Printed on 6/5/08
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Week 12, 2005
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Dear friends
Following are a few of the highlights from last week:
Budget:
The House and Senate had a conference committee meeting consisting or six individuals (3 House and 3 Senator members) concerning the Romanoff/Democrat/Owens HB 1194 budget proposal. There were 5 amendments offered by Rep. Dave Schultheis. He could not get a "second" any amendment, so they failed. HB 1194 passed out of the committee on to the House floor for review. Rep. Schultheis objected to language in the bill that stipulates the measure would not raise taxes. Dave said "To me, this is deceptive wording, though technically it is true. The average person that's out there is going to feel deceived when they say without raising taxes." Rep. Schultheis accused the legislative leaders of "railroading" the plan past his and others' objections."
The Loveland's Reporter Herald has a 60% NO vote on this budget bill from the last 2 weeks of polling, though this not a scientific poll.
Treasurer Mike Coffman's proposal, carried by Rep. Mike May, will
1) Cut state income taxes
2) Create the "Colorado Reserve Fund" to help in recessions
3) Fill the fund initially by selling the future revenue from the state tobacco settlement.
4) Let lawmakers close much of their current budget shortfall by tapping the fund
5) If the fund dips below 6% of the state general fund budget, limits on general fund growth and the state suspends some educational spending requirements of Amendment 23, until lawmakers pour enough money into the fund that it reaches 6%.
This bill should come up on the House floor or committee this week for discussion. This proposal looks much better to me because it protects the principles of TABOR and will provide enough money for the essential needs of the state government.
Keep in mind, the total state's operating budget is $13.81 billion in 2004-05 and was $3.57 billion in 1984-85. In the past twenty years, there has never been a decrease in spending. This past week, a new accounting change which involves state unemployment insurance receipts, and a few million dollars from Colorado's newly created tobacco tax basically would fill the rest of the 2005-06 shortfall, now an estimated $230 million. The author of TABOR, Doug Bruce holds that the accounting errors are evidence that "government wastes money."
Open the attachment to read about "Taxpayer Interests Ignored in Denver by the Republican Study Committee."
Taxes:
Have you ever seen a tax that the liberals (Democrats) don't like? We worked hard on the House floor Friday to pass HB 1158 (Rep. Knoedler). This bill would not let municipalities tax the "Voice over IP" service on the internet. This technology is coming fast to the citizens of Colorado. It would let you use your computer line to talk to another person with the same hardware on the other end. You would not need to use a local phone line or even your cell phone if you wish. These calls are not taxed now, but local governments are chomping at the bit to get some of your money. Rep. Knoedler did an excellent job of presenting the bill, but it failed by only one vote! I went to the House podium and read out loud about 80 different taxes that we pay, but it went on deaf ears. All Republicans voted for the bill and only 2 Democrats voted for it. If you see a tax on our "Voice over IP" line someday, you will know who to blame.
Bureaucracy:
-Democrat bills hurt competition: SB 61 would reduce the number of private contracts for RTD vehicle service; HB 1212 would prevent competition from private prisons; the union-inspired SB 23 would increase costs to the state of Colorado by preventing competition from abroad; and, SB 71 would make obtaining charter school authority much more difficult in order to keep them from competing with public schools employing union teachers.
-Your property for half the price: SB 182, a double-Democrat sponsored bill, extends eminent domain proceedings to include acquisitions for RTD projects.
-We're seeing the nanny-state become our home state: HB 1124 would allow in-state tuition for illegal immigrants; SB 28 would protect sexual orientation and "gender variance" in the workplace; and, SB 21 mandates that employers allow their employees time off for any purpose related to their child's educational advancement or recreation.
The atmosphere at the House and Senate is for more beaurcracy, higher worker's compensation, higher unemployment, increased business expenses, higher utility costs, increased union leverage, increased insurance costs, increased litigation costs, and increased state expenses.
If you want to read about the "bills in the News for the week," open the attachment.
Quote from James Madison, known as the "Chief Architect of the Constitution."
"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God
Our U.S. Supreme Court opens in prayer: "God save this Court and the U.S." We need to pray for our nation and each other.
