In 2021, a Colorado senate committee passed SB21-260, “Sustainability Of The Transportation System”. Among other things, this bill allowed for a retail delivery fee.
Yesterday, Rep Rose Pugliese (R) introduced a bill that would have repealed this delivery fee. HB 1166, but was voted down by Democrats. “Repeal Retail Delivery Fees”, would have eliminated any retail delivery fees following the 2022-23 state fiscal year.
Currently, the state of Colorado defines retail delivery by “a retail sale of tangible personal property that is subject to state sales tax by a retailer for delivery by a motor vehicle to the purchaser at any location in the state.” The specific retail delivery tax is composed of six separate fees. These fees include charges such as the “Bridge and Tunnel Retail Delivery Fee” and the “Community Access Retail Delivery Fee”.
Despite Covid restrictions at the height of the pandemic, Colorado still imposed a delivery tax even though people were unable to enter stores and restaurants. These people were forced to get items delivered and pay the delivery tax. Rep. Pugliese introduced this bill in hopes of lifting this one burden off the shoulders of families and hard-working Coloradoans.
In addition to this, the delivery fee is hurting the elderly population. Rep. Pugliese had this to say, “It’s having a negative effect on senior citizens and elderly, especially in rural areas where there isn’t access to transportation. And disabled people who also don’t have as much access to transportation.”
HB 1166 was shot down in an 8-3 vote by the House Transportation, Housing & Local Government committee.