Arapahoe County adopts referee recommendations, finalizing thousands of BOE appeals

The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 4 to adopt the 2026 Board of Equalization decisions as recommended by appointed independent referees.

Benjamin Schwarzenegger, senior assistant county attorney, told commissioners the report covered roughly "2,341 hearings were had" and that the hearings are expected to result in about a "$35,000,000" reduction in actual value after appeals, compared with the county's approximately $3,600,000,000 total assessed value. Schwarzenegger described most appeals as involving vacant land, residential parcels and large tract developments and said a handful of appeals were granted while many were denied.

Commissioner Baker moved to "adopt the resolution approving the 2026 board of equalization decisions as recommended by the appointed independent referees pursuant to Colorado revised statute section 39 dash 8 dash 1 0 2 parent 2 parent I"; Commissioner Campbell seconded and the motion passed by voice vote. Schwarzenegger also publicly thanked named staff and assessor's office employees for their work during the hearing process.