Category Archives: X/Twitter

Oct 17

Dark money and big donors fuel the ballot battle over Proposition CC in Colorado

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Dark money and big donors fuel the ballot battle over Proposition CC in Colorado

The 2019 election attracts millions in money from nonprofits, whose donors remain hidden despite a new state disclosure law

Special to The Colorado Sun

Big money is pouring into the Proposition CC campaign – and Colorado voters may never find out where much of it is coming from.

That’s because dark-money nonprofits are contributing heavily to supporters and opponents of the 2019 ballot question to end TABOR revenue limits. That dark money — totaling nearly $3 million — is fueling an advertising battle on radio, TV and elsewhere.

And a new law aimed at identifying donors behind dark money doesn’t apply to issue committees involved in ballot questions or recall elections. The Clean Campaign Act — championed by Secretary of State Jena Griswold and signed in May by Gov. Jared Polis, both Democrats — requires disclosure of donors to nonprofits only when they contribute to committees involved in candidate campaigns.

MORE: Colorado Voter Guide 2019: What you need to know about propositions CC and DD before you vote

Griswold defended the law but acknowledged that it was just a first step in improving the state’s campaign-finance laws.

But she noted that court cases involving issue committees present challenges.

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

Oct 16

Four reasons to vote no on Proposition CC

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Four reasons to vote no on Proposition CC

There are many reasons to vote no on Proposition CC, but for the sake of brevity, I will stick with the basics.

Reason No. 1: It does raise taxes.

While the first three words of the ballot language for Proposition CC are “Without raising taxes,” this simply isn’t true. And it’s hard to understand how proponents can keep a straight face with this one. If the state owes us money in the form of a refund because we’ve overpaid our taxes, and if they don’t give us the refund, we will in fact pay more taxes than we would have without Proposition CC. Period. Continue reading →

Oct 15

Mike Rosen: NO on Proposition CC, YES on Proposition DD

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Mike Rosen: NO on Proposition CC, YES on Proposition DD

 By Mike Rosen

Proposition CC – Retaining State Government revenue. VOTE NO.

A “yes” vote would allow the state to retain any surplus of revenues in excess of spending not only in fiscal year 2018-2019 but in all years to come. A “no” vote requires the state to refund budget surpluses to taxpayers as now required under current law.

In the Colorado Constitution, The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) limits state government spending and taxation through a formula tied to population growth and inflation. Direct voter approval is required to change the limit. Article X, Section 20 (7) (d) reads: “If revenue from sources not excluded from fiscal year spending exceeds these limits in dollars for that fiscal year, the excess shall be refunded in the next fiscal year unless voters approve a revenue change as an offset.”

Through that last clause, Prop CC is asking voters to give up their prospective TABOR refunds permanently. It would spend those budget surpluses in equal shares on K-12 education, higher education and transportation without specifying how the money will be spent within those categories, leaving that to legislative whims now and in the future. Look at it this way: state government spending on K-12 in FY 2018-2019 exceeded $7 billion. Eliminating taxpayer refunds would direct an additional $103 million to K-12 education starting in FY 2020-2021. Seven billion is seven thousand million. One hundred million is a comparative drop in the bucket.

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

Oct 14

Prop CC Debate: Should TABOR be De-Bruced?

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Colorado Proposition CC

On November 5th, 2019 Coloradans will be voting on Proposition CC.
Read more about the ballot initiative HERE on the Secretary of State’s website.

  • Amie Baca-Oehlert, President of the Colorado Education Association – Proponent
  • George Brauchler, Colorado’s 18th District Attorney – Opponent
  • Michael Fields, Executive Director of Colorado Rising Action – Opponent
  • Scott Wasserman, President of the Bell Policy Center – Proponent

 

Oct 13

Conservative think tank opposes tax refund, sports betting ballot measures

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Conservative think tank opposes tax refund, sports betting ballot measures

FILE - Denver Vote
A voter casts her ballot at the Denver Elections Division Tuesday, May 7, 2019, in Denver.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

The think tank, part of Colorado Christian University, says it’s opposing Propositions CC and DD because they aren’t fiscally responsible and don’t help families in the state. The state constitution’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires voter approval for all tax increases.

“Colorado is more free, families are stronger, and our state budget is healthier if both Proposition CC and Proposition DD are rejected,” Centennial Institute Director Jeff Hunt said.

When state government collects revenue above its spending cap, TABOR requires that money to be refunded back to taxpayers. Proposition CC asks voters to allow state government to permanently keep the occasional tax refunds.

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

Oct 13

Proposition CC explained: What it means to end the spending caps in TABOR and the money at stake

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Proposition CC explained: What it means to end the spending caps in TABOR and the money at stake

The debate for Prop. CC involves whether to keep TABOR refunds, or send the tax dollars to three key areas: education, colleges and transportation.

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENTPRIMARY CATEGORY IN WHICH BLOG POST IS PUBLISHED

Brian Eason

Special to The Colorado Sun

In one of the most significant potential changes to state fiscal policy in decades, Colorado voters this November will be asked to permanently eliminate a revenue cap that has both restrained and reshaped state government since 1992.

The ask of voters is relatively modest: Forgo the occasional refund under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights — estimated at worth between $20 and a few hundred dollars for the typical household, according to the latest economic forecasts.

Nonetheless, the referendum known as Proposition CC backed by Gov. Jared Polis has the potential to be nothing short of a watershed moment in Colorado politics.

To supporters, it’s a long overdue change to TABOR that will allow the state to reinvest in essential public services that have atrophied over two recessions even as budget demands have grown. To opponents, it’s an unwelcome expansion of a state government that they view as too large already, thanks to an explosion of fees in the TABOR era.

And to both sides, it represents a critical battle in a broader ideological war over the proper size and scope of Colorado’s state government.

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

 

Oct 13

Colorado Voter Guide 2019: What you need to know about propositions CC

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Colorado Voter Guide 2019: What you need to know about propositions CC and DD before you vote

Voters will make decisions in November about two questions involving taxes that the Democratic-led state legislature put on the ballot

The Colorado Sun — johnfrank@coloradosun.com

There’s no presidential election or U.S. Senate contest on the 2019 ballot, but the Nov. 5 election will ask Colorado voters two fiscal questions with major ramifications for the future of the state.

Proposition CC and Proposition DD pose questions related to taxes — whether to keep the tax money the state collected and whether to add a new tax on sports gambling. And the interests that will benefit are spending big money to make their case. Ballots hit the mail starting Friday.

Here’s a look at the two statewide ballot questions. (Click the links below to jump to that section.)

Proposition CC  ||  PROPOSITION DD

Kellee Nolke talks to her kindergarten class at University Elementary School, 6525 W 18th St, in Greeley. Proposition CC would send money to education. (Joshua Polson, Special to The Colorado Sun)

Proposition CC

Continue reading →