Update, 8:50 PM: 19 Democrats voted for the taxes and tolls in the transportation bill. Lefties are in turmoil, with some angry that the Dems are responsible for passing a regressive tax.
Yesterday I asked if Colorado Democrats would try to overreach in sticking taxpayers for state transportation costs. It didn’t take long to see where the ruling party at the State Capitol stands.
In a bizarre about-face, the Democrats decided to toss bipartisan compromise out the window to push a provision that would allow tolling on some of Colorado’s busiest highways:
Republicans and a handful of Democrats first voted to remove provisions allowing local authorities to toll existing roads. After a break in the debate, the bill sponsor and Democratic leaders put the provisions back in, and Senate Bill 108 was passed on a 21-14 party-line vote.
That was the deal breaker, said Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction.
“We feel like they’ve made a strategic decision to power this through,” Penry said. “In the end this bill is substantially the same as when it was introduced.”
Colorado Democrats are working hard to label themselves as the party of toll roads.
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