Brownstein Podcast Series

Colorado counties reassess property taxes for real and personal property every two years. With the notices of valuation for the 2025-2026 cycle being released on May 1, Brownstein Shareholders David Meschke and Justin Cohen explain why commercial property owners need to start preparing to review their assessment notices and decide whether it makes business sense to appeal those determinations.

President Trump has made returning manufacturing jobs to America a cornerstone of both his terms. Republicans in Congress are hoping to lend a helping hand during the drafting of their reconciliation bill by including provisions that offer tax incentives to companies that commit to domestic production. In this episode of our tax podcast, we delve into the potential structure of these credits and explore whether lawmakers might draw inspiration from past tax legislation, including the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act.

With the reconciliation framework in place, congressional Republicans face the challenge of crafting a final bill. As they aim to solidify tax provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, deliver on promises President Trump made to working-class voters and address broader tax concerns, lawmakers are searching for methods to offset the costs of their ambitious policy agenda. Today, Brownstein’s tax team explore proposals gaining traction in Washington, including increasing taxes on individuals earning over $1 million. They'll examine the feasibility of this departure from conservative orthodoxy and discuss alternative strategies Congress might consider.

Construction defect litigation has loomed large over Colorado’s development industry for more than a decade. From insurance issues to HOA lawsuits after the fact, construction defects can impact any stage in the life cycle of a development and the threat of lawsuits been used as a scapegoat for Colorado’s lagging housing supply. Tune in as Brownstein’s Kevin Walsh and Corey Zurbuch go over the legal landscape surrounding construction defects and how the related volley of statutory changes, judicial rulings and litigation have impacted communities in Colorado.

Jan. 20, 2025, marked the starting line of the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. This podcast is part of a series tracking critical policy issues the White House may look to act on during the defining period of any president’s administration. This week, our team examines the state of congressional negotiations on appropriations bills that continue government operations, and budgetary reconciliation efforts that advance the Republican policy agenda.

Jan. 20, 2025, marked the starting line of the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. This podcast is part of a series tracking critical policy issues the White House may look to act on during the defining period of any president’s administration. This week, our team delves into artificial intelligence: examining how the Trump administration and Congress aim to advance the technology, and how states might respond or even preempt federal policymaking.

Tax law allows those who itemize their returns to deduct certain state and local taxes, this is known as the SALT deduction. The provision was capped for individuals regardless of marital status at $10,000 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as a revenue raiser, upsetting those in high-tax states like New York, New Jersey and California. With current razor thin margins in Congress and members of both parties representing these areas, our tax team dives into how the House and Senate may negotiate the caps and how they could be extended to corporations in 2025 tax legislation.

Jan. 20, 2025, marked the starting line of the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. This podcast is part of a series tracking critical policy issues the White House may look to act on during the defining period of any president’s administration. This week, we focus on how Trump may handle tax policy, including expiring Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions, campaign promises of additional tax relief and reshaping the federal tax collecting agencies.

Jan. 20, 2025, marked the starting line of the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term. This podcast is part of a series tracking critical policy issues the White House may look to act on during the defining period of any president’s administration. This week, our team discusses early policymaking by the Trump team and the reaction of congressional Republicans, as well as how industry stakeholders can ensure their interests are considered under the GOP trifecta.

Some of the biggest constraints for homebuilders in Nevada is availability of land and water, government approvals and construction costs. Listen in as Greg Vallin and Michael Alires, members of Brownstein's Master Planned Community group, talk through how developers and homebuilders in the state can navigate these regulatory hurdles under tight deadlines and unpredictable costs.

In the next Congress, Republican lawmakers, who now control the White House and Capitol Hill, will attempt to pass a majority of their agenda through the reconciliation process. Navigating thin majorities in the House and Senate, legislators will look for funding sources to pay for new policies, including tax relief for millions of Americans and their businesses. In this conversation, Brownstein Shareholders Russ Sullivan and Rosemary Becchi talk about where members of Congress may look to off-set their revenue reduction plans.

While on the campaign trail, President-elect Trump didn’t just promise to extend the tax cuts he passed with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) in 2017, he promised additional tax breaks for Americans. Ranging from the removal of taxes on tips and overtime for workers to reductions in corporate rates for businesses, tax legislation in the next administration will have wide-reaching effects. Our tax policy team breaks down these proposals and discusses their likelihood of inclusion in reconciliation legislation.

When it comes to master-planned communities in Colorado, developing water supply is an increasingly complicated area—often costing more and taking much longer than anticipated. Tune in as Brownstein’s Greg Vallin and Wayne Forman dive into the complexity and difficulty of water resource development and acquiring water rights for real estate development under Colorado law.

After winning a trifecta in last month’s elections, Republicans plan on passing most of their agenda through reconciliation. This method of legislating, which allows lawmakers to avoid the 60-vote filibuster in the Senate, requires knowledge and skill to navigate a thin majority and a watchful Senate parliamentarian. Our team of congressional appropriations and budget veterans explain reconciliation and how the GOP will use the process to advance their policy plans.

COVID destabilized many commercial landlords, leading many tenants to focus on how to protect themselves from non-performing landlords. From doing due diligence on potential landlords to negotiating for economic and non-economic protections and remedies in leases, listen in as shareholders Tal Diamant and Melanie Taylor dive into ways for tenants to secure their leasehold while maintaining positive relationships with their landlords in the process.

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Chevron deference has significant implications for many industries. The change in an agency's authority to interpret ambiguous statutes might affect many businesses, especially those in highly regulated sectors. In this episode, members of Brownstein’s legal and policy teams explore the possible consequences of this decision and discuss potential remedies for clients who believe they have been adversely affected by regulatory overreach.

Metro districts are a key part of new housing development in Colorado. Tune in as Brownstein’s Corey Zurbuch speaks with Robert Rogers, shareholder at White Bear Ankele Tanaka & Waldron, about the challenges and opportunities that come with metro districts.

With Election Day 2024 finally behind us, a clearer picture is emerging of the new Congress’s priorities. In this one-hour webinar, Government Relations Department co-chair Will Moschella, Senior Counsel Alice Lugo and Co-Chair of the Government Investigations & White Collar Defense Group Greg Brower discuss what the Senate and House committees are likely to have in store for American businesses as part of their oversight agendas for the next two years.

A panel made up of Brownstein policy directors that worked in President Trump’s first administration come together for a candid conversation about the 2024 election results before turning to what’s ahead for the Trump transition and the next four years. Moderated by Barry Jackson, the panel is also joined by Boris Epshteyn, counsel and senior advisor to President Trump, who provided insights on Trump’s historic campaign and agenda for his next term.

One persistent challenge for real estate developers navigating local permitting laws is overcoming community opposition. Tune in as members of Brownstein’s Master Planned Community team talk through hurdles developers face when seeking local approval and how they can address community concerns to prevent or overcome opposition from the project’s future neighbors.