Jane Norton Should Love This

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by: Colorado Pols

One of the stickier points of disagreement between various Republican candidates for office this year is the effect of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) on the economy and public sector of Colorado. Of course, the biggest reason there is disagreement, as opposed to the wall of dogmatic support for TABOR casual observers would expect, is the need for Senate candidate Jane Norton to defend her support for 2005’s Referendum C. Referendum C was a statewide vote to suspend TABOR refunds for five years, which Norton says is ‘perfectly in keeping’ with the TABOR’s ideals–out of her immediate vicinity, it’s tough to find Republicans who agree.

But if Norton believes what she says about Referendum C, here’s another opportunity to defend those ideals. The Durango Herald’s Joe Hanel reports:

The vote to cut $260 million from public schools last month brought several Democratic legislators to tears and motivated others to apologize.

But school advocates who showed up at the state Capitol on Monday were interested in money, not tears.

“The ability to apologize but avoid doing anything about schooling in Colorado is no longer acceptable,” said Carol Boigon, chairwoman of Great Education Colorado.

Her group is a prime backer of House Concurrent Resolution 1002, which asks voters to give the Legislature the authority to raise taxes for education. The idea would effectively end the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights for schools and colleges, the largest part of the state’s budget.

The House Education Committee passed the measure 8-4 Monday – no surprise, given that all eight Democrats on the panel are co-sponsors of HCR 1002. Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, voted no.

However, because the resolution needs a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, it will not survive the House floor unless several Republicans turn against TABOR.

For which the odds, as you can imagine, lie somewhere between unlikely and rich full-throated laughter. A lot of people we know who are sympathetic to the goals of this referendum still don’t think it would stand a very good chance of passage in present political climate–but if you agree with Norton that putting tax hikes to a vote respects the taxpayers, all those anticipated “no” votes from House Republicans express something other than respect. Isn’t a vote of the people what they claim to want, even if it’s a vote against?

We realize highlighting this as a choice that pertains to Norton could be considered unfair, but we’re not the ones trying to have the history of TABOR both ways.

12 thoughts on “Jane Norton Should Love This”

GOPwarrior says:

April 20, 2010 at 9:47 pm

But I think this is a fair question, and Norton should answer whether she supports this as she supported Ref C. What’s the difference? Ken Buck should be all over this.

Now I will take a shower, as agreeing with Colorado Pols makes me feel dirty.

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1. GOPwarrior says:
  
  April 20, 2010 at 10:11 pm
  
  Crap, I would like to retract this statement. I wish I could delete it. Not that I don’t personally think it’s valid, but I realize posting this here just helps the LIBERALS behind this blog attack good Republicans. This is a discussion for Republicans to have among ourselves.
  
  I don’t agree with Norton on Ref. C, but I would trust her to represent my interests in Washington over Bennetoff in a heartbeat. So will the majority of Coloradoans, just as they will if it’s Ken Buck. That’s all that matters.
  
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  1. RedGreen says:
    
    April 20, 2010 at 10:41 pm
    
    You’ll be sure to inform us when you’ve decided what’s best for us, won’t you?
    
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  2. ajb says:
    
    April 21, 2010 at 12:11 am
    
    It’s just a comment from an anonymous blogger.
    
    And besides, voting to put a measure on the ballot is substantially different than recommending its passage.
    
    I do find it ironic, however, that Rs have argued that TABOR isn’t responsible for our financial woes because us Ds can always put a tax measure on the ballot and let the voters decide. Well, that’s not exactly true, is it? Apparently, voters can’t be trusted to make decisions like whether they’re willing to pay higher taxes for better education.
    
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    1. redstateblues says:
      
      April 21, 2010 at 12:20 am
      
      You’re going to make Jon Caldera’s head (and talking points) explode.
      
      Basic Independence Institute position: Voters need to approve all tax increases, and when they do, it’s because they were deceived into it by crafty liberals.
      
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      1. RedGreen says:
        
        April 21, 2010 at 12:28 am
        
        … and they shouldn’t get the chance to vote on a tax question because … well, because.
        
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    2. GOPwarrior says:
      
      April 21, 2010 at 1:37 am
      
      Know tax hikes are not necessary, and won’t object to being spared the no vote. Put the same people to who would work against tax hikes to work electing Republicans instead, who won’t ask Coloradoans to part with still more of their money in a recession.
      
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      1. RedGreen says:
        
        April 21, 2010 at 1:40 am
        
        Cutting the actual voters out of the equation.
        
        Conservatives and Republicans may well know what’s best, and decide these things in private amongst themselves, but even TABOR allows the voters to have the final say.
        
        Why don’t you trust the voters? Is it because they’ve turned your party out of power for the last three elections?
        
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        ajb says:
        
        April 21, 2010 at 7:07 pm
        
        n/t
        
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DavidThi808 says:

April 21, 2010 at 3:11 am

We create a paired up set of bills.

1) Tenure reform.

2) A ballot measure to increase taxes sufficient to cover the cuts we’ve had.

I think people might go for that combo.

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1. Ralphie says:
  
  April 21, 2010 at 4:03 am
  
  The linkage is too complicated for Real People, however.
  
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  1. DavidThi808 says:
    
    April 21, 2010 at 5:36 am
    
    I think better pay for teachers could be sold if it was tied to merit pay and tenure reform. But you may well be right, too complicated to sell.
    
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