Bluedevils’ greenhouse is planting for the future Legislature asks voters to approve 10year property tax relief plan

BY JESSE PAUL AND ELLIOTT WENZLER THE COLORADO SUN

Colorado voters will decide in November whether to approve a 10-year plan to rein in skyrocketing property taxes, as well as whether the state should distribute about $2 billion in Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refunds checks next year in equal amounts rather than linking their size to people’s income level, with more money being sent to higher earners.

BY BELEN WARD BWARD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Fort Lupton High School students opened a greenhouse to provide plants for the community.

“We started a school-based enterprise, the Devils Garden, which we call our greenhouse, to provide plants to our community from heir- loom seeds and safe for the bees, said Judy Howell, Career Explore teacher.

“It gives the kids some experience and ownership in something and some skills that they can apply to other aspects of their lives.”

Career Explore is a grant-funded program throughout the state that seeks to reengage students at risk of dropping out.

“It’s been around for about six years. is is my second year doing this,” Howell said. “For the plants we sell, the proceeds come back into the greenhouse to educate more students and run the program.”

Howell said the program has 86 kids, either full-time or part-time this year.

“ e majority of the kids in the program are juniors and seniors, and we try to get them to the point that they can graduate,” she said.

Empty greenhouse e questions were placed on the November ballot on May 8 by Democrats in the Colorado legislature as the General Assembly wrapped up its 120-day lawmaking term. e legislature worked until about 10 p.m., just before its 11:59 p.m. deadline, to complete its work, when the Capitol carriage turns back into a pumpkin. e last few hours of the session were chaotic, with Republicans walking out of the House chamber in protest, Democrats in the House lambasting each other and the Senate limiting debate to stop a GOP libuster. e property tax plan, pushed for by Gov. Jared Polis, will appear on the ballot as Proposition HH and

Howell said she noticed that the greenhouse at the school was empty about a year ago. It was 27 years old and had been vacant for years and was only used for storage. She asked her principal if they could use the greenhouse.