Webinar: Understanding TABOR

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Webinar: Understanding TABOR

October 30, 2025 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM

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The Colorado Supreme Court recently decided its first case interpreting Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) in several years.

In MetroPCS v. City of Lakewood, the Court held that the city’s revisions to a pre-TABOR business and occupation tax relating to telecommunications were “new taxes” and invalid without prior voter approval.

TABOR experts and the lawyers who litigated the case for the city will discuss the case, the Court’s reaction to the parties’ arguments, and the implications municipalities dealing with similar tax scenarios and TABOR generally.

Speakers:  David Broadwell, former CML general Counsel John VanLandschoot, senior assistant city attorney, City of Lakewood Dalton Kelley, Butler Snow LLP

https://www.cml.org/home/networking-events/event-detail/2025/10/30/default-calendar/webinar-understanding-tabor-web-103025

 

 

Step Up. Speak Out. Defend TABOR.

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The TABOR Foundation is looking to revive its’ speaker’s bureau.  Many of you will remember that we tried, with mixed results, to establish a speakers’ bureau to provide speakers for interested groups around the Denver metro area and across the state.  The goal, of course, is to educate people about the value of The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in limiting the state’s ability to tax its citizens.

 

In our past efforts to make the speakers’ bureau work, we had our ducks in a row—for the most part.  We have developed a PowerPoint presentation and have a laptop computer dedicated to that presentation.  We acquired a digital projector and a screen specifically for our speakers.  We also were able to tap into expert help with our messaging and for polishing our presenters’ skills.

 So, where’s the weak link?  Clearly, it’s in getting speaking engagements scheduled.  Doing so requires someone willing to make calls to groups that are looking for speakers for their (usually monthly) meetings.  To this point, we have had one person who committed to making calls to schedule speakers.

Let’s be honest.  There’s some tedium involved in scheduling these engagements.  The scheduler will typically need to contact the person in the organization who is responsible for the group’s programs.  There’s phone tag.  Or, you get to speak to the correct person only to find out that someone else has taken over the responsibility, and you’ll need to speak to him.

On the positive side, we plan to start approaching friendly groups—other like-minded organizations where members would be most receptive to our message.  Conversations tend to be easy.  Callers would likely find their calls to be well received.  It may take some patience to find a meeting time that matches our speaker’s schedule—a bit more tedium—but the person on the other end of the line will probably be helpful and cooperative.

Here’s the part where we want to improve on past efforts.  We’d like to find two volunteers who would commit to scheduling two speaking engagements per month.  Perhaps better still would be to find four callers, each of whom would commit to scheduling one engagement per month.  Assuming we can find multiple callers, we should probably plan on regular (monthly?) discussions to talk about how things are going and to address challenges people may be having.  I guess the bottom line is that we need volunteers who care about limited government and who want to contribute to the effort to rein in government excesses.

We’re asking for your help.  If you would be able to commit maybe a couple of hours per month to schedule engagements for us, I’d very much like to talk to you.  Or, if you might know of someone who would be willing to take on this role, I’d like to speak to you with the hope that you would make an introduction.

Bob Foland
Executive Director, The TABOR Foundation

TheTABORfoundation@gmail.com
Info@TheTABORcommittee.com

 

Oct 08

Colorado’s Free School Lunch Program is Getting More Expensive

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Two Colorado ballot measures aim to fund Healthy School Meals for All—but they come with a price tag.

  • Prop LL would cancel a $12.4M taxpayer refund in FY26.
  • Prop MM would raise taxes on Coloradans earning $300K+, with average hikes of $377 (single) and $560 (joint).
Read the latest CSI report to find out: https://www.commonsenseinstituteus.org/…/colorados-free…

#ItsYourMoneyNotTheirs
#DontBeFooled
#VoteOnTaxesAndFees
#FeesAreTaxes
#TABOR
#FollowTheMoney
#FollowTheLaw
#ThankGodForTABOR
#HandsOffTABOR

Oct 02

Chainsaw Caucus Alert: Prop LL & MM – TABOR Workaround & Hidden Tax Hike!

