Posted on 05/08/2023 3:57:01 PM PDT by george76
The devil is in the details behind all the weekend media headlines proclaiming equal TABOR refunds, but only if voters approve Prop HH that is disguised as a property tax cut.
It’s a con job that would make Charles Ponzi proud.
The last hour bill comes as the legislative session grinds to a close today. It came with zero review or input from the public and most of your elected lawmakers.
The bill — sponsored by Democratic Reps. Chris deGruy Kennedy and Mike Weissman, as well as Democratic Sens. Chris Hansen and Nick Hinrichsen — was immediately heard Saturday afternoon in the House Appropriations Committee, where it passed on a 6-4, party-line vote. The measure’s introduction was such a surprise that the bill wasn’t posted on the legislature’s website when the committee hearing began.
Republicans in the House said they had no idea House Bill 1311 was coming and were furious. “Buckle your seatbelt,” said Rep. Rod Bockenfeld, a Watkins Republican, signaling the GOP will mount major opposition of the legislation.
...
It’s essentially a bribe of poorer taxpayers to give them more of other people’s TABOR refund for one year, in exchange for voting against a property tax increase that’s disguised as a temporary cut.
Democrats claim they wanted to make TABOR more equitable this year giving everyone the same refund, no matter how much they earned.
But that’s only for one year, then the TABOR refund slides downhill over an annual scale that will eliminate it altogether, screwing taxpayers of all incomes.
As for the property “tax cut,” it increases property taxes, just not as much as expected in this hyper inflated economy, and only for 10 years. Meanwhile, localities and school boards can still continue to raise property taxes. So … not a cut.
To no Democrat’s shame, including Gov. Polis who devised this whole scheme, grabbing even more taxes from Coloradans’ paychecks to jack up government spending will continue to inflate the economy and drive-up prices while taking away the people’s money who need it to keep up with government-caused inflation.
In short, it’s extortion and an attack on TABOR that will inflict even more economic damage to the state.
Republicans just don’t have the numbers to stop this con job from passing the Democrat-controlled legislature before the session ends tonight.
It will be up to advocacy and consumer protection groups to educate the people to vote down Prop HH.
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Then the legislature will have to call a special session to issue a more reasonable cap on property taxes without making every Coloradan suffer for it.
The inflated property taxes, after all, were caused by out-of-control government spending in the wake of COVID, in which the economic damage was done by forcing so many Colorado businesses to close.
More taxes and more spending will not solve the problem.
Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
Our legislature is from California.
This Marxist regime in Colorado is destroying the state.
Lying scumbags
Gavin-light (that would be Polis) just plain sucks as well as the liberal legislature. Probably congratulating themselves on screwing the taxpayers. Again...
A Hyper-Colorado issue. Good luck. When you live in a leftist state, you expect leftist tax and spend policies I imagine. It’s kind of baked in to your expectations now if you choose to keep living there.
The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) Amendment was approved by voters in 1992.
choose to keep living there.
I live here and will die here, because family, but Florida will always be home.
Nice. Got rid of Gallagher. ow the fox is to get rid of Tabor? The Colorado electorate is unfortunately too leftist and too dumb to understand the implications. I fear this will pass by a large margin and Polis will use his “tax cutting history”‘to run for the white house 🤮🤮🤮
“The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) Amendment was approved by voters in 1992.”
In 1992 the number of registered Democrats in Colorado was about identical to the number of registered Republicans. Even through the early 2010’s the state was not yet quite as solidly the leftist doper-dirtbag utopia which it has since become.
In 2022 registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans by over 130,000 and “independents” easily outnumber them both; they almost outnumber both COMBINED; being a so-called independent is very fashionable these days in lots of states especially with “open” primaries nearly everywhere.
And since most independents vote Democrat in Colorado....
Choose to keep living here? I suppose it’s a choice but with over 50 years of roots, family and a small business I have here picking up and moving isn’t very practical. And where to move to? The liberals are infiltrating and ruining almost every part of this country
Let me look around for my “shocked” face.
I’m also surprised that TABOR lasted as long as it has. There is never enuff money for the grifter government.
Ultimately we all make a choice. For you, it’s not bad enough to leave, just annoys you. You put up with it because the alternative of leaving is probably not worth it yet. Not insulting you at all. Just analyzing choices people make.
County property assessments for figuring next years property taxes in Colorado are now appearing in owners’ mailboxes, and are running around 35% higher than the previous assessment 2 years ago. If mil levies don’t back off, a $2,400 tax bill will now be about $3,300 even with the token property tax reduction this bill doles out (which apparently switches to a tax increase after we’ve swallowed the bait). That’s for a mediocre house - property tax 2 or 3 times that much isn’t uncommon. Ain’t inflation grand.
Arkansas is wonderful. We escaped Colorado and love it here, people with good conservative values, and a lot cheaper to live. The price of real estate is a bargain too.
Yup. my taxes in douglas county are currently slated to go up by about 3k. Of course that’s on top of increased food and energy costs. Can’t wait to see what the water bill does. 🙄
Congratulations. Sounds lovely And I love your governor. Unfortunately not in a position to move right now
Months later, we’re at the point of voting, and my ballot’s framing of Proposition HH is utterly deceitful:
PROPOSITION HH (STATUTORY): “Shall the state reduce property taxes for homes and businesses, including expanding property tax relief for seniors, and backfill counties, water districts, fire districts, ambulance and hospital districts, and other local governments and fund school districts by using a portion of the state surplus up to the proposition HH cap as defined in this measure?” YES/FOR or NO/AGAINST
No mention of TABOR whatsoever.
Huzzah for “democracy”.
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