Colorado Economic Advocates and Rural Leaders Reject Trump’s Agenda to Expand 2017 Tax Law

In the wake of Donald Trump’s inauguration, Rocky Mountain Values (RMV), the Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI), and state leaders from rural Colorado held a press conference today to reject Trump and conservatives’ tax agenda, which aims to expand the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).

The proposal, which introduces just two tax brackets and slashes programs that serve rural communities, would devastate Colorado families while widening the gap between the wealthy and working Coloradans.

“This tax plan is a giveaway to the ultra-wealthy and a betrayal of rural communities,” said Justin Lamorte, Executive Director of RMV. “Rural Colorado relies heavily on programs like Medicaid, SNAP, and the Child Tax Credit to support their families, healthcare systems, and local economies. Gutting these programs to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans is simply unacceptable.”

Key Concerns with Trump’s Tax Agenda

The conservative proposal includes drastic changes that would disproportionately harm Coloradans:

• Two Tax Brackets Benefiting the Wealthy: The Project 2025 plan consolidates tax brackets to 15% and 30%, which would lower rates for the wealthiest Americans while raising taxes on middle-income families. A single filer earning $46,000 (Colorado’s median income) would pay $1,000 more annually, while married couples earning $130,000 could see a $3,000 increase.

  
  

• Cuts to Programs Supporting Rural Colorado: Programs like Medicaid, which funds nearly 50% of healthcare in rural areas, and SNAP, relied on by over 600,000 Coloradans, face significant reductions. These cuts would hit rural counties hardest, where public funding is a lifeline for healthcare, food security, and family support.

  
  

• Harm to Local Economies: Rural communities often depend on federally funded programs like the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which put money back into the pockets of working families. Reducing or eliminating these credits would undermine the stability of local economies across the state.

  
  

• Tariffs Raising Costs for Everyday Families: Trump’s proposal to increase tariffs means higher prices on groceries, clothing, and other essential goods, forcing Colorado families to pay more at a time when many are already struggling to make ends meet. These hidden taxes hurt everyday consumers and disproportionately impact rural and working-class households.

Why This Matters to Colorado

Leaders emphasized that rural Colorado already faces unique economic challenges, including limited access to healthcare and fewer high-paying jobs. Cuts to safety net programs would exacerbate these challenges, forcing families to make impossible choices between putting food on the table, accessing medical care, and covering other basic needs.

“Rural communities are the backbone of our state, and they deserve better,” said Caroline Nutter, Legislative Coordinator for CFI. “This plan threatens to increase poverty, decrease access to healthcare, and destabilize local economies in rural areas—all while giving handouts to corporations and the ultra-wealthy.”

A Call for Fair Tax Policies

Rocky Mountain Values and the Colorado Fiscal Institute urged Colorado’s congressional delegation to stand united against expanding provisions of the TCJA that reward the ultra wealthy and big corporations. Instead, they called for equitable tax policies that:

• Close loopholes that allow corporations to avoid paying their fair share.

• Protect and expand programs that serve rural families, children, and older adults.

• Provide meaningful relief to middle-class and working families across the state.

"We cannot let this administration prioritize the wealthy at the expense of hardworking Coloradans,” said Katie Stewart, a state representative from Durango. “We need tax policies that reflect Colorado’s values—fairness, opportunity, and support for our most vulnerable communities.”

The press conference concluded with a commitment from leaders and advocates to fight for a tax system that works for everyone—not just the wealthy few.

Read CFI's new report, Continuing 45 Years of Inequitable Tax Policy: Colorado Impacts, here. To learn more about the Colorado Fiscal Institute, Rocky Mountain Values, and their work to promote fair taxation, visit coloradofiscal.org or rockymountainvalues.org.