Amendments 60 and 61, Proposition 101

You have no doubt seen or heard some of the negative ads about Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101. You’d think the sky is falling. Are you tired of the same old scare tactics that the politicians, big banks, unions, lobbyists, and out of state interests keep recycling? Did you know the power elites are spending six million dollars to scare you?

Well, how about some TRUTH?

Property taxes alone, at all levels, have increased 183% since 1992, and that is with TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) in place. Our senior citizens are being hurt the worst with these unconstitutional, non-voter approved property tax hikes. How mad are you now?

Since 1992, Colorado state government spending (local and state) has grown from $15.1 to almost $47 BILLION in total spending. That’s a 310% INCREASE in spending!

Make sure you vote YES in November to pass 60, 61, & 101! The elites have the money, but we have the PEOPLE!

OPPOSITION’S WORSE CASE SCENARIO

You may have heard…“If these pass, it will kill jobs and crush Colorado’s economy!” Oh, really? Let’s see the real figures that were garnered from a government website.


Elitist: “Shuts down our ability to build or expand our roads, schools, water facilities…all of our infrastructure.”
Translation: “We’ll have the same budget we had in 2007…remember when we had no infrastructure three years ago?”

Elitist: “Eliminates a major funding source for road and bridge construction across the state.”
Translation: “Voters will never approve road and bridge improvements unless we force them to.”

Scare tactics won’t work!! We know the truth.

HOW TO RECLAIM COLORADO

Is the media interested in how much debt our children will be left with if these don’t pass? NO!

Getting “fiscal conservatives” elected is futile. Why? Since 2000, Colorado state level debt has tripled. Servicing debt (the amount you pay back) has doubled! This is with a mixture of political parties being dominant in the legislature. When you hear any politician say, “We want smaller government, but 60, 61, & 101 go too far,” remember the real translation: “Suckers!”

Elitist: The panel discussions are overwhelmingly opposed to these measures.
Translation: Our paid speakers can beat up your volunteers.

P.S.: Here’s one more translation for good measure…

Elitist: “Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 will push Colorado into a voter-approved recession”
Translation: “We will blame these ballot measures for the recession, even though the recession began before they were passed.”

Let’s win this and reclaim Colorado to ease the tax burden on our seniors, preserve a debt free future for our children, and keep our money in our pockets!

I read in the High Timber Times today that the Conifer & Evergreen Libraries will be closed an additional day each week due to budget cutbacks. The article went on to say that there would be additional cuts if 101 & 61 pass.

Nice to know Doug Bruce can still sucker in the anti-tax crowd...even when it's in their own worst interests.

Yep... Let's win this, and put it back in the Doug Bruce file where it belongs.

Yeah right. Look at the state budget, http://www.colorado.gov/ospb and explain why the elected reps can't make cuts on nonessential government functions. They want to make the tax payer suffer like a spoiled kid that was just told NO by their parents. Scare tactics and punishment of tax payers.

Ooopsie:

Colorado Republicans come out against tax-slashing measures

State Sen. Greg Brophy sees himself as being as fiscally conservative as Republicans come. But Brophy, R-Wray, says he can't get behind Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101 — three initiatives on the November ballot that would slash billions in state and local taxes.

"I consider myself an advocate of limited government," he said, "and these could very well go beyond where I'm comfortable."

For Colorado Republicans, who have long called for limited government and decreased spending, the three tax-slashing measures are posing a hard question: When it comes to reducing the size of government, how small is too small?

According to a recent report by legislative analysts, if all three of the measures were passed and fully implemented in the current fiscal year, the state would lose $2.1 billion in revenue and would have to increase its share of funding for public schools by $1.6 billion.

Essentially, the state would have to use about 99 percent of the current general fund of less than $7 billion for K-12 education, leaving only about $38 million for prisons, colleges, human services such as homes for the mentally ill and health care for the poor, the analysis said.

Because all of the provisions of the three initiatives wouldn't phase in for years, the effects would be more gradual than that, and supporters of the measures say it's dishonest to compress effects that might not be seen for decades into the current year's budget.

Still, that analysis, along with others, has horrified even many Republicans who have long said government is too large.

Pledging opposition

Twenty-three of 27 GOP lawmakers in the state House and five of 14 GOP state senators have signed a letter addressed to all Colorado Republicans urging defeat of the measures.

Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli said it's telling that there appears to be virtually no Republicans at the local government level supporting the measures.

http://www.denverpost.com/election2010/ ... z0zSWcDceF

Scruffy wrote: I read in the High Timber Times today that the Conifer & Evergreen Libraries will be closed an additional day each week due to budget cutbacks. The article went on to say that there would be additional cuts if 101 & 61 pass.

I have seen incredible scare tactics used against these ballot initiatives. I love when local goverment tries to use the library card. "We will have to close the library one extra day a week." But you never hear about more furlough days for local workers, or wage freezes for managers
or even shouldering more of your medical insurance costs like private industry has done to their employees. Instead they will use the most newsworthy cuts.

When TABOR was being voted on years ago, I heard half the fire stations would close or police would have to layoff all new hires. These things didn't happen.

Vote for the bills if you want but be very suspicious of the end of the world propaganda if they pass.

Yeah...and those Republicans are lying too...

Gov. Bill Owens(R) & Lt Gov. Jane Norton(R) both supported Amendment C which denied tax refunds to Colorado voters. Guess what the state did with all that extra money during the boom times? They spent it and more! Instead of actually saving it for a rainy day like now. What makes you think the state and local goverments will continue to treat your money with care? Like the credit card bills of Park County? They have Hummers, maybe they can buy tanks next.

These Republicans need your money to pay off their supporters, like bond firms, construction companies, & catering houses.

Owens and Norton aren't the topic of conversation... We could also wonder why the Wright Brothers decided to try to fly.

The point is whether or not the Bad-3 will wreck the Colorado economy...and they will... Even the GOP thinks so.... Please try to stay on-topic...

At least the majority of voters in Colorado understand the impact a few of these will have on our economy. 60 and 61 are both polling in the mid 30's. 101 is polling just over 50%. If one had to pass, this would be the most preferable one, although certain taxes it cuts make no sense. Rental car tax? That is one we should leave. Tax the tourists like all states do, not those who live here.

The one thing that may make this pass is the deletion of the phone tax. That has been a sneaky tax for years.

I still think Ref C was a bad idea, and this is what happens when big gov. reps join the big spending dems to lock in something bad like Ref C. This is the blowback....