In yesterday's Pueblo Chieftain, my opinion piece arguing the case against Governor Bill Ritter's property tax hike to subsidize state preschool and kindergarten programs ran as "counterpoint" to the argument for the Governor's proposal by State Treasurer Cary Kennedy. Kennedy skillfully avoided discussion of the back-door tax hike while plugging the benefits of the plan for Pueblo. How? Under the Governor's revised plan, 33 school districts will receive a tax cut while most districts will receive a tax increase. Pueblo happens to fall in the latter category. But that doesn't take into account the plight of taxpayers in Grand Junction, Englewood, Pagosa Springs, Wray, or nearby Alamosa, among others. But two points are worth repeating … [Read more...]

The Colorado General Assembly - specifically the Senate Education Committee - will listen tomorrow to a proposal by Senator Nancy Spence (R - Centennial) to set up a state grant program so school districts can offer performance pay incentives to teachers. (Full disclosure: I am quoted in the linked article and will be testifying at tomorrow's hearing "for information only.") … [Read more...]

My report for the Independence Institute on Governor Ritter's tax-raising proposal to fund new education programs is officially released today. Here is the summary: On March 12, 2007, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter proposed the “Colorado Children’s Amendment,” a plan to spend $84 million to expand preschool and kindergarten programs. To free state money to fund the programs, he proposed a mill levy rate “freeze” that would shift some of the school funding burden to local sources. On April 10, the governor revised the plan—offering tax relief to property owners in 33 school districts while creating higher property tax bills in 104 districts. The annual revenue estimate for the plan’s new version is $55 million. State … [Read more...]

Colorado's liberal, out-of-touch House Education Committee has just voted to approve the governor's amendment to the School Finance Act that would raise taxes for most property owners in the state. The vote passed on an 8-5 party line vote, with all Democrats lining up to raid taxpayer pockets. By listening to much of the testimony, you would think that school revenues in Colorado are running dry. Nothing could be further from the truth. And whenever other possibilities for raising funds for education have been introduced, the Democrats resist - unable to dream of doing anything but hiking property taxes. The dirty little not-so-secret? The property tax increase advertised for the "children" is being used so the state government can … [Read more...]

Yes, I'm back from my long hiatus - family visits and a general sense of tedium with passing affairs are among my excuses - for the few of you who have visited often enough to notice. But I'm back blogging now, because today was a noteworthy day in Colorado's path toward meaningful education reform. The desperate attempt of most legislative Democrats (led by Senator Sue Windels) to undermine the charter school movement took a blow when four members of their own party voted to turn the attack upside down. At the apex of their power in Colorado, enough Democrats have gained sense on K-12 education to deeply dampen the dreams of educrats who are trying to regain control of areas of the "system" lost to consumer empowerment and common … [Read more...]