CUT's Positions in 2009. Key votes in the legislature, plus Rep. Marostica's attacks on the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights.

Colorado Union of Taxpayers weblog. Updates on Colorado taxpayer issues.

Colorado Legislator Ratings, archive (in PDF). To read these, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to get it for free.

New! 2009 Ratings and newsletter.

2008 Ratings and newsletter.

2007 Ratings and newsletter.

2006 Ratings and newsletter.

2005 Ratings and newsletter.

2004 Ratings and newsletter.

2003 Ratings and newsletter.

2003 Grid

2002 Ratings and newsletter.

2002 Grid

2001 Ratings and newsletter.

2000 Ratings and newsletter.

1999 Ratings and newsletter.

1998 Ratings and newsletter.

1997 Ratings and newsletter.

1996 Ratings and newsletter.

1995 Ratings and newsletter.

1994 Ratings and newsletter.

CUT Taxpayer Pledge
Full text of Pledge to oppose all tax increases.

List of all Pledge signers.

About CUT
--Greetings from Past President Penn Pfiffner

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--Bylaws.

Links
Clear the Bench Colorado. Against retention of Colorado Supreme Court Justices who vote to nullify the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
Colorado Proposition 101. Roll back tax increases which evaded the requirement for voter approval by being labeled as "fees."
Amendment 60. Limit property tax.
Amendment 61. Limit Colorado debt.

Taxpayer groups. State, federal and international.

No more bailouts petition. National Taxpayers Union.

Congressional Ratings:

National Taxpayers Union ratings of Congress. Colorado delegation:

Name	2008 Grade & %	2007 grade & %	2006 Grade & %	2005 Grade & %
Rep. Perlmutter	F 7	F 6
Rep. DeGette	F 7	F 6	F 14	F 15
Rep. Lamborn	A 90	A 93
Rep. Musgrave	B 70	B+ 83	A 75	A 70
Rep. Salazar, John	F 14	F 5	D 24	D 26
Rep. Tancredo	B+ 77	A 93	A 76	A 80
Rep. Udall, Mark	F 17	F 5	F 16	F 16
Sen. Allard	A 79	A 86	A 84	A 80
Sen. Ken Salazar	F 5	F 9	F 20	F 14

Americans for Tax Reform ratings of Congress. Colorado delegation.

Club for Growth RePORK Card.

Taxpayer Ratings for Governor hopefuls 

The number is the percentage that the person took the pro-taxpayer side on key votes.

Josh Penry (dropped out of race)

Bill Ritter. Not seeking re-election. Scores are based on signing or vetoing bills.

Setting the Record Straight on TABOR

By Rep. B.J. Nikkel, R-Loveland
House District 49

Recently, some have attempted to assign the blame for our current state budget cuts on the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights.

The truth is that the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights has not contributed to our current budget troubles. In fact, without the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, there is no doubt that Colorado’s budget troubles would be much worse.

TABOR, as the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights is more commonly referred to, has actually served to cushion the effects of the current economic recession on Colorado’s state budget. This fiscally conservative budgetary provision keeps spending low when times are good, leaving state coffers in better shape when the times turn.

For example, under TABOR, in times of economic prosperity, excess tax revenue in Colorado is returned to taxpayers. By preventing the state from over-spending in good years Colorado is forced to make fewer drastic budget cuts during the bad years. In other states, like California, continually increased taxes have gone into expanding the government budget. When the economy slowed, deficits soared and California’s government has nearly gone bankrupt.

Thanks to the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, Colorado has largely avoided that fate.

Here is why. In 1992 Colorado voters passed the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights amendment, placing spending and taxing controls on the legislature. Spending is not allowed to increase by more than inflation and population growth, and new taxes cannot be enacted without a vote of the people.

Because we also have a constitutional requirement to balance our budget, TABOR requires government to better set priorities and live within its means. This is the same for Colorado families. Just as families would no doubt like to spend money in many ways, they must set priorities and then live within their boundaries. The same should be true of government, and under TABOR, it is.

Another popular component of TABOR is the citizens’ right to decide on tax increases. When an increase in revenue is desired, the government has the opportunity to ask voters to retain refunds or to increase taxes. This important provision grants Coloradans the right to have their voices heard when it comes to the legislature adopting new taxes

With that in mind, why do some attempt to lay the blame for Colorado’s current budget troubles on TABOR? They do so because they believe that an expanded government, with nearly unlimited taxing authority, is the answer to our problems.

