TABOR

40% of Arapahoe roads rated poor—even after tax hike

CBS Colorado, Approved, Local / / , , , ,

With years of deferred maintenance and not enough funding, some Arapahoe County roads are not getting the repairs they need and are quickly falling apart. County leaders say it’s in part due to a major shortfall with the overall county budget and inflation. However, the county hopes that additional revenue generated by the passage of a ballot measure last November might help make much-needed road improvements.

The county’s 2024 “Annual Report and Infrastructure Report Card” released this May shares more information about the status of the county’s roads.

40% of Arapahoe roads rated poor—even after tax hike Read More »

Gaines: Polis’ picks for land board proves Colorado’s gone to the wolves

Commentary, Approved, State, Substack / / , , , , , , ,

I wrote about Polis advisor Nicole Rosmarino being the sole finalist for the directorship of the State Land Board recently. That newsletter is linked first below if you want or need context.

On the heels of that newsletter, I got a message from a reader alerting me to the other two appointments that Governor Polis made to the State Land Board–this is the same board mind you that makes decisions on grazing leases, mineral-extraction (oil/gas) leases, and provides revenue to schools–Mark Harvey from Pitkin County and James Pribyl from Louisville. Harvey was appointed to fill the agriculture seat on the board and Pribyl the citizen-at-large seat.

If the name Pribyl sounds familiar, you’re not alone. He was a former member of the CPW Commissioners (see the picture heading this post whose text was taken from Pribyl’s Linked In account), a wolf reintroduction advocate, and one of the three co-authors of the op ed in support of Prop 127, the big cat hunting ban.**

Gaines: Polis’ picks for land board proves Colorado’s gone to the wolves Read More »

Colorado Republicans: Effort to save taxpayers money ‘shredded’ by Democrats this session

denvergazette.com, Approved, State / / , , , , , , ,

Republican lawmakers, who are in the minority at the state Capitol, said they saw little success in their campaign to save residents money this year, as Democrats “shredded” that goal.

At the beginning of the session, Republicans unveiled a series of measures that, they insisted, would save the average Colorado family $4,500 each year.

“We had hopes to make life more affordable,” said Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen of Monument.

Colorado Republicans: Effort to save taxpayers money ‘shredded’ by Democrats this session Read More »

Final week at the Capitol: Democrats target TABOR, transparency and immigration enforcement

DENVER7, Approved, State / / , , , ,

DENVER — With under a week to go before they adjourn this year’s legislative session, Colorado lawmakers still have a lot of work ahead of them.

Dozens of bills are still under consideration, including several controversial proposals.

“It feels like 80% of the work happens in the last two weeks,” said State Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Englewood. “Our budget was pretty late in being finalized, and so, nothing can really move until we know how much money we’re working with, or in this case, how much money we’re not working with.”

Final week at the Capitol: Democrats target TABOR, transparency and immigration enforcement Read More »

Colorado lawmakers pass budget cutting roads, aid to keep health care afloat

The Colorado Sun, Approved, State / / , , ,

Colorado lawmakers on Monday gave final approval to a $43.9 billion spending plan that cuts funding for transportation projects, local governments and dozens of social programs in order to keep up with the rising costs of health care and education.

Colorado lawmakers pass budget cutting roads, aid to keep health care afloat Read More »

Hillman: TABOR is the people’s law—Democrats want to sue it out of existence

Colorado Politics, Approved, State / / , , ,

Lawmakers and special interests routinely ask Colorado voters to raise taxes so they can spend more of our money. Most often, voters say, “No!”

Now certain “progressive” Democrat lawmakers plan to use our own tax dollars to sue us for limiting their power to raise our taxes.

That’s disgusting even by the gutter standards of this legislature.

Hillman: TABOR is the people’s law—Democrats want to sue it out of existence Read More »

Why HJR25-1023’s logic for killing TABOR collapses under basic constitutional history

completecolorado.com, Approved, State, Top Stories / / , , , ,

To understand why some members of the Colorado legislature are unworthy of your trust, look no further than their current effort to take away your state tax refunds and abolish your right to vote on taxes, spending, and debt.

An astounding 44 of 100 lawmakers are sponsoring House Joint Resolution (HJR) 25-1023. This resolution would spend tax dollars on a lawsuit to void the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR). Coloradans voted to add this valuable protection to the state Constitution in 1992.

Why HJR25-1023’s logic for killing TABOR collapses under basic constitutional history Read More »

Taxpayers could foot the bill—twice—for Democrats’ lawsuit to dismantle TABOR

Approved, State, The Colorado Sun / / , ,

Colorado taxpayers may foot the bill twice if Democratic lawmakers manage to pass a resolution directing the legislature to sue the state in an attempt to invalidate the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. 

That’s because not only will taxpayers likely be responsible for paying the lawyers hired by the legislature to bring the case, but they’ll also be on the hook for the costs incurred by the Colorado Attorney General’s Office to defend against the legal challenge to TABOR, a constitutional amendment voters approved in 1992. 

If House Joint Resolution 1023 passes as expected, the General Assembly’s nonpartisan Office of Legislative Legal Services would likely hire a group of attorneys to file the lawsuit. In the past, the legislature’s third-party legal bills in much smaller cases have cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

Taxpayers could foot the bill—twice—for Democrats’ lawsuit to dismantle TABOR Read More »

AGNC: Democrats’ TABOR lawsuit a “legislative betrayal” against Colorado taxpayers

Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories / / , ,

Democrats in the Colorado legislature are pushing forward with a plan that would fundamentally alter the state’s tax system—starting with a lawsuit aimed at dismantling the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR).

AGNC: Democrats’ TABOR lawsuit a “legislative betrayal” against Colorado taxpayers Read More »