While January 8, 2014, the date on which the General Assembly convenes, is still several months away, legislators are already working on the bills they plan to introduce in this legislative session. As has been the case nearly every year for the last 15 years, urban renewal “reform” is on the agenda.

Several legislators have told the press of their plans to introduce legislation to reform the urban renewal statute. Rep. Dickie Lee Hullinghorst (D-Boulder) said she plans to introduce legislation to create “transparency” for urban renewal authorities and to give counties and other taxing districts a “seat at the table” in determining how and whether tax increment funds are spent. Other legislators have indicated concerns with urban renewal projects being implemented on land used or zoned as agricultural, and a desire to exempt fire district tax increment from urban renewal.