Free Republic

Lawyer says court ruling allows state to raise taxes without a vote. The Legislature could repeal nearly $2 billion in tax breaks without asking voters permission. Sharon Eubanks ... shocking analysis of a recent state Supreme Court decision, which she said gives legislators the power to raise taxes without a vote of the people. The people's right to vote on tax increases was granted in the 1992 Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. TABOR is one of Colorado's hallmark laws in the last 20 years and has imposed some of the strictest budget limits of any state government. But on March 16,...

Colorado voters will face the longest ballot in a century this November. The 18 questions on the ballot deal with some of the state's most hotly debated social and economic issues - from abortion and gambling to taxes on gas and oil companies and a partial repeal of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. An electoral war between unions and their foes has made this the longest ballot since 1912 - the first year that citizen groups got access to the ballot - when there were 32 questions. The union war accounts for seven of this year's questions. It began with...

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Supporters of an effort to repeal new taxes on beer, wine, soda and other beverages raised 15 times as much money as repeal opponents in the latest financial reporting period. The Fed Up With Taxes coalition raised nearly $375,000 for its repeal campaign between May 28 and July 15, according to reports filed with the Maine ethics commission. A tax repeal opposition group, Health Coverage for Maine, raised just over $25,000 for the same period.

In Colorado, taxpayers have a tremendous amount of control over their own property taxes. Thanks to the state’s Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR), which stunts the growth of property taxes, those of us who own property in Eagle County shouldn’t expect to see our taxes skyrocket at the same rate as our property values without voter approval. This year, however, taxpayers’ rights were usurped by Gov. Bill Ritter’s decision to freeze the statewide school district property tax rate... Not only was Ritter’s move a clear violation of the TABOR Amendment because it effectively raised taxes without voter approval, it didn’t...

A year after Boulder voters narrowly rejected raising the pay of their elected leaders, the City Council might ask them to reconsider. The council took the first step late Tuesday toward asking voters to decide nine ballot issues in the fall, including measures that would allow closed-door council sessions and let non-U.S. citizens serve on city boards and commissions. Staff members will draft language for the issues before the council decides whether to include them on the Nov. 4 ballot. The tax questions being studied by the city include removing Taxpayer's Bill of Rights restrictions on property taxes; renewing an...

A Denver District Court judge ruled today that Gov. Bill Ritter's controversial mill-levy freeze is unconstitutional. "However well-intentioned and commendable the purpose and consequences ... this Court must be concerned only with enforcement of the Colorado Constitution," District Court Court Judge Christina Habas ... A group of taxpayers, organized by the conservative Independence Institute, filed suit late last year against the Colorado Department of Education, arguing that the property-tax freeze amounts to an unconstitutional tax increase because voters did not directly approve it. "All that's required to raise taxes in this state is to ask first. Only the most arrogant...

Official testifies in TABOR lawsuit that more money collected as a result of mill levy freeze. State treasurer Cary Kennedy conceded today on the witness stand that a bill passed last year by the legislature alters the way taxes are calculated with the net result that many property owners pay more. But Kennedy continued to insist the 2007 law, SB 199, does not violate Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. Kennedy's testimony came on the second day of a lawsuit brought by opponents of the 2007 law. They say SB 199 should have been referred to voters under TABOR provisions. The...

The rough political road for a proposed state-budget fix got even rougher Monday as Gov. Bill Ritter stopped short of endorsing it and the group expected to propel it to November's ballot expressed concern about funding, timing and other issues. "I don't know ultimately . . . if we're going to have the coalition together to put that on the ballot," Ritter said ... The proposal, which would alter the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and end mandated increases in education funding, started as a referendum, but Romanoff could not muster the support of two-thirds of state lawmakers — the requirement...

A judge today will hear a case calling Gov. Ritter's move unconstitutional because voters didn't approve it. The year-long controversy around Gov. Bill Ritter's mill-levy freeze spills into a Denver courtroom today, where a judge will decide whether the state has to give the money from the freeze back. A group of taxpayers, organized by the conservative Independence Institute, filed suit late last year against the Colorado Department of Education, arguing that the property-tax freeze amounts to an unconstitutional tax increase because voters did not directly approve it. The trial in the case is scheduled to start today in Denver...

The matchup was inevitable. For the past two months, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff ... His complex proposal would undo the tightest part of that knot by lifting the spending limits imposed by the 1992 Taxpayer's Bill of Rights... Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs,... "For this purpose, I come before you as the author of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, and as is my wont, I will speak plainly," he began. "This measure, if adopted, will mean unlimited state spending forever." Bruce railed against what he saw as a conspiracy by the "tax-and-spend crowd" to "con" voters into giving up government...

