Category Archives: Transportation

Sep 29

What’s next — eliminating the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights altogether?

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“We are perhaps the only state in the nation that has some control over government tax increases. Are we willing to give this up?” – William Hineser of Arvada
 
Sep 26

The Democratic agenda came with a big price tag. Now Colorado budget writers worry about paying the bill.

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The Democratic agenda came with a big price tag. Now Colorado budget writers worry about paying the bill.

The rising costs of Gov. Jared Polis’ full-day kindergarten program is part of an estimated $100 million in additional costs lawmakers will need to cover

John Frank

The Colorado Sun — johnfrank@coloradosun.com

To pass their expansive legislative agenda, the new Democratic majority at the Colorado Capitol spent big this year. Real big. And now even Democratic budget writers are worried about how to make ends meet.

“There were a lot of bills passed last (session) that have continued spending … and some of those were very large,” said Rep. Daneya Esgar, D-Pueblo. “I don’t think we completely all truly understand what we have obligated ourselves to.”

The incoming chairwoman of the Joint Budget Committee issued the extraordinary warning about the forthcoming spending constraints Friday, two months before lawmakers will meet to craft the spending plan for the next fiscal year.

A preliminary estimate prepared for budget writers shows the legislation approved in the 2019 session will cost an additional $80 million to $100 million in the next budget. One factor is a low-ball estimate for the cost of full-day kindergarten, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis’ chief legislative priority in his first year.

The additional costs anticipated don’t include other major obligations that will come due, such as a projected $175 million to expand inpatient treatment for opioid and substance abuse under legislation approved in 2018 and another $30 million more for the state’s share in a federal children’s health insurance program.

Right now, projections show Colorado may not have the money to cover all the bills and continue spending at its current rate in other priority areas, such as education, transportation and health care.

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

Sep 25

Hear Paul Prentice Speak on Proposition CC & TABOR

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If you’re in the Colorado Springs area, join Paul Prentice as he’s speaking on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) and Referendum CC
at Church For All Nations (CFAN)
6540 Templeton Gap Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80923
Tuesday, October 8 from 7:00-9:00 pm

Sep 21

Now we know how much money is at stake on the 2019 ballot with Proposition CC and TABOR refunds in Colorado

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Now we know how much money is at stake on the 2019 ballot with Proposition CC and TABOR refunds in Colorado

New economic forecasts show the state may refund as much as $1.7 billion to taxpayers in the next three fiscal years — but not all will benefit the same

The Colorado Sun — johnfrank@coloradosun.com

On the November ballot, Colorado voters will decide a question potentially worth as much as $1.7 billion.

Proposition CC asks voters for permission to end the cap on state tax revenue outlined in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. If the answer is yes, the state plans to spend the money on schools, higher education and transportation projects. If the answer is no, the money would get returned to taxpayers as a refund — mostly to benefit seniors and disabled veterans.

Just how much money is at stake became clearer Friday, as state economists released the latest economic projections to inform the ballot question

The tax revenue is estimated to exceed the TABOR caps by $541.7 million to $1.7 billion total in the next three fiscal years through 2022, according to forecasts from legislative economists and Gov. Jared Polis’ budget office. If the state’s economy continues to prosper, the total would continue to grow in future years.

House Speaker KC Becker, D-Boulder, said the numbers show how much Colorado voters can do to address priority spending areas in the $30 billion state budget if Prop. CC is approved.

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