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Home Archives for Property Tax Increase

10/13/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Jeffco School Tax Hike to Kick Granny Out, Create “Socialist Utopia”?

Update: The story has been picked up in the Denver Post. Conservative activist Tom Graham of Arvada is the culprit. Not the best tactical approach from my point of view. Why? Because now we have to watch and make sure that government public relations teams don't make Mr. Graham the election issue instead of the burdensome tax hike. Also, a copy of the booklet is viewable online. Voters in Jefferson County, have you seen the official published arguments for Jeffco Schools 3A, a $34 million-per-year property tax increase to fund Colorado's largest school district? I looked in vain for a copy of the voter booklet on the Jefferson County Elections Office web page, but little Eddie has helped us out by typing out a copy and providing his own … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: 3A, arguments, clever joke, Eddie, Jeffco Schools, Jefferson County, new teachers, Property Tax Increase, school district, senior citizens, six-digit salaries, socialist utopia, voter booklet, voters

7/23/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Pollster Floyd Ciruli Rehashes Reasons for Bill Ritter’s Sinking Popularity

In today's Rocky Mountain News, Colorado Democrat pollster Floyd Ciruli takes a cold, analytical look at Gov. Bill Ritter's approval ratings -- boiled down, the picture isn't pretty for the potential one-term governor:Surprisingly, new Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter may be in trouble. When compared with his Montana counterpart, Gov. Brian Schweitzer, in recent Rasmussen polls, Ritter's job rating lags behind Schweitzer by 19 points. Only 45 percent of Colorado voters gave Ritter an excellent or good job rating, whereas 64 percent of Montanans rated Schweitzer as doing an excellent or good job. Floyd Ciruli cites a litany of reasons for Bill Ritter's sagging popularity, reasons that have been regular themes of this and other local new media … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Climate Hysteria, Colorado Politics, Cultural Conservatism, Education, Energy, Fiscal Policy, General, Health Care, Labor Tagged With: bathroom bill, Bill Ritter, blue-ribbon panels, Brian Schweitzer, campaign finance violation, Collective Bargaining, Colorado, Executive Order, Face the State, Floyd Ciruli, Human Events, Montana, oil and gas drilling, Property Tax Increase, Rasmussen poll, Rocky Mountain News, Senate Bill 200, severance tax, state government, TV commercials

7/15/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Colorado Officials Can Act Wisely to Quash Anti-Taxpayer Rumors

A watcher writes:I heard a rumor that some (unnamed) someone had offered the State Supreme Court a promise of a new building if only the Court would find the illegal property tax imposed by Governor Ritter and his Democrat legislature was constitutional. That would explain why Bill Ritter seems so confident that the State Supreme Court will rule his way. If the Court is dumb enough to appear to be bought and if the legislature is dumb enough to send a hundred million their way immediately after the ruling, Colorado will have a black eye for years to come. Again, this is a rumor, but a rumor that might have some substance. I've seen this one come through the grapevine, too. Gov. Bill Ritter's actions have only made the rumor more … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Colorado General Assembly, Colorado Supreme Court, grapevine, Property Tax Increase, rumor, The Colorado Index

7/8/2008 By Ben 2 Comments

Bill Ritter’s Fox News Stumble May Point to Bigger Problems Lurking

Rocky Mountain Right has posted a video from last night's Bill O'Reilly Show that demonstrates Colorado Governor Bill Ritter isn't ready for primetime:Bill Ritter recently was approached by a Fox News reporter asking a simple question about sex offender laws. Ritter proceeded to stammer, become visibly frustrated, and try to escape as soon as possible. Other Governors approached with the same question (Butch Otter of Idaho and Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming) performed far better and calmly responded. The observation is correct: Bill Ritter sure doesn't look ready for primetime in this video. But maybe there's another explanation, or some sort of mitigating circumstances that haven't been explored. The stresses and frustrations could … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General, Labor, National Politics Tagged With: Bill O'Reilly, Bill Ritter, Brian Schweitzer, Butch Otter, campaign finance scandal, Colorado Supreme Court, Dave Freudenthal, Democrats, Denver Post, Fox News, legal defense fund victims, not ready for primetime, one-term governor, Property Tax Increase, Rocky Mountain Right

6/20/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter, Tax Increases, Unions, and the Colorado Supreme Court

With a little shameless self-promotion, I tie it all together on the longest day of the calendar year. First, news broke earlier this week that Gov. Bill Ritter has done the inevitable, by agreeing to appeal a district court ruling that came to the clear and appropriate conclusion that Ritter erred in raising school property taxes without voter permission. Sure, I could link to lots of articles that highlight this news, but only the one in the Denver Daily News quotes the author of this blog:"I believe the district court judge did the right thing by recognizing that Colorado voters should be asked before they endure a tax increase," said Ben DeGrow, a policy analyst at the Independence Institute. "It's simply a matter of honoring the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: clean government, Colorado Politics, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Ben DeGrow, Bill Ritter, Colorado Children's Amendment, Colorado Supreme Court, Denver Daily News, Denver District Court, Evan Dreyer, Greeley Tribune, Independence Institute, Poudre Education Association, Property Tax Increase, public education, taxpayers, teachers unions

