President of the Institute

Michael is the President of the Advance Colorado Institute. Prior to that he served as the Executive Director of Colorado Rising Action and the State Director of Americans for Prosperity - Colorado. He brings years of nonprofit, educational, and legislative experience. He has served as a policy aide at the Colorado State House and also as a press aide for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions. He taught both elementary and middle school at a charter school in Aurora – later serving as the governing board president of that school. He is a FOX31 Denver political analyst, as well as an adjunct professor of American Politics. Michael graduated from Valparaiso University and earned his J.D. from University of Colorado – Boulder. He and his wife, Mele, and their four children live in Parker.

Senior Policy Analyst

Kristi is the Senior Policy Advisor at the Advance Colorado Institute. She is the former Chairwoman of the Colorado Republican Party -- the first woman to be elected in 40 years and the youngest Chair in Colorado Republican history. Kristi is a constitutional attorney, focusing on First Amendment and Equal Protection issues and is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court. She is a former Associate Scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute and a current board member of the Boy Scouts' Greater Colorado Council and the Colorado Family Life Center. As the former managing editor of a news site, Kristi tutors 4th-6th graders in grammar and writing and is a guest host for the Dan Caplis Show on 630 KHOW. She lives with her family in Douglas County.

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Colorado is a special place with special people. For too long, leaders have stood by while liberal special interest groups and politicians have turned Colorado into a testing ground for some of the most liberal policies and plans in the nation.


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Taxpayer Rights

Learn More About Proposition HH

The Advance Colorado Team is committed to engaging in high-impact, public-interest litigation that has a direct and tangible impact on the people of Colorado. Our goal is to ensure that Colorado is a beacon of prosperity and opportunity for all Coloradans.

We stand firmly behind fundamental principles of free enterprise and challenge tax policies with potentially broad implications that could lead to negative, unintended consequences for taxpayers. The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) gives Coloradans a direct say in government finances that isn’t available to any other state’s citizens. Advance Colorado fights to stop money-hungry politicians’ attempts to get around TABOR. Cases: Ward v. Colorado: Prop HH Challenge



Cases

Ward v. Colorado: Prop HH Challenge

Advance Colorado joined with 12 counties and multiple county commissioners and local elected officials to challenge SB23-303 and Proposition HH. Both the bill and the proposition violate Colorado's single subject requirement, and Prop HH has a misleading and unclear ballot title. This is unconstitutional. Colorado citizens are facing a $3-4 billion property tax increase in 2024. In response to this increase, the General Assembly waited until the last day of session to pass SB23-303 with Prop HH embedded in the bill. Each of them unconstitutionally “logrolls'” by pairing a politically popular notion (slightly reducing property tax assessment rates) with an unpopular notion (retaining an increasing amount of TABOR refunds – $10 billion over 10 years – and permanently eliminating them shortly thereafter). Advance Colorado sued to ensure that the legislature is held to the same constitutional requirements that citizens are.

Complaint
Answer Brief
District Court Order
Petition for Review
Colorado Supreme Court Opening Brief
Colorado Supreme Court Answer Brief

Aranci v. Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District

The Lower South Platte Water Conservancy District (LSPWCD) doubled property taxes without asking voters for their permission to do so–a clear violation of TABOR.

Motion for Determination of a Question of Law (Logan Cty. Dist. Ct. June 8, 2022)
Reply in Support of Motion for Determination of a Question of Law (Logan Cty. Dist. Ct. July 13, 2022)

Chronos Builders, LLC v. Department of Labor & Employment

Colorado has a flat income tax in its constitution: everyone’s income is taxed at exactly the same rate. Yet, the state tries to get around this clear rule by charging a “fee” measured purely as a percentage of an employee’s wages. And the state treats employees differently based on who they work for. (Government employees, conveniently, can avoid the fee.) This is not only unfair, it’s unconstitutional.

Notice of Appeal (Colo. App. Jan. 17, 2022)
Petition for Certiorari (Colo. Feb. 4, 2022)
Order Granting Certiorari (Colo. Feb. 7, 2022)
Opening Brief (Colo. Mar. 7, 2022)
Reply Brief (Colo. Apr. 18, 2022)
Oral Argument (Colo. May 3, 2022)
Supreme Court Decision (Colo. June 21, 2022)

Let's keep this momentum going

We're grateful for your continued support and have big plans for 2023. Help spread the word and stay engaged as we work to return Colorado to the special place we know it to be and love.