Taxation in Castle Pines

PROPERTY AND SALES TAXES

The City continues to receive lots of questions about property and sales taxes in Castle Pines.

The most important thing to know about taxes is that ANY new or tax increase CANNOT be implemented without a public vote. Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights requires a vote of the people for any new tax or any increase of an existing tax.

PROPERTY TAX

Below is a breakdown of the property taxing entities in Castle Pines using a $550,000 home and $1,000,000 commercial property as examples. The following example is for a property owner that lives within the original boundary of the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District.

In Colorado, we have a unique way of taxing commercial and residential properties.  In 1982, voters approved a state constitutional amendment (Gallagher Amendment) which impacts how much homeowners and commercial property owners pay in property tax.  As a result, residential properties are currently assessed at a rate of 7.15% while commercial properties are assessed at a rate of 29%, almost 4 times as much!

Your local Metro District property tax rate may differ from what is presented.  Check your property tax bill for your specifics.

The chart above is an example of a typical property tax breakdown.

Property is valued every two years for property tax purposes by the Douglas County Assessor's Office. To research specific information on your property taxes, visit the Douglas County Assessors website.

Sales Tax

Sales tax is a tax paid by the consumer when purchasing certain items or services. Sales tax is collected from the consumer by businesses on behalf of the City. Sales tax IS NOT an expense paid by the business. Castle Pines has a local sales tax rate of 2.75% which is one of the lowest sales tax in Douglas County. The total sales tax rate, or what you see reflected on your receipt, is 6.75% and includes State of Colorado: 2.90%, Scientific & Cultural Facilities District (SCFD): 0.10%, and Douglas County: 1.00%.