Proponents of three anti-revenue initiatives in Colorado, known colloquially as the ‘three blind mice,’ argue that Colorado citizens are over taxed and that state government is inherently wasteful. They make these claims even though Colorado ranks 46th lowest in combined state and local taxes.
Colorado revenues will take big hit with three initiatives
The ‘three blind mice’ attack state revenues, already low from the recession and other constitutional amendments, in novel and imaginative ways.
- Proposition 101 will cut $2+ billion in car fees, income tax and phone bill rates. The vehicle ownership fee will plummet to $2, cutting funds directly out of school budgets.
- Amendment 60 will cut local school property taxes by 50%; the state will have no money to backfill the loss. The amendment will also override previous local elections in which citizens voted to exempt themselves from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) effects. Most inventive, citizens will be able to run elections to reduce their mill levy.
- Amendment 61 will prohibit the state from using any debt for any reason. All capital expenses will have to be paid with cash, upfront. School districts that borrow from the state at 0% interest to cover payroll in the months when property tax collections are low will be prohibited from doing so. The school year in those districts would have to run from March to November when property tax dollars are highest. Winter will be the new summer. (see Colorado Blue Book on Amendments and Propositions)
Great Futures Campaign v. Doug Bruce's anti-tax team
The Great Futures Campaign, a coalition of community groups led by Great Education Colorado, has decided to take the fight to the streets, and to Doug Bruce's anti-tax movement. Great Futures believes that the three initiatives will decimate k-12 public education and public higher education. Public schools will become overcrowded and higher ed will become unaffordable.
Public school funding tanks since 1988
Colorado’s per student funding has dropped steadily in comparison to other states since 1988. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Colorado was $1397 below the national average in per-student funding in 2007, before the recession. The Colorado legislature gouged out $354 million in prek-12 cuts, or $400 to $500 per student, in its 2010-11 budget. 2011-12 looks no better, and may be worse.
Colorado higher ed funding 48th in the country
The legislature now allows state colleges to increase their tuition up to 9% per year to offset the state’s 48th ranking in per capita spending, which has plummeted to $159/year. Neighboring state Wyoming spends $709 per capita, New Mexico $581 per capita, Nebraska $404 per capita, Kansas $360 per capita, and Utah $296 per capita (State Higher Education Executive Officers, SHEEO). Even Mississippi substantially exceeds Colorado’s spending at $372 per capita.
Will it be cheap car registration or very high college tuition for CO?
Voters face a huge choice in 2010. If the initiatives pass, the state will not be able to construct any new buildings or put down a new highway or improve bridges and roads using its borrowing powers. School districts will not be able to do capital improvements without cash on hand. There will be no more physical improvements to the University of Colorado medical facility and no money for more construction at any state college or university.
On the other hand, vehicle registration will be really cheap and Colorado will have no new debt.
Comments
Your statistics are wrong. Colorado does not rank 46th and Colorado does not rank. 48th. You have chosen to use corrupt statistics only because these fit your larger agenda. Get some real facts and stop publishing lies. Colorado ranks 25th in both total taxation and education funding per the National tax foundation. I provided my source, where are yours?
The National Tax Foundation is an anti-foundation known for putting out biased misleading research to forward its own agenda.
Your source is biased and neutral as its research aids its goals instead of goals based on true unbiased research.
This is baloney - we heard this crap when Amendment 23 and Referendum C were passed, that the sky would fall... kids and old people would starve if they weren't passed. Paula, what about individuals and households who are being squeezed by a tough economy, and a voracious government who taxes its citizens into oblivion? What about small business owners who create most of the new jobs in our country?
Hi Paula,
I like the idea of cheap car registration and no debt. I'd also like to have a good education system but that doesn't mean that we have to prepare every student for college. All high school students don't have a need for two years of foreign language (unless C++ or Java counts) and it would be okay with me if students that don't study and don't work hard in school are left behind.
"Colorado has dropped 19 places in the state/local tax burden ranking over the last 30 years. It levies every major tax, but the rate on each is among the lowest in the country." "Estimated at 9.0% of income, Colorado's state/local tax burden percentage ranks 34th highest nationally, below the national average of 9.7%."
From the National Tax Foundation. Colorado has one of the lowest tax structures in the country but the freeloaders would have us believe we're being gouged. Vote for the propositions and within ten years the state will be a memory. The military will pull out, business investment will dry up and Colorado will join Appalachia as a poverty stricken part of the U.S.
Joe, before you accuse people of being liars, maybe you should get your facts sorted out. Rushing to judgment is a bad idea, but particularly when you point an accusatory finger at someone else.
Douglas County is having a community meeting about these issues.. I just wrote a story on this and linked to your story here. fyi. :) www.examiner.com/x-29541-Douglas-County-Examiner
I checked out a site that lists income tax by state. Colorado definitely has one of the lowest in the country. I believe amendments 60-61 and Proposition 101 are not the way to go about this. I think we are taxed enough but I also believe we have a responsibility as a society to pitch in to make sure that we have a functioning society. I don’t mind paying for schools to educate our children even though I am not a parent. I believe in providing basic services such as police & fire protection, medical care for those in need but can’t afford it. I believe in pitching in to make sure we all live a decent life. I want my tax dollars spent wisely. I want to make sure that our roads are drivable and I don't mind paying for them to be in good shape. Driving is a privilege, not a right.
