Nov 21

Natelson: Educating newcomers about Colorado values

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Colorado’s economic prosperity is mostly a good thing, but it has a downside: Prosperity attracts newcomers ignorant of our state’s culture—and often unaware there is 

 

 anything to learn.

You can see it in the great outdoors. Colorado’s environment is different from those of most other states. Colo

rado has greater altitudes, steeper mountains, harsher sun, drier weather, sudden weather changes, and fierce temperature drops. Our environment, while stunning, is far less forgiving than most newcomers are used to. If you get into trouble . . . . well, as we used to say in the Colorado Mountain Club, “The mountains don’t care.”

For that reason the classic “ten essentials” of hiking—extra layers, extra water, a head covering, maps, good boots, sun screen, etc.—are even more important for Colorado than for most other places.

Yet visit any of our popular hiking areas and you’ll see the trails populated by people outfitted like they were strolling in a public park in Boston: no hats, no extra layers, little water, almost no provisions of any kind.

 

 

 

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Nov 21

County mulls how to refund excess tax revenue

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  • CHARLES ASHBY
Mesa County’s three commissioners are hoping to find a better way to refund about $5.1 million in surplus revenue that it must return under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

In the past, the county would do so through a property tax credit, but the commissioners said they were somewhat hesitant about using that mechanism for two reasons, one of which is that a good portion of it would end up in the hands of out-of-area property owners.

The bigger reason, however, is that the surplus revenue didn’t come from property tax payers.

Click (HERE) to read the rest of this story

Nov 12

We could use your help, talents, and skills defending the gold standard, Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).

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Now that Proposition CC has gone down in flames, what will progressives do next to sabotage TABOR?
Aren’t you sick and tired on politicians trying to weasel their way out of, or ignoring, TABOR?
We need to do something about it, right?
Well then, why not you?
Yes, you read that right.
Why not?  It’s a great time to get involved.
If not you, then who?
We could use your help, talents, and skills defending the gold standard, Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).
We’re looking forward to having you help Colorado.
It’s easy to join.
See below on how you can make a difference.

 

 

 

Continue reading →

Nov 07

Hope and Despond in Colorado

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Voters stood up for tax refunds—but not charter schools.

By  The Editorial Board
Nov. 6, 2019 7:05 pm ET

Opinion: Colorado Voters Stood Up for Tax Refunds


Proposition CC would have affected the Taxpayer Bill of Rights in Colorado. However, the measure failed at the polls on November 5, 2019. Image: David Zalubowski/Associated Press

They didn’t make the biggest headlines, but Tuesday’s elections in Colorado included two results that deserve national attention. First, a wide margin of voters refused to weaken the state’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, a constitutional provision that prevents state tax collections from outpacing inflation plus population growth.

Voters approved TABOR, as it’s commonly called, in 1992. Since then it has delivered Coloradans about $3.5 billion in tax refunds, which are required whenever state revenue exceeds the calculated limit. But politicians, being politicians, would much prefer to spend the extra funds. Proposition CC would have eviscerated TABOR by allowing the state to put any revenue windfall into schools and roads.

A point of worry among fiscal conservatives was the ballot question’s wording, which began: “Without raising taxes . . . ” Perhaps this was strictly accurate, since no tax rates would have changed. But it was misleading in spirit, given that the proposition’s point was to let the state government keep more taxpayer money. Voters weren’t fooled. The measure failed, 45% to 55%, as of the tally Wednesday.

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Nov 06

The next fiscal fight in Colorado starts now: A bid to repeal TABOR and one to raise taxes on top earners

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The defeat of Proposition CC on the 2019 ballot is not deterring a movement by liberal groups for a graduated income tax system

Colorado voters rejected a bid to remove the spending caps in the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights — but the fiscal fight is only expected to get more intense in the next year.

One interest group is considering a repeal of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights and another is testing ideas for a graduated tax system that increases rates for the wealthy. Both are eyeing the 2020 ballot and appear undeterred by Proposition CC’s defeat this year.

“Whatever we do next must be bold enough to drown out the alarmists. That work begins today,” said Scott Wasserman at the Bell Policy Center, the organization seeking to overhaul the tax system, in a statement.

“If we truly want to build a state that works for everyone, then we need to amend the constitution,” added Carol Hedges at the Colorado Fiscal Institute, which is working to unwind TABOR.

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

Nov 05

Government & Regulations Proposition CC effort to increase funding for transportation and education rejected by voters

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By Ed Sealover  – Reporter, Denver Business Journal

Colorado voters on Tuesday rejected a plan to increase funding for highway improvements for the third time in two elections, defeating a statewide ballot initiative that sought to end future tax refunds in years when the state collects too much revenue and put that money instead to transportation, K-12 and higher education.

The defeat of Proposition CC, which was put onto the ballot largely along Democratic-led partisan lines during the 2019 legislative session but was backed by a number of business and education groups in a campaign this fall, was swift and sure. By the time more than 1 million ballots had been counted around 8:10 p.m., it already was down by a 12-point margin that was growing wider, and Colorado Republican Party Chairman Ken Buck had put out a statement saying that voters rejected what amounted to a grab of their tax money without a rock-solid guarantee of how it would be spent.

“Colorado taxpayers were the clear winner in tonight’s defeat of Proposition CC,” Buck said in a statement. “Governor (Jared) Polis and the liberal State Legislature overreached once again but were unsuccessful in deceiving the voters of Colorado to fund their reckless spending spree.”

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Nov 05

The Most Important Ballot Initiative of 2019

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November 4, 2019 by Dan Mitchell

Last November, voters in some states had the opportunity to accept or reject some very important initiatives, including votes on Colorado’s flat tax, Arizona’s school choice system, and a carbon tax in the state of Washington.

Since 2019 is an off-year election, there aren’t as many initiatives and referendums. But one of them is vitally important. Politicians in Colorado are hoping voters will approve Proposition CC, which would gut the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) and thus allow more government spending.

Why is TABOR worth defending? Because it’s far and away the most effective and well-designed fiscal rule in the United States.

It’s basically a spending cap, which is the ideal fiscal policy, and here’s a description of how it works that I shared last year.

Colorado voters adopted The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights in 1992. TABOR allows government spending to grow each year at the rate of inflation-plus-population. Government can increase faster whenever voters consent. Likewise, tax rates can be increased whenever voters consent. …The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights requires that excess government revenues be refunded to taxpayers, unless taxpayers vote to let the government keep the revenue.

Proposition CC doesn’t fully repeal TABOR, but it allows politicians to keep – and spend – excess tax revenues.

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