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

Colorado Proposition CC: May state keep all taxes rather than refund excess as required by TABOR

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Colorado Proposition CC: May state keep all taxes rather than refund excess as required by TABOR

PUBLISHED: 

What it asks: “Without raising taxes and to better fund public schools, higher education, and roads, bridges, and transit, within a balanced budget, may the state keep and spend all the revenue it annually collects after June 30, 2019, but is not currently allowed to keep and spend under Colorado law, with an annual independent audit to show how the retained revenues are spent?”

What it means: Proposition CC would allow the state to retain revenue it refunds under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights for education and transportation purposes. The measure would require the state auditor to hire a private entity to conduct an annual financial audit regarding use of funds as provided under the measure.

It will allow state government to keep the money it collects from existing sources annually instead of refunding some to taxpayers when annual revenue growth, which is tied to inflation and the percentage change in state population, exceeds that. Any money collected above this limit is refunded to taxpayers unless the voters allow the state to spend it.

Proposition CC would eliminate that cap allowing the state to keep and spend all future excess revenue on transportation, K-12 schools and higher education rather than refunding it to taxpayers.

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

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

Don’t give Legislature a blank check

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DON’T GIVE LEGISLATURE A BLANK CHECK

In your upcoming mail ballot you will be asked to give the state of Colorado a blank check. Don’t be tricked into believing the initial language “without raising taxes…”

Proposition CC is a tax increase forever. Colorado taxpayers will no longer receive (forever) any of their tax rebates (refunds) of their hard earned money if Proposition CC passes.

Colorado Legislature has tricked us in the past by saying requested tax increases would fund roads, bridges, education, teacher pay, and on and on, but when our taxpayer money was spent, the Legislature decided to divert it elsewhere due to lobby and special interest groups pressure. The Legislature has consistently broken promises to Colorado voters. Recently, Colorado voters rejected 13 ballot measures at the state level by a wide margin. Because Colorado voters defeated the Colorado Legislature’s request for more funds, the Legislature now proposes to “trick” Colorado voters again.

This Proposition will “gut” the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (also known as TABOR). The Taxpayer Bill of Rights requires voter approval for any increase in taxes or debt. This is our Taxpayer Bill of Rights, not the Legislature’s, do not vote to give it away forever.

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights has been the only way voters have kept Colorado from spending taxpayer funds to the maximum, as done in California.

Proposition CC will forever remove Colorado seniors and veterans property tax exemptions. This will put seniors and veterans at risk, and place more pressure on local budgets.

Colorado communities have individually voted property tax increases to fund local schools and other services such as fire departments (we can locally determine if funds are being spent as represented), and if Proposition CC passes, those seniors and veterans on fixed incomes will have a difficulty paying local property tax bills.

Colorado has a top ranked economy. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights has contributed to Colorado’s success. Colorado has one of the lowest tax rates in the country providing a positive location for business investment and jobs.

If our Taxpayer Bill of Rights is repealed, over $1.7 billion collected over the next 3 years will not be refunded to Colorado taxpayers.

The Legislature already has a $32.5 billion budget… enough is enough! This budget automatically increases with population and inflation. The Legislature has enough of our money.

The Legislature must be held to account and budget just as we do with our personal budgets.

Mary Ann Smith

Pagosa Springs

http://gazette.com/opinion/letters-downtown-springs-gets-special-attention-don-t-give-legislature/article_fd7b996e-eb70-11e9-8a16-23c66974a6f9.html

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 →

Oct 11

Update on anti-TABOR lawsuit

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The federal lawsuit to repeal TABOR through the courts took an expected step recently.  The team bringing the lawsuit has been arguing that TABOR restricts legislators’ ability to act.  The lawsuit is now known as “Kerr vs. Polis”.  The first question, which our  side thought was settled by the US Supreme Court’s ruling on a similar Arizona case, is whether the lawsuit can be brought by the plaintiffs – that is, do those entities have “standing”?  The most recent argument, available at this link http://www.scribd.com/document/429794251/19-09-30-Appellants-Response-to-Governors-Pt-for-Rehearing-en-Banc is the plaintiffs’ written argument that the 10th Circuit should drop the issue of standing and allow the case to proceed directly.

A three-judge panel found that the amended list of plaintiffs could bring the lawsuit and therefore it could proceed on the merits.  The defenders of TABOR believe that this was an errant ruling and the dissenting justice was very direct, saying that the plaintiffs’ argument “…. is so meager as to constitute waiver. Moreover, their argument—insofar as I am able to piece it together—also fails on the merits.”  We hope that the entire 10th Circuit Court of Appeals will agree to hear the appeal again (“en banc”).  The Court of Appeals can be expected to accept or decline the Motion reasonably soon, according to a Colorado attorney familiar with the case.  The TABOR Foundation has been monitoring this situation in conjunction with the National Federation of Independent Business, with whom we partnered in previous amicus filings.

 

Oct 08

More out of state money rolls in to support Proposition CC; over $350K from NYC-based group

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#TABOR
#DontLoseYourRights
#DontGetFooledAgain
#VoteNoOnPropositionCC
#TABORMatters

DENVER — A New York City-based organization has doubled down on getting involved in Colorado’s election this year.

More specifically, Education Reform Now Advocacy (ERNA), which initially sent the “Coloradans for Prosperity aka Yes on Prop CC” campaign committee $100,000 to push a ballot effort to permanently eliminate tax refunds under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), sent another $352,000 to the campaign, according to a Major Contributors Report filed by Yes on CC Monday.

According to the ERNA website, it believes that “every child should receive an adequate and equitable allocation of resources no matter their race, socioeconomic status, or zip code nor whether they are enrolled in a traditional district-run public school or public charter school.”

Dan Ritchie, Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Denver told a crowd of mostly Democrat law makers, teachers and students who officially kicked off the campaign last week, that they needed to beware of money from outside of Colorado being spent from the opposition, referring to Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a Washington D.C.-based organization.

According to AFPs website, it advances “policies that will help people improve their lives.” AFP Colorado recently spent nearly $500,000 on a media campaign to oppose Prop CC.

Although both AFP and ERNA have Colorado offices, the difference in the two organizations is their direct ties to the official yes and no on CC groups.

AFP is an independent group making its own decisions on how to target the No on CC message. ERNA is donating directly to the Yes on CC campaign, which will determine how to spend the money.

The additional revenue puts the Yes on CC campaign at slightly more than $2 million in donations, while No on CC has reported only $17,000 in total contributions.

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