities. Such rules and regulations shall be promulgated pursuant to and be subject to the provisions of section 24-4-103, C.R.S.
(9) Repealed.
(10) (a) It is the function of the state board of equalization and it shall have and exercise the authority, prior to publication but subsequent to review by the advisory committee to the property tax administrator pursuant to section 39-2-131 (1), to review and approve or disapprove, within thirty days after receipt from said advisory committee to the property tax administrator:
(I) Manuals or any part thereof, appraisal procedures, instructions, and guidelines prepared and published by the administrator pursuant to section 39-2-109 (1) (e) and based upon the approaches to appraisal set forth in section 39-1-103 (5) (a) and pursuant to section 39-2-109 (1) (k); and
(II) Forms, notices, and records approved or prescribed pursuant to the authority of the property tax administrator set forth in section 39-2-109 (1) (d).
(b) Any manuals, appraisal procedures, instructions, guidelines, forms, notices, or records which are not approved or disapproved by the state board of equalization within said thirty days shall be automatically approved; except that, if within said thirty days the state board of equalization schedules a hearing on such manuals, appraisal procedures, instructions, guidelines, forms, notices, or records, such automatic approval shall not occur unless the state board of equalization does not approve or disapprove such manuals, appraisal procedures, instructions, guidelines, forms, notices, or records within thirty days after the conclusion of such hearing.
39-9-104. Correction of errors.
The state board of equalization shall correct any obvious error appearing in any county abstract of assessment, whether made by the assessor or by the administrator. The state board of equalization shall not change any matter pertaining to the actual value of any class or subclass except as provided in section 39-9-103 (7); except that, in the taxable year following the year of reappraisal ordered by the state board of equalization, such board may change any matter pertaining to the actual value, and such change shall be made by the assessor in the abstract of assessment of such current taxable year.
39-9-105. Certification of valuations for assessment.
(1) No later than December 20 of each year, the state board of equalization shall complete its review of the abstracts of assessment of the several counties of the state, and the chair of the state board of equalization shall thereupon certify to the assessor of each county a statement of the changes, if any, ordered by said board in the abstract of his or her county for the current taxable year and for the next succeeding taxable year and shall also return the abstract of assessment for the current taxable year to each county.
(2) Repealed.
39-9-106. Supervision and administration of property tax laws.
The state board of equalization shall have supervision of the administration of all laws concerning the valuation and assessment of taxable property and the levying of property taxes.
39-9-107. Assessment roll to conform.
Whenever the state board of equalization orders any change in the valuation for assessment of any class or subclass of taxable real or personal property located in a county, the assessor thereof shall make the proper adjustment in individual schedules so that the assessment roll of his county conforms with the statement of changes ordered by said board and certified by the chairman of said board.
39-9-108. Judicial review – interest during review.
Decisions of the state board of equalization shall be subject to judicial review, as provided in section 24-4-106, C.R.S. Such review shall include the issues of compliance with applicable law and constitutional provisions governing valuation for assessment for property tax purposes and the validity of any valuation for assessment study conducted pursuant to the provisions of section 39-1-104 (16). Parties adversely affected or aggrieved shall include any taxpayer or assessor or the governing body of any taxing jurisdiction. In any case in which excess state equalization payments are made to school districts within the county during the time such review is pending, interest shall be paid to the state on the amount of such excess. Such interest shall be paid for the period of time from the date of the decision of the state board of equalization to the date of the final determination of all judicial review. Such interest shall be computed at the rate determined by the state bank commissioner pursuant to section 39-21-110.5.
39-9-109. Power of state board – waiver of deadline.
(1) to (4) Repealed.
(5) Acting by majority vote and when the state board of equalization determines that the interests of justice and equity would be served, the board may authorize the waiver of the July 1 filing deadline described in section 39-2-117 (3) (a) for any annual report required to be filed pursuant to section 39-2-117 if the report is not filed by the filing deadline or if the report is filed by the filing deadline but is incomplete or otherwise incorrect when filed. When authorizing a waiver, the state board may determine a deadline for filing the report, after which the waiver is invalid. The deadline for filing the report must not be sooner than thirty days after the date that the state board authorizes the waiver.
(6) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 39-2-117 (1) (a), acting by majority vote, the state board of equalization may authorize the property tax administrator to make an exemption effective for not more than the time allowed pursuant to section 39-10-101 (2) (b) (II) when the property has been added back to the tax roll as omitted property and would otherwise have met all criteria for exemption during that time.