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ChainsawCaucus @ChainsawCaucus posted this on X

Chainsaw Caucus Alert: Prop LL & MM – TABOR Workaround & Hidden Tax Hike!

Colorado Patriots, it’s time to sharpen your chainsaws! Propositions LL and MM on the November 2025 ballot are being sold as “saving school lunches” and “helping kids,” but don’t be fooled—these are slick moves to bypass TABOR and raise your taxes! Here’s the breakdown from your Chainsaw Caucus crew, ready to cut through the spin.

Prop LL: TABOR’s Backdoor Bust

– What They Say: Prop LL “retains” extra revenue from Prop FF (2022’s school meals tax on high earners) to keep funding free lunches for all kids. Sounds noble, right?

– The Truth: This is a TABOR dodge! TABOR (our Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights) says any revenue over projections must be refunded to YOU, the taxpayer. Prop LL lets the state keep $50-100M a year that should come back to your wallet, no questions asked. They’re calling it “surplus retention,” but it’s a blank check for bureaucrats to lock up funds without voter say. Once it’s gone, good luck getting it back!

– Why It Stinks: TABOR exists to protect us from runaway spending. Prop LL flips the bird to that, tying up your money for a program that’s already ballooned to $200M a year (double what they planned). No accountability, no flexibility for budget crises. Just a feel-good excuse to hoard cash.

 

Prop MM: Straight-Up Tax Hike

– What They Say: Prop MM “tweaks” taxes on folks earning over $300K to raise ~$95M for school meals and SNAP benefits. They claim it’s just for kids and won’t hit your pocket.

– The Truth: This is a TAX INCREASE, plain and simple. It caps deductions at $1,000 (single) or $2,000 (joint) for high earners, jacking up their state taxes. Think it won’t affect you? Those 200,000 households (6% of filers) are business owners, job creators, and innovators who might just pack up and leave Colorado, taking jobs with them. Plus, nothing stops the state from lowering that $300K threshold later—today’s “rich” could be YOU tomorrow.

– TABOR Trick: Prop MM dresses up as TABOR-compliant by asking for your vote, but it’s a one-way street. Once approved, that $95M is locked into meals and SNAP forever, starving other priorities like roads or schools when budgets get tight. It’s ballot-box budgeting—handcuffing lawmakers and dodging TABOR’s spirit.

 

The Big Picture: Together, LL and MM are a masterclass in government overreach. LL keeps your TABOR refunds hostage; MM slaps new taxes on the table. Both prop up a bloated program (meals for all kids, even wealthy ones) that’s already failing to stay on budget. Meanwhile, Colorado’s facing an $800M shortfall, and these measures just make it harder to pivot. They’re not about “kids”; they’re about locking in spending and screwing taxpayers.

 

Chainsaw Caucus Call to Action

– Vote NO on Props LL and MM on Nov. 4, 2025! Protect TABOR, your wallet, and Colorado’s economic future.

– Spread the Word: Share this post on X and tell your neighbors—these props are a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

– Join the Fight: Follow @ChainsawCaucus for more updates on slashing government waste and keeping Colorado free!

 

Disclaimer: This post reflects the Chainsaw Caucus’s take—no fluff, just facts. Check ballot language at http://coloradosos.gov. Let’s keep the government’s hands off our money! ?

https://x.com/ChainsawCaucus/status/1973026323502084182

#ItsYourMoneyNotTheirs
#DontBeFooled
#VoteOnTaxesAndFees
#FeesAreTaxes
#TABOR
#FollowTheMoney
#FollowTheLaw
#ThankGodForTABOR
#HandsOffTABOR

 

Sep 17

Colorado Taxpayers Facing Threats from Big Government Advocates & Authoritarian Legislators

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Links from video: https://freestatecolorado.com/herman/ A new proposed tax increase would be disastrous for Colorado. The economy is already struggling and many Coloradans are having trouble making ends meet. And yet, greedy politicians and their authoritarian allies working for non-profits want to take more of our money. Thankfully, we have people like Nash Herman who analyze policy and expose the implications of these schemes. Nash works for the Independence Institute in Denver, a Free-Market think tank. In this video, Nash explains why tax increases are a bad idea and shares insight into the mindset of greedy big government advocates.

