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« A Hyped Poll Says Nothing Surprising | Main | The Future of Journalism » September 18, 2003Colorado TABOR UpdatesNo suprise: The Denver Post, which has never liked the Colorado constitutional amendment known as the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, blames it for the city government of Denver's fiscal mess in this editorial. But this is a surprise - the Rocky Mountain News favors the taxing-and-spending limitation known as TABOR, but this story quotes only people who wish the change that amendment and water it down. How about some balance in the coverage, guys? Surely you could find one TABOR supporter to quote? TABOR limits the state to keeping only revenue growth up to a level determined by inflation and population growth, with surpluses returned to taxpayers via tax cuts or rebates. Opponents, like the Denver Post, like to claim the amendment has a "ratchet down" effect that, during recessions when revenue doesn't grow even that fast, "locks" the state into lower spending levels in future years. The Post in its editorial says "the state needs to be allowed to return revenue collection and spending to pre-recession levels to restore basic programs. ... TABOR - the amendment will lock in today's depressed spending levels into the indefinite future." But it's a smokescreen for a campaign to render TABOR toothless. As Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute think tank in Colorado, explains If the economy heats up again, TABOR has a built-in mechanism that allows government to keep all the excess tax revenue it wants, even if there is budget "ratcheting." All they have to do is ask you if they can keep it. That's it. TABOR-haters were disappointed that when they asked you to keep surplus tax money before, you sometimes said no. So they don't want to you to have that choice anymore. They are afraid you might say no again. And they don't think no should mean no. They want to legalize fiscal date rape.Caldara goes on to explain the real cause of Colorado's fiscal problems. It isn't TABOR, but another amendment called Amendment 23 passed by voters in 2003. Amendment 23 locks the state into increasing education spending even if the revenue isn't there to support it, putting the squeeze on other parts of the budget. Meanwhile, the Vail Daily has a good explanation of how TABOR works at the local level with this story about some local ballot issues involving taxes. Thanks to readers Ben Cunningham and Jason Currey for sending me the links to the Post, RMN and Vail Daily stories. Posted in Taxpayers Bill of Rights
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