Brownstein Podcast Series

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.

Denver voters have a record breaking 26 measures on the ballot this year. A panel from the Downtown Denver Partnership, moderated by Brownstein Real Estate Co-Chair Blair Lichtenfels, discusses the ballot questions that could most significantly impact Denver’s downtown and economic competitiveness. Listen in to learn more about the issues Denver residents will be asked to vote on during this election.

In today's episode of Brownstein's Podcast Series on master-planned communities, Shareholder Greg Vallin talks to two industry experts—Brock Smethills, president of the Sterling Ranch Development Company, and Kyle Harris, senior vice president of community development and general manager for the Baseline project at McWhinney—about their projects’ successes and challenges as well as current trends in the market.

The 2024 election is upon us. Colorado’s ballots are in the mail and the Colorado Blue Book is already in voters’ hands. Join Brownstein’s Sarah Mercer, David Meschke and Rosa Baum as they dive into the labyrinth of 14 measures on the statewide ballot this year, seven referred by the legislature and seven brought by citizen initiatives, and their potential impact.

It's no secret that attainable housing is becoming difficult to find. In this episode, members of Brownstein's Condominium and Planned Community practice talk through the complex tangle of legal and regulatory barriers facing the industry and consider solutions and innovative approaches to the problem.

As part of their continuing podcast series looking into tax policy in 2025, Russ Sullivan and Rosemary Becchi dive into changes to 199-A regulations. Joined by former Sen. Mark Pryor, they discuss how this provision’s expiration could lead to material harm for small business and pass-through businesses across the country. They also cover methods concerned industry members can utilize to protect 199-A rates, including joining the Protect Coalition, an organization solely focused on this issue.

The Democratic Party convened in Chicago to officially nominate Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The convention not only showcased a diverse array of speakers—including some from across the aisle—but also told the Democratic party’s story of America’s journey and its vision for the future. Our Washington, D.C. team who attended the DNC breaks down how the convention's narrative and vision for the 2024 election reflects the broader political and policy challenges facing the nation.