Over three decades years ago, a long list of volunteers gave thousands of hours getting the Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) on the ballot and approved by voters. Since 1992, millions of Coloradans have enjoyed the benefits.
So we’re celebrating TABOR’s 30th anniversary at the Rockley Event Center in Lakewood on Saturday, January 14th.
Thanks to those original volunteers and organizers, the wise voters who approved passage, and the various pro-taxpayer organizations and grassroots community organizers battling to protect TABOR, Colorado taxpayers have now gotten back over $8.15 billion in refunds.
Another $2.4 billion in taxpayer rebates is projected over the next year which would bring the total to over $10.6 billion. None of those TABOR refunds should be credited to Governor Jared Polis who, in fact, campaigned for and signed multiple pieces of legislation to try and take away our TABOR rights and refunds. When forced to refund our money to us, he labeled it the Colorado Cashback to promote confusion among voters so he could get re-elected.
Our TABOR victories, 30 years of battle scars, and billions back into taxpayers’ pockets are cause for a celebration. We missed the 25th fighting tax grab issues at the ballot box. We’re not going to let the 30th go by without a party.
While we’re celebrating, there are some politicians out there who would like to get rid of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights entirely. They won’t stray from that course and our battles won’t end.
The original opponents and the minority of the voters who frown on limited government restraints make false claims that TABOR has closed down Colorado taxpayer funded services. The truth is that even after those billions returned to taxpayers thanks to TABOR; the state government hasn’t stopped growing. Politicians and bureaucrats have added a dozen or more new state divisions and thousands of public employees.
The legislature opened the session earlier this week. It’s guaranteed there are schemes and political shenanigans in the works right now to take away TABOR. The battle never stops, but we do deserve a night to have fun and celebrate TABOR!
Colorado voters made a wise decision adding the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights to our constitution, now considered the Gold Standard of government fiscal constraints. TABOR works, and it benefits Colorado.
Event tickets for the TABOR 30th Celebration are available at LoveTABOR.com for just $8.15 (to commemorate the $8.15 billion put back in taxpayers’ pockets) for appetizers and desserts. It’s going to be fun and rejuvenating as we prepare to defend TABOR for the years to come.
Natale Menten is longtime grassroots activist in support of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
