How do you sell a tax increase as something other than a tax increase? These days Colorado Democrats are even having a hard time with it. Last week Governor Bill Ritter announced the unveiling of the cleverly-named "Colorado Children's Amendment," which somehow would do two things simultaneously: 1) Freeze scheduled property tax rate reductions, raising next year's tax bill for homeowners and business owners in many of the state's school districts - ostensibly to save the State Education Fund (created by Amendment 23 to finance only certain K-12 expenses). Of course, this is not an entirely new idea - one that has been shot down before because it violates TABOR by changing tax policy without a vote of the people, but it has been … [Read more...]
Search Results for: property tax increase
Colorado Dems Ram Through Bill, Snub Voters, Raise Taxes
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...]
Ritter’s Tax-Hike Supporters Standing on Weak Arguments
Mike Littwin's Saturday column for the Rocky Mountain News highlights the tenuous ground occupied by supporters of the governor's official endorsement of the $1.7 billion+ property tax increase. Their best argument apparently is that some opponents mistakenly voted for a similar proposal three years earlier. Meanwhile, Littwin typifies the rhetorical distortions made by the tax-and-spend crowd. (I omitted the partisan cheapshots that are standard fare for Littwin columns and not to be taken seriously, anyway. Instead, I wish to tackle some of the subtle and salient points about the issue itself that readers are supposed to accept at face value.) 1. The use of the term "property-tax freeze," as though the change in law were going to … [Read more...]
Four Weeks Since Ritter Hiked Your Property Taxes
Four weeks have passed since Governor Ritter signed into law a bill that raises property taxes. As one dissenting elected official pointed out in yesterday's Denver Post: Gardner called Ritter's "defining bill" the mill-levy tax freeze that will let school districts keep an extra $64 million per year by freezing property-tax rates. "It sets the tone for his first four years as governor," Gardner said. "What do the people have to look forward to? Probably more tax increases." Since I agree that it's definitely the Governor's defining bill, I will continue reminding readers about it at regular intervals. Today seemed a fine opportunity to do so. To learn more, if you missed any of my observations and analysis the first time around: - … [Read more...]
Post Provides One Piece of Case Against Ritter Tax Hike
Update: ColoradoPols draws the opposite conclusion about the Post article ("Ritter Property Tax Freeze Gets Good News"). Maybe they should have read this post first. The incomplete school funding analysis in today's Denver Post, when considered with a few more facts, actually makes the case against the governor's property tax increase for the "Children." Yes, the Post identifies a potential problem with the current structure of Colorado school finance - highlighting that state government carries an ever greater share of the school funding burden, and that the tax bills of property owners in rural, low-growth districts have gone up more than their wealthy, high-growth counterparts. But instead of giving too much significance to this one … [Read more...]
iVoices: Hear AG Suthers Explain Need for Vote on Tax Hike
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...]
Yes, It’s Time to Sue: Arrogant Tax Hike Leaves Little Choice
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...]
Ritter Signs Property Tax Hike, Sticks Finger in Taxpayer Eyes
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...]
The Tax-and-Spend Ritter Chronicles: K-12 Education
Our Democrat Governor Bill Ritter announced today to Colorado homeowners: "No tax cut for you!" The Governor's plan is to freeze a scheduled cut in property tax rates so he can increase funding for K-12 education - already the richest, healthiest part of the state budget. The proposed funding increase (part of Senate Bill 199, this year's School Finance legislation) is primarily designed to create more full-day kindergarten and preschool slots. According to the reliable source of Colorado Senate News, Republican Senator Josh Penry correctly identified the move as a "tax increase," while Assistant Senate Minority Leader Nancy Spence rightly questioned the "one-size-fits-all approach" that trumps the Democrats' conveniently played "local … [Read more...]
Toe to Toe with the Treasurer on a Touted Tax Increase
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...]