It's kind of surreal to find these two headlines in the same edition of the Denver Post: Colo. jobless at 21-year high: "The unemployment rate hasn't been this high since April 1988, when it was at 6.7 percent. It is also higher than the 6.3 percent rate reached during the depths of the dot-com bust from 2001 to 2003." Doubling FasTracks sales tax gets nod: "On Wednesday, a majority of the Metro Mayors Caucus tentatively approved a plan to salvage FasTracks by asking voters for another 0.4 percent sales tax. The mayors, hoping to see the entire $6.9 billion expansion finished by 2017, are gambling that voters will maintain support for the project despite higher costs and some of the weakest economic conditions in the past … [Read more...]
Mark Hillman Elaborates on Democrat Shell Game at Colorado State Capitol
Yes, I pointed out to you the Democrat shell game (with your tax dollars, transportation projects, and social welfare spending) taking place at the State Capitol. But leave it to Mark Hillman to explain it more eloquently, and with greater depth and context. Here's the key section:If it sounds like Democrats are talking out of both sides of their mouths, it’s because they are - at least, so far. One day, they say our roads and bridges are unsafe and demand more money from Colorado drivers. The next day, they take a hatchet to transportation funding. Any sane person can be excused for wondering what they’re drinking or smoking at the state capitol. Sadly this is nothing new. Dating back to former Gov. Roy Romer, Democrats’ … [Read more...]
Democrats’ Anti-Taxpayer Shell Game Demands a Principled “Party of No”
The other half of Colorado Democrats' shell game rolled through the state senate last night - with one of the longest debates on a state legislative bill in recent memory. Senate Bill 228 would repeal the state general fund's 6 percent spending limit and allow additional funds to be diverted from transportation to pet government programs (now mainly supported by Democrats). It's the latest in a series of actions by Governor Bill Ritter to raise taxes and grow government without asking the people of Colorado first. So much for confidence in his own agenda. … [Read more...]
Democrats and Marostica: “Forget the Constitution, California, Here We Come”
When talking politics or economics, it's usually a powerful rhetorical tactic to compare our own Colorado to California - especially these days. In that light, here's a fitting and timely reminder from state senator Ted Harvey:The lesson Colorado’s legislators must learn from this recession is clear: fiscal responsibility works. Even though the legislature collectively fell short of creating a rainy day fund, TABOR and the Arveschoug-Bird 6% spending cap forced Colorado legislators to keep spending low. Had the government enjoyed free rein in ramping up spending – which is a great temptation to many lawmakers tasked with spending other people’s money – Colorado’s budget crisis would be as serious as California’s. [emphasis … [Read more...]
Rocky Mtn Alliance Blog Talk Radio at 8:30: Cory Gardner, Leondray Gholston
Tune in starting at 8:30 PM local Mountain Time this evening for the sure-to-be-lucky 13th edition of Rocky Mountain Alliance Blog Talk Radio. Tonight's scheduled guests are state representative Cory Gardner, a rising legislative star to talk about transportation and other issues at the State Capitol, and Leondray Gholston, Republican activist and candidate for Colorado state GOP vice-chair perhaps most well-known for his stirring speech at last year's State Assembly. Don't forget. If you miss the live broadcast of tonight’s show, you can go back and download the podcast, or just use the handy widget on my sidebar to listen directly from Mount Virtus. … [Read more...]
Colorado Democrats Working Hard to Become the Party of Toll Roads
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 … [Read more...]
Intellectual Ammunition for Colorado’s State and Local Candidates
Calling all Colorado candidates for state and county office! Want to catch up on your policy homework? The Independence Institute (where I work) is sponsoring an important event on June 11:Want your state legislative candidates to be intellectually well-armed for battle on the campaign trail? Then make sure he or she attends our candidates' briefing on Wednesday, June 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Independence Institute offices. We gather the state's leading free market experts on everything from TABOR, to transportation, to education, to property rights, to energy policy and more. Candidates will leave well-prepared to debate issues and field questions from friends and foes alike. This event is free of change and open to all state … [Read more...]
Bill Ritter and Colorado Dems: Cheap Tactics, Poor Leadership
It's a classic trick to try to extort taxpayers, yet Bill Ritter and Colorado Democrats are acting as if we're too naive to see it. Mr. DNA at Rocky Mountain Right yesterday highlighted a story in the Denver Post where Ritter and other Democrat leaders made an absurd and startling revelation - blaming the Republicans (who are in the minority across the board) for the inability to move forward a transportation agenda:"I feel like this conversation broke down around politics, that we tried to get the Republicans interested in looking at how we would put together different pots of money," Ritter said. "We began our conversation very early in the session and could not get the Republican leadership to act on it at all." Senate President … [Read more...]