Ably Deconstructing the Work of Ritter’s Long Term Fiscal Stability Commission

The antithesis of the conservative reform agenda now being heavily touted by many Colorado Republican leaders is the sort of stale tax-and-spend thinking that emanates from the many taxpayer-funded commissions appointed by Bill Ritter and the Democrat legislature.

Such an example is the Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission. Three of the minority party members who suffered through hours sitting on the panel — state representative Cheri Gerou, Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway and my Independence Institute colleague Amy Oliver Cooke — ably deconstruct the work of the commission in a column for yesterday’s Denver Post:

The commission squandered a golden opportunity to reform government and provide long term fiscal stability. Instead, it indulged in the same, worn-out argument that government spending must grow. Should big spending proponents succeed, the result will prove to be more than unimaginative: it also will prove to be unsustainable. No wonder taxpayers are disheartened.

And for many taxpayers, disheartened puts the matter mildly. Which also ought to put on alert many of Colorado’s elected officials (most especially those in the majority Democratic Party) as they go back to the people to seek re-election in 2010.