Category Archives: TABOR news story

Sep 21

Cooke: The case against Colorado’s Proposition CC

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 By Amy Oliver Cooke

For those who aren’t familiar with our Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, also known as TABOR, it’s simple. TABOR promotes transparent, consensual and good, fair government. Ever since voters approved it in 1992, this constitutional amendment has been an indispensable voter check and balance on state government growth. TABOR provides reasonable limitations on revenue collection (population growth plus inflation) and general government debt.

If government wants to grow, all it has to do is ask voters. Coloradans are lucky to live in a state in which we get to decide on the size and scope of government.

First, there is no budget crisis.

To read the rest of the story, click (HERE):

Sep 14

TABOR Public Forum On October 12

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“TABOR public forum: Jefferson Unitarian Church’s Community Action Network group (JUC CAN) and the League of Women Voters of Jefferson County are co-hosting a TABOR public forum from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 12 at Jefferson Unitarian Church, 14350 W. 32nd Ave., in Golden. A panel will discuss both Proposition CC and Jeffco 1A. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call JUC CAN at 303-279-5282 or the Jeffco League of Women Voters at 303-238-0032.”

http://wheatridgetranscript.com/stories/election-day-is-coming-jefferson-county,286174

Sep 01

North Carolina Republicans Vote To Follow The Lead Of Democrat-Run Colorado, And That’s Welcome News For Many Tar Heel Taxpayers

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Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) and the leaders of the Colorado Legislature are progressives from Boulder who have many ideas for higher taxes and new spending. Much to their chagrin, Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights thwarts their plans to raise state tax rates and spending levels.

To read this Forbes story, click (HERE):

 

Aug 29

Referendum C hurt TABOR; Prop CC will do more harm

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They lied to us in 2005, and they are doubling down on this lie in 2019. Colorado voters were sold a bill of goods with Referendum C in 2005, and it is of the utmost importance that we aren’t fooled again with Proposition CC in 2019.

Proponents of Referendum C originally claimed that their measure was “temporary.” The measure was supposed to offer a five-year reprieve from the constitutional limitations created by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), allowing some fiscal flexibility for Colorado lawmakers to invest heavily in education and transportation.

Or so they claimed.

To read the rest of this story, click (HERE):

Aug 29

Why #TABOR Matters on August 29

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• In 2005, voters passed Referendum C to provide more than $2 billion each year for roads.
• In 2009, the legislature passed FASTER fees, which provides $250 million each year through higher car registration fees.
• In 2017, the legislature “fixed” the Hospital Provider Fee, which freed up $600 million for roads and education.
• This all means we spend almost $3 billion more per year since 2005, yet our roads are still in terrible condition.
 
Who is accountable?
 
#WhyTABORMatters
Aug 19

Proposition CC’s Ballot Language Is NOT Being Honest With Colorado

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Chris P. Bacon@CPBacon4CO
 

#PropCC Ballot Language **IF** the #democrats were being honest with #Colorado

 

But they’re not being honest

 
It’s not “Technically” a tax increase, but it IS permission for them to keep OverCharging your tax bills & keep it without asking
Aug 12

SENGENBERGER | Safeguard TABOR — and stand up for Colorado taxpayers

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The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights is under attack. For at least a decade, Democrats in the Colorado legislature — backed by the Colorado Supreme Court in erroneous rulings and occasionally supported by faithless Republicans — have thwarted some of the protections afforded to Coloradans by the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

Typically, these successful assaults against TABOR have come from taxes disguised as “fees.”  In fact, this past legislative session Democrats even proposed financing a paid family leave program with a payroll tax (like the Social Security tax) that they would again have labeled a “fee.”  (This legislation is likely to return next session.) 

But this year’s attack — Proposition CC, put on the ballot by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly and backed by Gov. Jared Polis (D) — is particularly troublesome.  Recall that the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights was passed in 1992 and provides two essential protections for Coloradans.  First, the amendment requires a vote of the people to raise taxes (unless legislators call it a “fee,” as discussed).

To read the rest of this story, click (HERE):

Aug 12

Ex-Basalt mayor touts new ‘social capital’ group

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Ex-Basalt mayor touts new ‘social capital’ group

  • John Fayhee, Special to the Aspen Daily News

Tim Belinski, developer of Willits Town Center, supports Rick Stevens’ idea of starting a social capital group in Basalt.

Madeleine Osberger/Aspen Daily News

A potentially positive proposal to salve some of the wounds caused by the contentious and increasingly expensive TABOR controversy in Basalt may end up butting heads with the same town government that had been inadvertently collecting property tax revenues for 10 years in violation of the state’s constitution.

All told, town officials estimate that about $2 million had been collected illegally, according to the fine print of TABOR — the so-called Taxpayer Bill of Rights — which was added to the state constitution by citizens’ referendum in 1992.

TABOR restricts revenues for all levels of government — state, local, special districts and schools. Under TABOR, state and local governments cannot raise tax rates without voter approval.

Two years after TABOR was enacted, Basalt voters approved a property tax rate of 6.151 mills. Soon thereafter, given the increase of real estate values in town, that rate was lowered, finally bottoming out at 2.56 mills in 2010. As real estate values struggled to recover from the Great Recession, Basalt was forced to gradually raise the mill levy to meet its basic operating costs.

To read the rest of this story, click (HERE):