The Joint Technology Committee on Oct. 12 recommended funding a $2.5 million operating contract with CoreLogic to continue operating Colorado's Property Tax Deferral portal and related services, voting 4-0 with one member excused.

The recommendation would allow the Colorado Department of the Treasury to continue using CoreLogic to host the application portal, run a call center, pull centralized county tax data and support outreach and document processing for the Property Tax Deferral Program. The committee vote followed a presentation by Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young and Treasury staff explaining program use, recent statutory expansions and the technology's role in centralizing operations.

The program lets qualified homeowners defer some or all of their property taxes as a simple-interest loan recorded as a junior lien on the property and repaid when the owner no longer qualifies (for example, when the property is sold). "This is a program for housing security," Treasurer Dave Young said, saying the deferral helps keep many Coloradans, especially seniors on fixed incomes, in their homes.

Young told the committee that recent legislation expanded eligibility in 2022 and that a cap tied to annual tax growth will be eliminated for tax year 2025 (payments made in calendar year 2026), which Treasury said will allow any Coloradan to apply next year. Treasury materials presented to the committee said 78% of current program beneficiaries are seniors and that applications have grown after the program's centralization and technology rollout: Treasury reported more than 1,000 applications awarded in fiscal 2023 and said it has seen a roughly 30% growth in applications so far this cycle compared with the prior year.

Vanda Howell, identified by Treasury as the program's lead administrator, described how CoreLogic works with county treasurers and mortgage servicers. "The mortgage companies actually do participate with them," Howell said, explaining that CoreLogic and Treasury coordinate with escrow and servicers so deferrals and refunds are handled in escrow accounts when applicable.

Treasury staff told the committee the centralized portal and automation reduce burdens on smaller counties that previously handled labor-intensive, manual administration. The presentation said CoreLogic provides 24/7 maintenance, data quality controls, electronic document recording (Treasury described savings of "10 cents or $10 per document" in its materials), a call center and marketing support. Treasury said maintaining an equivalent in-house call center could cost the state "upwards of $375,000." Treasurer Young said the department employs two full-time staff to run the program and that Nick, a Treasury budget analyst, supports the effort.

Committee members asked about program guardrails, military participation, the $10,000 cap that currently applies only to the tax-growth category of deferrals, and contract cost. Treasury said active-duty military and seniors have different historic treatment under the program and that program rules were adjusted after the 2022 changes to improve participation among active-duty service members. Treasury also said the $10,000 limit applies to the tax-growth category only and that senior and active-duty military deferrals are not subject to that cap.

Senator Mark Marchman moved the committee recommendation to fund the Department of Treasury R06 operating request for the deferred property tax CoreLogic contract. The roll call recorded Senator Bazely, Representative Paschal and Representative Rodriguez voting aye; Senator Weinberg was excused. The motion carried.

Treasury staff told the committee they are negotiating with CoreLogic to bring down future costs as participation scales and said the department reports program information annually through the SMART Act and to the Joint Budget Committee. Treasurer Young noted estimates from prior studies that centralized administration and improved outreach could increase long-run program participation substantially, but he also said utilization depends on economic conditions.

The committee recommendation does not itself obligate funds beyond the usual appropriation processes; the CoreLogic contract was reported to expire June 30, 2025. Treasury said it will continue outreach through broadcast, direct mail and digital advertising and is available to provide additional reporting to the legislature on the vendor's work and program performance.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: "Committee recommends funding the Department of Treasury R06 operating request deferred property tax CoreLogic contract." Moved by Senator Mark Marchman. Outcome: approved. Vote: Bazely (Aye), Paschal (Aye), Rodriguez (Aye), Marchman (Aye); Weinberg (excused).