Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern, political organizations funded by millionaires and billionaires, have achieved a bifecta: they are bullies and cowards simultaneously. They bullied the state legislature into an “extraordinary session” to “compromise” on a property tax bill but were too chicken to appear before the House Appropriations Committee to defend their Propositions 50 and 108.

It is obvious why these high and mighties didn’t show up at the House committee hearing. They would have been on the receiving end of the rotten tomatoes fastballed their way in critique of their tax initiatives to take down just about every service and program funded by property taxes in the state.

Coloradans, make sure you put their cowardice and bullying into your memory bank. Don’t lose sight Colorado Concern, led by such celebrated entrepreneurs as Greg Stevinson of car dealer fame, Larry Mizel of home-building fame, and the presidents of First Bank and Alpine Bank, as well as Michael Fields from Advance Colorado, showed no concern for the well-being of state citizens in order to put more fat into their over-stuffed larders.

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House Speaker Julie McCluskie noted in the House Appropriations committee hearing HB24-B1001 would bring predictability to the state’s property tax collections and distributions. Tony Gagliardi, representing about 6,200 small businesses in the state, acknowledged that tax predictability was highly valued by businesses with five to 100 employees whom he represents. His statements to the committee contrasted with recent comments by Larry Mizel of Colorado Concern that small businesses’ most important concern is the lowest tax rate.

Of course Mizel, along with his Colorado Concern cohorts Norm Franke of Alpine Bank, Pat Hamill of Oakwood Homes, L. Roger Hutson of HRM Resources and Walter Isenberg of Sage Hospitality are the men who will most benefit from commercial property tax cuts contained in their Propositions 50 and 108. These Colorado Concern board members put a metaphorical gun to the heads of the legislature to get much, if not all, of what they want in tax breaks.

If HB24-B1001 passes, legislators and we citizens have to believe a letter from Colorado Concern and Advance Colorado, not a legal agreement, is enough to secure their promise they won’t put up another property tax initiative until six years have gone by.

State Rep. Leslie Herod, a member of House Appropriations, observed this letter is very thin security. Norm Franke’s Alpine Bank and John Ikard’s First Bank would surely require some collateral or contract to secure such an important agreement. But no. This “compromise” is based on their unsecured note.

Citizens deserved to hear from the leaders of Advance Colorado and Colorado Concern as to why it is a good idea to force the state’s public colleges and universities to increase tuition anywhere from 7% to 20% to cover budgets they would otherwise have to cut as a result of Propositions 50 and 108. Tuition increases would not be enough to address budget shortfalls according to leaders of CU, CSU, Metro State and the community colleges in the state.

Citizens deserved to hear from the leaders of the two organizations as to why it is a good idea to reduce public support of rural hospitals by $60 million, putting these vulnerable but exquisitely necessary institutions at risk.

Citizens deserved to hear why it is a good idea for counties to cut their Medicaid services by millions of dollars, reduce human services programs that protect children and the elderly, impede safety provided by adequate sheriff department staffing, and slow or dismiss road and bridge improvements.

Citizens deserved to hear why they will need to keep buckets of water in their kitchens, ready to put out any fires, and why adequate fire protection provided by their paid and volunteer fire departments would no longer be as ready to respond to emergencies. Citizens might also be surprised to hear responses to medical emergencies would be “compromised” by Propositions 50 and 108.

Finally, citizens deserved to hear why public schools would re-enter their dumper existence just as school districts are emerging from more than a decade of the state’s “BS” factor, also known as the “negative factor.” That is, the draconian money cuts to public education from Props 50 and 108 would slither money over to Sage Hospitality as it provides very special experiences to its sophisticated customers who dine and vacation at Union Station and other high-end destinations owned and operated by this company so it can increase its profits at the expense of public school children.

A form of the bill will make its way through the legislature. It will certainly be a thrill, however, if the final, amended form of the bill doesn’t satisfy Advance Colorado and the esteemed business leaders at Colorado Concern. So until all is done, better fasten those seat belts. Keep them fastened for at least six years as the results of HB24-B1001 work their way through county, special district, school district and municipal budgets and programs that affect every Colorado citizen.

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