Defending the Colorado Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR)
Route 66 is a famous highway; Amendment 66 is a fiscal dead end, taking over a billion dollars yearly in new state taxes. Here are three strikes against 66 almost no one knows: The first is their bogus ballot title. TABOR (the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights) requires a tax increase ballot title begin, “Shall state
Read MoreThe question routinely asked in Colorado Springs is whether it’s time to do away with our city’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which, by the way, predates the state version. Some critics call it redundancy. But my belief is that the city’s version, while imperfect, continues to serve the taxpayers well. It’s more needed now than
Read MoreToday, in its ruling on California’s Proposition 8, the Supreme Court ruled that citizens’ groups do not have standing to defend a law passed by referendum or initiative in federal court, should the state decline to do so.  By making this reasoning the basis for its decision, the Court has potentially invited grave implications for
Read MoreThis week the lawsuit brought by the TABOR Foundation was heard in Denver District Court. Judge Michael Martinez heard the testimony. Attorney Jim Manley from Mountain States Legal Foundation was the principal representative for the Plaintiffs. The Defendants were the Fund itself and the Colorado Transportation Commission. The Attorney General’s office is responsible for defending
Read MoreFriends of TABOR, The trial testimony and arguments wrapped up on Tuesday, a day earlier than the time allotted. The “evidentiary” portion of the trial is complete. Our TABOR Foundation Executive Director, Bob Foland, was present for the morning’s proceedings and I for the afternoon’s. Our combined report follows. Judge Michael Martinez expects both Plaintiffs
Read MoreFriends of TABOR, Yesterday (Monday), the trial began on the lawsuit to prove the Bridge Enterprise Fund is unconstitutional because it ignores the rules laid out in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. You, as supporters and contributors, are bringing the lawsuit through our organization, the TABOR Foundation. We are represented by Mountain States Legal Foundation, and that legal firm’s
Read MoreTaxpayer Bill of Rights Approved by House Committee – Civitas … http://ow.ly/2wP65t By Brian Balfour This year’s version of a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) yesterday was approved by the House Committee on Government, and moves to the House Finance Committee. House Bill 274 would place limitations on the annual growth rate of the state budget, tied to
Read MoreBy Duffy Hayes Saturday, May 4, 2013 In May 2007, Mesa County took the unprecedented step of deciding — without voter approval — to exclude its local sales taxes from revenue limit calculations set forth in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. Six years later, current and former county staff say the county did so with unanimous
Read MoreQuestion: When is a legislative expenditure not a TABOR expenditure? Read on… 4/29/2013 By Miller Hudson CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST Supporters of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) amendment would like Colorado taxpayers to believe it provides a simple braking mechanism on increases in state and local spending. And, for a few years in the mid-‘90s it probably
Read MoreA lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Colorado’s 21-year old Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) could have dire implications for constitutional restraints on spending and taxation in almost every other state, including Maine. At issue is the very essence of republican self-government. The case – Kerr v. Colorado – is winding its way through the U.S. Court of
Read More