Colorado taxpayers should remember yesterday - May 9. Governor Bill Ritter signed S.B. 199, which includes a huge property tax increase. He refused to ask for a vote of the people. He stuck a finger in your eye. Have we so soon forgotten Referendum C? It's little more than arrogance, sheer arrogance, my friends. More: - Rocky Mountain News: "Plain and simple, TABOR says all tax increases have to go before a vote of the people," Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, said in a release Wednesday. "Those in charge at the Capitol very easily could have asked first before hiking property taxes," said Caldara. "Instead, they've thumbed their noses at the voters and the constitution." - Colorado Senate News: "It's … [Read more...]

This development, reported today in the Rocky Mountain News, was a matter of inevitability. (Disclosure: As an Independence Institute employee, I knew the story was coming. Even if I weren't, I would be convinced the course of action was necessary, but a result of regrettable circumstances.) Yes, the time has come to sue. Even Governor Bill Ritter and the Democrats who arrogantly violated the state constitution and foisted the property tax increase on the people of Colorado had to know they'd be facing legal action. Of course, when liberal officials want to enact liberal policies in Colorado, they gladly prefer to face the courts rather than the people. As The Colorado Index frequently reminds us, the legal system works for Democratic … [Read more...]

Ahh... what a breath of Colorado fresh air! The state legislature is out of session for the time being, which means taxpayers will be spared further damage for awhile. There's not much to congratulate the majority Democrats for this time, except two things: 1. The legislature dismissed early, saving thousands of taxpayer dollars. 2. The overall hit taxpayers and businesses will take from the session's legislation will be bad, but it could have been worse. I'm enjoying it while it lasts, but with rumors swirling that Governor Ritter will call a special session in which a bill mandating collective bargaining for public employees will be introduced, the extra dose of freedom may be short-lived. … [Read more...]

Tune into the Independence Institute's iVoices.org to hear my interview with Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, as he explains why his office filed a formal opinion this week that Governor Bill Ritter and the Democrat-led state legislature needed to submit their property tax increase proposal to a vote of the people. As Sen. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, stated to his Democratic colleagues supporting the tax increase: "The inconvenient truth is TABOR." A narrow majority of the legislature ignored the inconvenient truth, arrogantly passing the tax hike. The governor is sure to sign it into law. And because of TABOR, some kind of a taxpayer lawsuit against the abuse of legislative power seems almost inevitable. I think it's most … [Read more...]

The Post's David Harsanyi hit another homerun today, assailing Governor Ritter and most Democrats in the state legislature for shoving a tax increase down the voters' throats. Here's a taste of the brilliant, sharp analysis: Ritter claims he was elected to solve problems. And by "solve problems," politicians mean spending more money. In this case, Ritter says the funds are needed to help cash-starved schools - despite evidence that offering blank checks to wasteful school bureaucracies does not help children. But let's consider for a moment that the governor is right. Why is Ritter so terrified of bringing such a no-brainer to the people? The governor is no dope. Maybe he feels that Coloradans have heard one too many apocalyptic … [Read more...]

Today is one of those sad days when I must take upon myself the duty to highlight a clear example of the dangers of putting Democrats in charge. This example involves the Democrats' underhanded scheme and arrogant attack on your pocketbook to appropriate your money into a bloated state budget in the name of "the children." Earlier, a bare majority of 18 Colorado state senators approved Governor Bill Ritter's cleverly named "Children's Amendment" to set in motion a school district property tax increase that will raise an estimated $1.74 billion in new taxes over the next 10 years. The proposal came as part of S.B. 199, the annual School Finance bill. The bait-and-switch backdoor tax hike was rammed through the legislature and soon will … [Read more...]