Lately I've been thinking of four left wing incidents that happened in Maine over the course of two years. I feel I should get them off my chest I think some of them would be interesting and I think others should know about them. The first one involves an incident that took place in the Bangor metro area two years ago. This freind of mine and his family were having trouble. He had difficulty getting by and he worked at Edwards Shop'n'save in Hampden outside Bangor. He was on food stamps and his wife was laid off and couldn't get...

DENVER (AP) ― Rep. Douglas Bruce was ordered to leave the podium of the Colorado House of Representatives on Monday after calling Mexican workers "illiterate peasants." Bruce, a Republican with a history of provoking controversy with his statements and actions, made the comment during a debate on a bill designed to ease a farmworker shortage in Colorado. It drew an audible gasp from the House. "How dare you," said Rep. Kathleen Curry, a Democrat who was serving as chairwoman during the debate. She told Bruce he was no longer recognized to speak. The bill under discussion would allow the state...

Anti-tax crusader Douglas Bruce will likely be sworn in Monday to fill a vacant House seat. Just when he will be sworn in is still a matter of contention. House Speaker Andrew Romanoff wants him to take the oath at 8 a.m. Bruce said he wants to wait until 10 a.m., when the House begins its session. "I regret that this simple ministerial act is the latest focus of political consternation and unneeded tension," he wrote. "These publicized pressures are added reason I asked the speaker to allow me 90 seconds right after my oath to speak to my new...

$100 more for car registration among road funding ideas. A healthy transportation network is the lifeblood of the state's economy, Gov. Bill Ritter and others believe, but Colorado voters have a spotty record for providing cash transfusions. This fall, an electorate that has roundly turned down cheaper highway fixes that wouldn't have raised taxes could be asked to approve significantly more spending. Didn't like spending $100 million more a year for five years on transportation without paying any new taxes, as was proposed by a referendum voters rejected in 1998? Then how would you like spending an additional $1.5 billion...

El Paso County Commissioner Douglas Bruce handily won appointment this morning to fill the soon-to-be vacant legislative seat representing northeast Colorado Springs. Bruce takes over the seat that has been held since 2001 by GOP Rep. Bill Cadman. Cadman will be sworn in on Dec. 11 to the Senate District 10 seat that opened up upon Republican Ron May’s Oct. 31 resignation. Long known for his pointed conservative views and often abrasive personality... He told the vacancy committee meeting that he plans to push for tax cuts and limited government with the same ferocity that has marked his public career.

State lawmakers are bracing for a tidal wave named Douglas Bruce. The anti-tax crusader and author of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights may end up in the legislature. Bruce made it official Monday when he announced he would seek state Rep. Bill Cadman's soon-to-be vacant seat, ending weeks of speculation. Bruce said he wants to stand against the "Democrats' socialist agenda" and attempts to raise taxes. "I want to be in state government, but not a part of it," he said. "If your goal is to drain the swamp, you have to wrestle with the alligators." Cadman is the favorite...

Before he gets too carried away with himself, and imagines he's the governor of California or something, Bill Ritter ought to take a careful look at a statewide poll commissioned by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. It might help remind him that, despite the gains made by Democrats, this is still Colorado. Most voters remain wary of higher taxes. They don’t seem to think the health care system is in crisis. And there’s strong support for drilling on the Roan Plateau, if the revenues stay in the state, to benefit local communities or higher education. “We are a hesitant...

A voter opinion poll sponsored by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce shows that Coloradans are increasingly jittery about the economy and not likely to vote in favor of sweeping reforms that could result in tax increases. The poll shows the public also solidly supports drilling at the Roan Plateau, especially if tax revenues are used to fund higher education. Environmental groups immediately blasted the poll methodology, however, arguing the question about the Roan inappropriately tied proposed Roan Plateau drilling with foreign crude oil imports. There are no crude oil deposits in the leasing area, the groups said. About 60...

Two years ago, lawmakers asked voters for a "time-out" from the spending restrictions of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights in order to allow the state budget to rebound from the recession of 2001-2002. Referendum C, which passed by a narrow 52-48 percent margin, erased the TABOR spending limits for five years and permanently increased spending caps thereafter. Following the 2005 vote, Colorado Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald said, “‘We already agreed, if Ref D failed, it would be (one-third each) for schools, colleges and health.” But a funny thing happened after the election. Spending on programs not associated with Ref C...

special interest groups from higher education to prisons to capital construction are demanding more state aid, many saying they've waited long enough for funding, and now it's their turn. At the same time, opponents of Referendum C are saying, "we told you so," over the proposed changes. Several said the ballot question that allowed the state to keep billions of dollars it otherwise would have returned to taxpayers should be more than enough to handle the state's needs. Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, said he fears the new Democratic governor and the now Democratic-controlled Legislature will go hog...