The “Dirty Dozen” tax hike package that was recently approved by the Colorado House of Representatives now heads to the Senate floor after it was passed out of the Senate Finance Committee on a 4-3 party line vote last week.
The package is scheduled for its second reading in the Senate today and, given the sizable Democrat majority in that chamber, is expected to receive final approval by week’s end. Colorado Republicans remain in lockstep opposition to the package.
ATR has repeatedly pointed out that these measures will send jobs out of state, as similar measures have in other states, and will fail to rectify the state’s budget deficit, as has been the case in other states that have imposed similar measures. The tax increases on online purchases and downloads are guaranteed to destroy high-paying tech sector jobs. The tax hikes on items such as soda, candy, doggy bags, and napkins will hit those least able to afford it the hardest.
As has been previously pointed out, the state constitution’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) requires that these tax increases be sent to the ballot for voter approval, yet Colorado Democrats have no intention to honor this requirement. For information on the Colorado Supreme Court case that has enabled this tax package to move forward and the effort to remove the Justices responsible for that ruling, visit Clear the Bench Colorado’s website.
Governor Ritter and legislative Democrats insist tax increases are needed to close the state’s budget shortfall. However, Senate Republicans laid waste to that claim by recently releasing an alternative budget that closes the state’s budget deficit without raising any taxes. That plan, which ATR supports, entails a .25% reduction in state payroll spending in the current budget and a 4.4% reduction for the coming fiscal year that begins in July.