Audit finds issues with Colo. rebate program

Colorado auditors say the state has inaccurately administered a rebate program that helps low-income seniors and disabled residents with their property taxes, rent, and heating bills.

An audit released Monday found that the state Department of Revenue sometimes underpaid, denied, or issued rebates to residents who were ineligible for the program last year. Auditors say the problems happened because state officials did not update its system to determine eligibility, including factoring in Medicare payments and inflation.

The audit says 40 percent of the program’s nearly 18,000 participants were underpaid by a total of $165,000. Another 120 applicants were denied a total of nearly $44,500 when they should have been approved, and nearly 500 applicants were paid a total of $200,600 they weren’t eligible for.

Department officials agreed with recommendations to fix the problem.