Conservation Easement Tax Credit Abuse: Recommendations for Colorado Policy Makers
Date of Award
5-29-2009
Document Type
Undergraduate Capstone Project
Degree Name
Master of Applied Science
Organizational Unit
University College, Environmental Policy and Management
Disciplines
Environmental Policy & Mgmt
First Advisor
Barron Douglas Farquhar
Keywords
Colorado, Conservation easement tax credits, Conservation easements, Tax credits
Abstract
Inflated real estate appraisals used to exploit Colorado's conservation easement tax credit program have cost the State millions of dollars in lost revenue. The current Colorado Department of Revenue process for addressing the overvaluation of tax credits does not specifically address issues unique to abuses of the conservation easement tax credit. An analysis of proposed policies was conducted to identify how the State could best resolve conservation easement tax issues. Four key components of a comprehensive policy to address past abuses of Colorado's tax credit were identified: 1) recovering lost tax revenue, 2) providing financial relief to landowners, 3) allowing for the continued use of tax incentives and, 4) addressing claimed and unclaimed credits.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.
Recommended Citation
Beezley, Jordan, "Conservation Easement Tax Credit Abuse: Recommendations for Colorado Policy Makers" (2009). University College: Environmental Policy and Management Capstones. 66.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/ucol_epm/66