"As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live."- Pope John Paul II
Have a blessed week,
Rep. Jim Welker
House District 51
Following are a few of the highlights from last week:
Budget:
The House and Senate had a conference committee meeting consisting or six individuals (3 House and 3 Senator members) concerning the Romanoff/Democrat/Owens HB 1194 budget proposal. There were 5 amendments offered by Rep. Dave Schultheis. He could not get a "second" any amendment, so they failed. HB 1194 passed out of the committee on to the House floor for review. Rep. Schultheis objected to language in the bill that stipulates the measure would not raise taxes. Dave said "To me, this is deceptive wording, though technically it is true. The average person that's out there is going to feel deceived when they say without raising taxes." Rep. Schultheis accused the legislative leaders of "railroading" the plan past his and others' objections."
The Loveland's Reporter Herald has a 60% NO vote on this budget bill from the last 2 weeks of polling, though this not a scientific poll.
Treasurer Mike Coffman's proposal, carried by Rep. Mike May, will
1) Cut state income taxes
2) Create the "Colorado Reserve Fund" to help in recessions
3) Fill the fund initially by selling the future revenue from the state tobacco settlement.
4) Let lawmakers close much of their current budget shortfall by tapping the fund
5) If the fund dips below 6% of the state general fund budget, limits on general fund growth and the state suspends some educational spending requirements of Amendment 23, until lawmakers pour enough money into the fund that it reaches 6%.
This bill should come up on the House floor or committee this week for discussion. This proposal looks much better to me because it protects the principles of TABOR and will provide enough money for the essential needs of the state government.
Keep in mind, the total state's operating budget is $13.81 billion in 2004-05 and was $3.57 billion in 1984-85. In the past twenty years, there has never been a decrease in spending. This past week, a new accounting change which involves state unemployment insurance receipts, and a few million dollars from Colorado's newly created tobacco tax basically would fill the rest of the 2005-06 shortfall, now an estimated $230 million. The author of TABOR, Doug Bruce holds that the accounting errors are evidence that "government wastes money."
Open the attachment to read about "Taxpayer Interests Ignored in Denver by the Republican Study Committee."
Taxes:
Have you ever seen a tax that the liberals (Democrats) don't like? We worked hard on the House floor Friday to pass HB 1158 (Rep. Knoedler). This bill would not let municipalities tax the "Voice over IP" service on the internet. This technology is coming fast to the citizens of Colorado. It would let you use your computer line to talk to another person with the same hardware on the other end. You would not need to use a local phone line or even your cell phone if you wish. These calls are not taxed now, but local governments are chomping at the bit to get some of your money. Rep. Knoedler did an excellent job of presenting the bill, but it failed by only one vote! I went to the House podium and read out loud about 80 different taxes that we pay, but it went on deaf ears. All Republicans voted for the bill and only 2 Democrats voted for it. If you see a tax on our "Voice over IP" line someday, you will know who to blame.
Bureaucracy:
-Democrat bills hurt competition: SB 61 would reduce the number of private contracts for RTD vehicle service; HB 1212 would prevent competition from private prisons; the union-inspired SB 23 would increase costs to the state of Colorado by preventing competition from abroad; and, SB 71 would make obtaining charter school authority much more difficult in order to keep them from competing with public schools employing union teachers.
-Your property for half the price: SB 182, a double-Democrat sponsored bill, extends eminent domain proceedings to include acquisitions for RTD projects.
-We're seeing the nanny-state become our home state: HB 1124 would allow in-state tuition for illegal immigrants; SB 28 would protect sexual orientation and "gender variance" in the workplace; and, SB 21 mandates that employers allow their employees time off for any purpose related to their child's educational advancement or recreation.
The atmosphere at the House and Senate is for more beaurcracy, higher worker's compensation, higher unemployment, increased business expenses, higher utility costs, increased union leverage, increased insurance costs, increased litigation costs, and increased state expenses.
If you want to read about the "bills in the News for the week," open the attachment.
Quote from James Madison, known as the "Chief Architect of the Constitution."
"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God
Our U.S. Supreme Court opens in prayer: "God save this Court and the U.S." We need to pray for our nation and each other.
"As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live."- Pope John Paul II
Have a blessed week,
Rep. Jim Welker
House District 51
< Back to 2005 Legislative Session