I don’t think TABOR along with Amendment 23 (passed 2000) is working. I believe both handcuffs our ability to use tax dollars where it is needed, when it is needed. We need to be able to appropriate tax dollars to areas that need it the most.
With that said if I was King for a day I would make Federal and state taxes flat taxes, %4 percent for states, %8 percent Federal and declare that we can’t spend any more then we take in. Spending would be based on the previous year’s tax. I would eliminate all tax breaks/exemptions. Everyone pitches in his or her fair share. No special interests.
http://www.investinginbonds.com/learnmore.asp?catid=3&id=61
Alabama %5.00
Arizona, progressive, %2.59 – %4.54
Colorado, flat tax, %4.63
Illinois %3.00
Indiana % 3.40
Michigan %4.35
Penn %3.070
Wyoming %0.0
t.
I feel exactly the way you do. My family makes around 80, 000 a year and fee I am living the American Dream. However, growing up with a family of seven, struggling and living in a two bedroom apt. with hard working parents, who never had an extra dime to spend, I can tell you I am more than willing to help out, by spending a little more on taxes.
I am a God fearing women and feel the bible makes my living decisions and according to Philippians 2:3-4 " Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider other better than yourself. Each of you should look not only what to your own interest, but also to the interest of others(NIV, 1973)".
interesting how the argument seems to be that we should tax ourselves to greatness. The basis of the constitution is to limit the damage the government can do to us. With the highest levels of funding ever we now have schools that have fallen to 25th place in the world. If we can only further increase our txes think how low we can sink.
I am very torn about this proposition 101.
I just today, had to pay $1,759 to the Colo Dept of Rev for one year of vehicle registration and ownership tax. Money I don't have. I had to borrow excess student loan money so that I could pay it. originally back in june it was "only" $956 but I did not have that kind of money to pay it. I had to wait until I received my student money for Fall semester. I went to the dmv, and not only did I have to pay $50 in late fees ($25 per month) but I had to pay prior ownership tax going back to June.
To say the least, I will now be forced to start receiving public assistance just so I can get through the semester. From what I understand, prop 101, will make it more fair for lower income people to own vehicles.
And they wonder why so much fraud goes on....NM is on high fraud watch because so many Colorado residents are establishing residency in New Mexico so that they can legally, and justifible so, get their vehicles registered.
Even more confusing is Colorado wants to take everyones money... but they have a dozen laws in effect that makes it difficult to do so.. thus causing you to pay late etc. Which results in the person having to pay more money to the state. But the state is in a debt right now.
In reality, we are still very much a paycheck to paycheck society. For most of us, the money we save on vehicle registrations is going to be spent elsewhere, and TAXED, anyway. So, what, exactly, is the difference? The government needs to learn how to balance a budget for once. A whole lot of people have recently had to do it, why should governments be any different? And, as someone stated before, if that means the kids that don't give a damn about school fall behind, so be it.
Clearly this article is a just slanted talking points in favor of more gov't spending, more gov't borrowing, and putting the burden on overtaxed citizens. Hopefully voters will look past the slick marketing to get to the truth.
the government spending got us were we are now. Force laws on the people to pay more money either on a form of tax or service fee. This amendments are the way to say to the government you must live on a budget like I’m force to live to. Yes on all 3
Why should we subsidize education? Too many people go to college now and get worthless degrees, driving up the costs for everyone and making most students lifetime debtors to college loans.
It's a racket.
I love it how people are so naive when it comes to economics. "I don't want to pay taxes but i want the government to take care of us and not be too big" come on guy we're america aren't we better than that? Other countries like say switzerland have upwards of 60% income taxes. Yeah let that roll off your tongue 60%! Guess who has a higher quality of living? I'll give you a hint... it ain't us. These propositions will destroy Colorado. OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO BORROW MONEY TO FUNCTION BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU COMPLAIN SO MUCH ABOUT TAXES!
Think about the government running out of money... that's basically what these three do. We are out of money. No money means smaller government YAY oh wait now the government doesn't do things for us like plow the roads or enforce laws OR TEACH OUR KIDS!
I already voted YES on 60, 61, and 101. I like the idea of using my money for myself and family and to send some to the charities or causes of my choosing. I'm not fond of fat governments telling me I need to give to the charities of their choice.
I would rather use the money to send my kids to charter schools where they actually learn something. The kids that our current Public Indoctrination Centers spit out each year don't even know American history or the reason our founders framed and signed the Constitution. I'm ashamed of our Public "Schools" and don't believe that the Union Brainwashers deserve another dime.
I am voting for 101. The money I can save on vehicle registration and phone taxes will help my daughter get the overpriced books she needs for college.
Do you know how much groceries has gone up.... What about our paychecks. Most of us haven't gotten any papy increase or very little and not balancing out. Our electric co is raising 20% this year. I'm sorry but I neet the taxes to be taken away to balance.
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