Confusing Amazon Purchase

 

Where Elected Officials Stand on Tax & Fee Increases and Tricking Voters

 Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, helps keep state spending in check and helps keep our economy strong by permitting the voters the opportunity to approve any proposed tax increases. In November, Coloradans passed Proposition 117 to ensure any new, excessive fees are also brought to a vote of the people.  Despite overwhelming support for TABOR and Proposition 117 (passed with 61.1 percent of the vote in El Paso County), politicians and special interest have worked tirelessly to circumvent both.

The new transportation-funding plan is the latest attempt to circumvent the people of Colorado and institute new taxes and fees in direct violation of TABOR and Proposition 117.  These new fees account for $200 million dollars in increased spending at the expense of Colorado taxpayers.  Colorado does not have a revenue problem; we have a spending problem, and we need to protect Colorado taxpayers by keeping spending in check and rejecting new taxes disguised as “fees”.  We wholeheartedly oppose the new tax and fee hikes proposed in the new transportation plan and we find them to be a slap in the face of voters who passed Proposition 117 just months ago:

U.S. Congressman Doug Lamborn (R)

State Representative Mary Bradfield (R)

State Representative Terri Carver (R)

State Senator Bob Gardner (R)

State Representative Tim Geitner (R)

State Senator Dennis Hisey (R)

State Senator Larry Liston (R)

State Senator Paul Lundeen (R)

State Representative Andres Pico (R)

State Representative Shane Sandridge (R)

State Representative Dave Williams (R)

CU Regent Chance Hill (R)

Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen (R)

El Paso County Commissioner Cami Bremer (R)

El Paso County Commissioner Carrie Geitner (R)

El Paso County Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez (R)

El Paso County Commissioner Holly Williams (R)

El Paso County Commissioner Stan VanderWerf (R)

Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis (R)

Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland (R)

Teller County Commissioner Bob Campbell (R)

Teller County Commissioner Erik Stone (R)

Teller County Commissioner Dan Williams (R)

El Paso County Clerk and Recorder Chuck Broerman (R)

El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder (R)

El Paso County Treasurer Mark Lowderman (R)

El Paso County Assessor Steve Schleiker (R)

Colorado Springs City Councilman Dave Donelson

Colorado Springs City Councilman Randy Helms

Colorado Springs City Councilman Wayne Williams (opposes bill and believes it violates spirit of TABOR and Prop. 117)

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Elected officials who support the tax and fee increases in the transportation plan as well as the effort to trick citizens with their scheme to end-run the voter approved Proposition 117:

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers (R)

State Representative Marc Snyder (D)

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Contact these elected officials and urge them to oppose this funding scheme and sign onto this statement:

State Representative Tony Exum, tony.exum.house@state.co.us, (303)866-3069

State Senator Pete Lee, pete.lee.senate@state.co.us, (303)866-6364

Colorado Springs Councilwoman Yolanda Avila, yolanda.avila@coloradosprings.gov, (719)385-5492

Colorado Springs Councilwoman Nancy Henjum, nancy.henjum@coloradosprings.gov, (719)385-5483

Colorado Springs Councilman Bill Murray, bill.murray@coloradosprings.gov, (719)385-5485

Colorado Springs Councilman Mike O'Malley, mike.omalley@coloradosprings.gov, (719)385-5491

Colorado Spr. Councilman Richard Skorman, richard.skorman@coloradosprings.gov, (719)385-5470

Colorado Springs Councilman Tom Strand, tom.strand@coloradosprings.gov, (719)385-5486

Jeff Crank 2021 Colorado Springs City Council Ballot Recommendations

 

While there are a few principled conservatives on the Colorado Springs City Council, unfortunately there is a majority of council members who are not conservative and who seem to think Colorado Springs taxpayers are the source of unending funding for their projects.  Under current leadership, Colorado Springs now has one of the highest sales tax rates in the state of Colorado and the city has supported and pushed for tax increase after tax increase over the last several years.  When is the last time you heard someone from the city say “no thank you, we don’t need more money.  We’ll do with what we have.”?  The city has consistently asked voters for more money instead of making the difficult choices that have been made by other governments.  Colorado Springs will become just another big city with high tax rates if we continue on our current path and we need leaders who believe in government performing only the essentials and keeping government regulation off the backs of businesses and citizens.

I’ve reviewed the candidates for Colorado Springs City Council and have looked at the surveys submitted by some candidates to Springs Taxpayers (you can find these surveys here).  Here are my endorsements in Colorado Springs City Council races:

District 1 – Dave Donelson

District 2 – Randy Helms

District 3 – Arthur Glynn

District 4 – None – both candidates are liberal

District 5 – Mary Elizabeth Fabian

District 6 – Mike O’Malley

On Issue 1, I see both sides of the argument.  While supporters like Mayor John Suthers and City Councilman Wayne Williams say that the 30 word limit makes it difficult to hold elected officials accountable to the way they plan on spending the money, opponents point out that the current limit prohibits elected officials from making ballot language too complicated and confusing.  You’ll have to decide which argument rings most true to you.

Thank you for voting and for caring about the city that we all love.  Colorado Springs has always been a special place and we will have to fight to keep it that way.