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| more on Referenda C & D | | Date Created: Oct 21, 2005, 06:28 PM |
 Paul Jacobs of Americans For Limited Government has more on Colorado's Referenda C & D that are the perfect chance for politicians and vested interests to get a tax increase without looking like their raising taxes. I don't share his view on the sagacity of Colorado taxpayers but we'll see.
"Say you're a taxpayer in Colorado. You want to learn about referenda the government is placing on the ballot, Referendum C and Referendum D.
You'll get something called a Blue Book, an official voter's guide. It's prepared by a supposedly nonpartisan research staff at the state legislature. But some say it isn't exactly unbiased. According to Jon Caldera, a critic of the measures, the Blue Book is "this year's government-sponsored, pro-tax advertisement."
Referendum C would suspend spending limits for five years. It would let lawmakers spend $3.7 billion that they would otherwise have to return to taxpayers. Referendum D would let the state also borrow $2.1 billion if C passes.
The Blue Book's official description certainly views Referendum C through rose-colored glasses. It's all about how the state's TABOR law has limited annual spending, which makes it sound like the new law just might be a continuation of that fiscal responsibility.
Then the voting guide offer a section stressing that Referendum C "does not impact annual income tax refunds." This comes right after a section admitting that less tax money would, indeed, be refunded to taxpayers if the referendum passes.
But they're switching the context, talking now about an individual taxpayer's refund from his overestimation of his tax bill. Which is not the same thing as the refund currently required when the state spends less than it takes in.
They're slippery, these guys. But I bet Colorado taxpayers will see through this flimflammery pretty easily, and that this pro-tax-and-spend measure will get shot down."
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