The truth is that the reason Colorado is running a deficit is because proposed spending for FY09-10 exceeds current estimates for anticipated revenues.

Along with the rest of the nation, we’re experiencing the prolonged effects of a troubled economy. Like you and I, the state must tighten its belt during tough economic times and not spend more than it has in its checkbook. Blaming TABOR for budget cuts that would be even worse without it makes no sense.

Colorado has gone through good times and bad, but TABOR has been there as a “guardian” to keep government spending in check, and to lessen the pain when the budget falls short of expectations.

So, when you hear these attacks against the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, don’t be afraid to set the record straight.

State Representative B.J. Nikkel represents House District 49 in Larimer and Weld Counties in the Colorado House of Representatives.
 

The Fiscal Irresponsibility Commission

By Marty Neilson

President of CUT

As a member of the state Long-term Fiscal Stability Commission, more aptly named by the minority, the Long-term Fiscal Irresponsibility Commission, here is the “rest of the story” from my view.

The Commission was a charade with predetermined agenda and outcomes set by the Chairman, Senator Rollie Heath. The charade encompassed eleven meetings where Commissioners were inundated with special interest groups and state bureaucrats claims of underfunded everything. Colorado citizens were relegated to one afternoon to make their claims of not enough or too much. Commissioners had no input into the agendas and were not privy to instructions given those who presented to the Commission. It was clear, however, the instructions were to declare their wish list in a perfect world.

The Commission failed miserably in its mission. The recommendations from the Commission all crafted by the Democrat majority do nothing to address the real issue of strategic planning for the long-term. Instead, the meetings were simply an opportunity for the state bureaucrats to come forward with requests for more dollars for each of their fiefdoms, the big six; K-12 education, higher education, health care policy and financing, corrections, human services, and judicial. Their Christmas wish list was an additional 9.271 BILLION more to be anted up by us taxpayer suckers! It was clear at the outset that the predetermined outcome of the Commission was to craft a “crisis” and come forward with their main recommendation to establish a “Fiscal Policy Constitutional Commission” to consist of unelected and unaccountable appointees to reach the conclusion that TABOR must go.

The other bills coming out of the Commission are more Democrat “act like we did something” bills: 1) allow more flexibility to institutions of higher education but not when it comes to setting tuition, 2) ask DU to do an “impartial” tax study (DU gave the recommendation for the Constitutional Commission and also gave us Referendum O), 3) set up a rainy day fund that will never get funded, 4) encourage private/public partnerships with non-profits. Partnerships with the business sector were sadly missing. Can you see how any of these address long-term fiscal stability for our state?

The elephant in the room “spending” was avoided like the plague! Any mention of too much spending fell on deaf ears! The Democrat majority had no stomach for saving. “We just don’t have the dollars right now” they all opined. Of course, they never will. The Committee Chairman, Senator Heath, scolded Colorado citizens for accepting TABOR refunds while he decreed that those dollars would have made a sizeable Rainy Day Fund. Does any sane individual believe that had it not been for us greedy taxpayers taking refunds, the legislature would have a $3 billion rainy day fund today? I have been watching the legislature for the past twenty-some years; and, Republican or Democrat controlled, they have never mustered up any stomach for saving. The cry is always for more dollars from taxpayers.

The 2009 election emphasized once again that Colorado taxpayers take seriously their right to vote on tax increases. The stunning defeat of tax increase measures in Greeley, Aurora, Colorado Springs, and even liberal Boulder sends a message to the Governor and his tax and spend majorities in the House and Senate. Families and businesses across Colorado are hurting. They must re-think priorities and adjust their budgets accordingly. Colorado government should be required to do the same. Colorado citizens are amused with the 9.271 billion Christmas wish list as they attempt to provide food and shelter for their families. Providing core functions; safety, infrastructure, education is government responsibility not attempting to be all things to all people. Implement priority-based budgeting with measured outcomes. Attack the ever-growing Medicaid spending by first conducting a full-fledged audit to smoke out fraud. Look to the successes of other states which have reformed their Medicaid systems, saved dollars, and provided better service to recipients. Competition in education would save dollars and give better results. It’s the spending!

The Colorado Union of Taxpayers (CUT) is a non-partisan taxpayer activist group whose mission is to help educate the public as to the dangers of excessive taxation, regulation, and government spending, thereby encouraging the reduction of taxes, regulations, and government spending.

"Kent Lambert named taxpayers' king." Westword. By Michael Roberts.