Consequences of Supporting a Property Tax Increase

What happens when you vote to jam a property tax hike down your constituents’ throats? People from the other major party can’t move fast enough to file the paperwork that will enable them to run against you in the next election. Just ask Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction:

Between six and 10 local Republicans are considering a run against incumbent Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, next year, according to senior members of the Mesa County Republican Party. Alan Farina, chairman of the candidate search committee, said his committee has attracted a series of serious candidates who could run against the two-term incumbent next year.

“We actually have several people expressing interest,” Farina said, “some really, really good candidates.”

As I pointed out in my April report for the Independence Institute, taxpayers in the Mesa Valley School District (read Buescher’s constituents) will be some of the hardest hit by the major policy change. Rep. Buescher may come to regret not having asked voters first before casting his lot with the tax raisers.

To learn more about the Democrats’ property tax increase, just in case you missed any of my observations and analysis the first time around, please read from the following:

– May 10: “Ritter signs property tax hike, sticks finger in taxpayers’ eyes”

– May 9: “Yes, it’s time to sue: arrogant tax hike leaves little choice”

– May 3: “iVoices: Hear AG Suthers explain need for vote on tax hike”

– May 3: “Harsanyi: Why not ask voters first?”

– May 1: “Colorado Dems ram through bill, snub voters, raise taxes”

– April 25: “Colorado schools keep raising funds from property taxes”