Who are the chief executives running the state’s tax policy out of Colorado Concern? They are the dukes and earls comprising a royal feudal court with our anti-tax governor as leader shaking down our elected and appointed serfs in our legislature. These CEOs have successfully demanded a special legislative session on property taxes with an enticement to drop tax Propositions 50 and 108 that will tank local government budgets.

Colorado Concern’s Proposition 50, a constitutional amendment, caps property tax revenue growth at 4% with no opt-out for local communities without a statewide referendum. Proposition 108 reduces the residential property tax rate to 6.3% or 6.4% depending on circumstances and cuts the commercial property tax rate to 24% from 29%.

These tax reductions, if implemented, will decimate revenues for fire districts that just fought four of the most dangerous fires in state history, as well as sanitation districts, school districts, water districts, counties, cities, courts — it’s a long list.

Dave Davia, chief executive and archduke of Colorado Concern, explains: “Soaring property taxes are crushing homeowners and small businesses… It’s time for voters” — aka unelected serfs — “to take matters into their own hands.”

It’s also the best time for a select guild of CEOs to take advantage of residential property tax increases to radically reduce their commercial property tax rates.

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Greg Stevinson is chair of Colorado Concern and a principal of Denver West Partners, that T-Rex-sized real estate enterprise on the west side of the Denver metro. He owns car dealerships and the Colorado Mills shopping mall. He’s the developer who wanted to put car lots on Dinosaur Ridge. He apparently didn’t care Dinosaur Ridge is “one of the few places on Earth containing unique and widely recognized scientific resources along the fringes of a metropolitan area,” according to the National Natural Landmarks Program.

Given his mammoth property holdings, reductions in commercial property tax will grow his bottom line at the expense of the government entities everyone depends on.

Larry Mizel, Colorado Concern board member and chair and CEO of M.D.C. Holdings, also has lots of skin in this shakedown game. Though he doesn’t sell pelts from royal landholdings for a living, Mizel does sell homes. Lower property tax rates make these sales easier, and lower corporate property taxes increase his business’s profits.

Other residential and commercial real estate developers on Colorado Concern’s board are Pete Hammill of Oakwood Homes, Andrew Feinstein of EXDO Development, and Richard Sapkin of Edgemark Development. These are the royals who have stamped their feet to lower their tax bills.

Two bank presidents, Norm Franke of Alpine Bank and John Ikard of FirstBank, are on the Colorado Concern board. These Colorado-based banks greatly benefit from government services provided at local and county levels. Norm Franke of Alpine Bank is vice chair of the Colorado Concern guild. The services delivered to Alpine Bank by Glenwood Springs and Garfield County where the financial institution has its headquarters have allowed this bank to prosper and expand to the Front Range.

The many counties and local governments that create a solid footing for FirstBank across the state are essential to its success. Yet these two bankers, along with board member Paul Washington of IMA Financial Group, want to take millions of dollars out of the budgets of local governments. That’s not much of a courtly “thank you” for building communities where financial institutions can thrive.

What’s the motivation? Do these royals believe stripping public school districts of money improves the lives of their customers with school children?

Walter Isenburg of Sage Hospitality is another board member of the Colorado Concern court. His business involves “creating places that enrich people’s lives.” Let’s put the emphasis on places and rich. His properties serve the wealthy. They produce property taxes that support less wealthy Coloradans. Sage Hospitality’s Colorado presence includes The Maven Hotel, Poka Lola Social Club, McGregor Square, Denver Union Station, Dairy Block and the Crawford Hotel. If commercial property tax declines from 29% to 24%, that reduction makes Sage Hospitalities’ investments in Colorado much more valuable. The tax savings will greatly exceed whatever Sage Hospitality is paying to run the propositions.

Columbine Health Plans President David McReynolds operates facilities providing “continuum of care” for multiple health needs. This enterprise owns commercial property including medical equipment and rehabilitation facilities. CEO L. Roger Hutson controls expensive oil and gas equipment through HRM Resources. Lower property tax rates reduce the tax bite on all this stuff.

Hold your royal horses if you want to join this feudal court of executives that shows such deep concern for us serfish voters. You can become a duke or earl “by invitation” only if you are a “CEO or highest business leader in Colorado.”

All in all, Colorado Concern does its hard work for our state’s royalty through lobbying, its amply funded political PAC and, obviously, ballot initiatives. Its mission can easily be contained in this heraldic motto: “What’s good for Colorado Concern must be excellent for Colorado.” Rebellious serfish voters and legislators may want to consider this enduring war cry before supporting Colorado Concern’s imperial propositions: “Follow the money.”

Paula Noonan Colorado Capitol Watch, the state’s premier legislature tracking platform.