6/3/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter Could Be Left All Alone to Defend His Property Tax Increase

From Face The State today:While Gov. Bill Ritter has eagerly insisted that he will appeal a Friday court ruling establishing that a mill levy freeze amounts to an unconstitutional tax increase under Colorado law, members of the state Board of Education, a defendant in the case, remain undecided about whether they will formally join in support of Ritter's challenge. It appears the District Court ruling may have emboldened the two Republicans on the State Board to change their mind. The Board meets in executive session tomorrow:Vice Chairman Bob Schaffer, R-Fort Collins, introduced in April a motion for the board to take a formal position, by way of public vote, on whether the department would “defend the lawsuit or [agree with] the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, property rights Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Bob Schaffer, Colorado State Board of Education, Denver District Court, Evie Hudak, Face the State, Pamela Jo Suckla, Peggy Littleton, Property Tax Increase, Randy DeHoff

5/31/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Legal Victory for Taxpayers a Resounding Theme for Colorado GOP

From the GOP Convention in Broomfield... The Rocky Mountain News reports on yesterday's taxpayer victory in the courtroom:A law expected to raise $1.7 billion for Colorado schools over the next 11 years is unconstitutional because it gives the state more tax revenue without required approval from voters, a judge ruled Friday. Latest estimates are actually $3.8 billion, not $1.7 billion, but the news is good just the same. In his introductory remarks, state party chair Dick Wadhams' mention of the court ruling against Gov. Bill Ritter's tax hike earned perhaps the biggest applause from the Republican faithful gathered here at the Broomfield Event Center. If you don't think this is going to be a major GOP campaign theme heading into … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Broomfield Event Center, Colorado Republican Convention, Denver District Court, Dick Wadhams, Property Tax Increase, Rocky Mountain News

5/6/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter’s Tax Hike on Trial: Day 1

Yesterday was the first day of the court hearing on the lawsuit by the Independence Institute (where I work) and Colorado taxpayers against Gov. Bill Ritter's unconstitutional property tax increase. Today's Denver Post explains a key issue behind the plaintiffs' argument:They noted that in 1993, the General Assembly amended the School Finance Act to ensure that the property taxes raised for the local share of total program funding for public-school education in each school not violate the revenue cap of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. But with passage of the 2007 amendment, Ritter used it to freeze mill-levies, the opponents charged. The freeze holds mill levies — the rate at which taxes are charged — in place when they normally … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Bill Ritter, Cheyenne Mountain School District, Denver District Court, Denver Post, Jon Caldara, Mark Grueskin, mill levy "freeze", Property Tax Increase, Richard Westfall, School Finance Act

5/5/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Bill Ritter and the Colorado Democrats’ Unauthorized Tax Hike Goes to Court

At long last, court hearings begin today in the case of Gov. Bill Ritter raising Coloradans' property taxes without a constitutional vote of the people. From the Denver Post:The freeze is estimated to bring in $117 million this year and $3.8 billion over a decade, up from an initial estimate of $1.7 billion when it was passed. Richard Westfall, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said the two sides will call about 10 witnesses, likely including school finance experts, the state treasurer and school board members. Dreyer said Ritter is not expected to testify. "A lot of the discussion is going to be about addressing pretty esoteric points in the school finance act," Westfall said. The trial is scheduled to last a week. It will be … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General, property rights Tagged With: Attorney General, Bill Ritter, Colorado Supreme Court, Denver District Court, Denver Post, John Suthers, Jon Caldara, mill levy "freeze", Property Tax Increase, Richard Westfall

4/9/2008 By Ben Leave a Comment

Average Coloradans to Dems on Tax Hike: You Should Have Asked First

It is refreshing to see evidence of the good sense of average, hard-working Coloradans. Colorado Senate News once again took a camera to the 16th Street Mall and found plenty of passers-by willing to share their frustrations with Gov. Bill Ritter and Colorado Democrats for bypassing the state constitution's requirement to ask voters first when they imposed their massive property tax hike:The upshot? Everyday taxpayers surveyed along Denver's 16th Street Mall all agreed: Whether or not the state really needs the extra revenue--a projected $3.8 billion over the next 10 years--voters should have asked for permission first. They're not alone in that sentiment. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers issued an opinion last year saying that the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Colorado Politics, Education, Fiscal Policy, General Tagged With: Colorado Democrats, Colorado Senate News, common sense, Cory Gardner, John Suthers, Mike Kopp, Property Tax Increase

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Ben DeGrow
Grateful and growing Christian, devoted husband and father of 3, public policy analyst, returned to Michigan by way of Colorado, conservative writer, lifelong learner, Detroit Tigers fan.

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