Sep 11

The TABOR Committee’s Response about the T-Mobile/City of Lakewood Tax Case

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The members of the TABOR Committee certainly were glad that both the trial court and the Colorado Supreme Court acted to preserve this piece of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights : (https://aboutbtax.com/bjrH).  We have thought for years that courts have been too lenient in allowing the weakening of TABOR, and so strongly endorse this defense of the constitution.

The City of Lakewood tried to wiggle past this new tax without prior voter approval by expanding the reach of a limited and old telecommunications tax.  That the judicial system confirmed that new technologies must be treated as such in order to be taxed and therefore require voter approval, is an excellent protection for the citizens of our state.  The application of this understanding, that newly developed inventions cannot have old taxes extended to them, but must first ask the voters, is an important provision going forward that should cover a host of new ideas and innovations.  The ruling also somewhat limits the damage done in the rulings for the TABOR Foundation vs. RTD case, in which taxes imposed on items never taxed before without a vote were allowed by the courts.

We were also thankful that the justices on the Supreme Court all understood and applied the plain meaning of TABOR and released the Opinion unanimously.

An issue that we wish would have been revisited was argued by the City to allow the new taxes because the taxes raised were too small to be relevant.  It should be emphasized that such an argument always should be seen as nugatory, because TABOR has no de minimis language anywhere in its constitutional section.  In fact, the opposite applies.  Any tax increase ballot must conform to specific language that forecasts the amount to be raised.  If the receipts come in higher than the projection, “[T]he excess shall be refunded” and the tax rate adjusted downward to meet the limits (paragraph 7(d)).  No exception is mentioned in the provision.  In the RTD case mentioned above, the Supreme Court then legislated the de minimis provision into TABOR, creating it out of whole cloth.

Penn Pfiffner
TABOR Committee Chairman

Sep 11

Colorado Chamber Applauds Landmark TABOR Decision from State Supreme Court

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For media inquiries, please contact Cynthia Eveleth-Havens at CynthiaE@cochamber.com.

DENVER – The Colorado Chamber of Commerce today applauded the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision in MetroPCS v. City of Lakewood, determining that the City of Lakewood failed to comply with Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). The Colorado Chamber submitted an amicus brief on the case in December 2024.

“This landmark case draws a sharp line in the sand for the state and local jurisdictions trying to tax voters without their approval,” said Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman. “This is the first time the Colorado Supreme Court has found a violation of TABOR’s voter approval requirements for new taxes, which could set an important precedent moving forward. Businesses depend on the predictability of our laws and tax policies, and we applaud the Court’s decision to prohibit taxing authorities from unilaterally imposing new taxes without the consent of voters.”

The Court ruled that Lakewood violated the state constitution by expanding a 1969 tax ordinance twice in the last three decades when it enacted a business and occupation tax on cell service providers without prior voter approval. The Court declared the ordinances violated TABOR laws making them void and requiring Lakewood to refund the tax it collected unlawfully over the past years.

The Colorado Chamber’s prior amicus brief can be found here: https://cochamber.com/wp-content/uploads/T-Mo-CO-Brief-of-Amicus-Curiae-Colorado-Chamber-of-Commerce.pdf 

Colorado Chamber Applauds Landmark TABOR Decision from State Supreme Court

Sep 09

Colorado Supreme Court finds Lakewood unconstitutionally expanded phone provider tax

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Colorado Supreme Court finds Lakewood unconstitutionally expanded phone provider tax

The Colorado Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Lakewood improperly expanded the scope of a 1969 tax ordinance twice to encompass cell phone providers without holding the popular vote the state constitution requires.

Click (HERE) to read the whole story