JeffCo GOP Takes the Right Stand

Following the lead of the El Paso and Larimer County Republican Party organizations, my own Jefferson County Republican Party has taken a significant stand in opposition to Referenda C and D. Congrats to my JeffCo GOP, under the able leadership of Chair Renee Nelson, for passing the following resolution:

Whereas, lowering the tax burden on Americans is one of the core principles of the Republican Party because Republicans believe that taxpayers know how to spend their own money better than the government does;
Whereas, The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) was passed in by the voters in 1992 by a statewide majority;
Whereas, The TABOR provides for regular, but controlled, increases in government spending in Colorado;
Whereas, tax revenues and government spending have steadily increased in Colorado over the past several years;
Whereas, Democrats have not made a compelling case that the tax burden on Coloradoans and government spending in Colorado should be dramatically increased;
Whereas, The TABOR is the only protection taxpayers have standing between them and regular tax increases by their politicians;
Whereas, Referenda C and D would result in increasing the income tax burden on Coloradoans by over 3.7 billion dollars over only five years;
Whereas, Referenda C and D provide no control whatsoever on how and where that additional 3.7 billion dollars in tax burden is to be spent;
Whereas, the Democrat Party has, as expected, embraced the 3.7 billion dollars in additional tax burden on Coloradoans in Referenda C and D and has opposed any controls being put on spending that money;
Whereas, Referenda C and D are the most significant public taxing and spending issues before the voters in 2005; and
Whereas, the public campaign in favor of Referenda C and D has left the public poorly informed about the nature and effects of Referenda C and D.

Be it Resolved:

That the Executive Committee of the Jefferson County Republican Party opposes the passage of Referenda C and D in the November 1, 2005 election.

Said Nelson:

As Republicans, we are the party of smaller government and lower taxes, we must oppose this tax grab that will allow government to grow 10 percent faster than under current law.

Ref C & D ignore the spending side of the equation, over the next 5 years between Medicaid spending increasing by 56 percent and K-12 spending increasing by 33 percent, these two budget items will absorb all of the money from this tax increase…This is a very basic difference between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats want more of your money to spend, while Republicans think you are better equipped to spend your own money.

Colorado’s Republican Party may be on the right track after all.