I Beseech All Coloradans

The coming of November brings an important decision for all Coloradans to make: whether to give Chipper a job or not. Well, in a roundabout sort of way. Two of the top ballot referendums C and D have amazing impact on school finances through out the state.
Along with Chipper, Colorado students, motorists, and social services, and local governments will be screwed in the ass if C goes down.

Referendum “C” asks for a five year moratorium on the Tabor amendment, which revenue limits for state and local governments (including school districts, and especially art class, which I hope to someday teach or administer).
Evil foes of the bill call it a tax increase. It is, again, in a roundabout manner. No new taxes are to be levied or enacted. Instead, already collected revenue from existing taxes would be kept by the state and pumped into the already bread and water college system, social services, and school districts.
For the next fiscal year, state revenue surplus is expected to be $498 million*. Over the five years that this money would have been refunded to the taxpayers, an estimated $3.7 billion* would fund state programs.
Under Tabor (Taxpayers Bill Of Rights), each year’s revenue is limited by the previous year’s revenue’s limit or actual revenue’s limit, which ever is lower. During the 2001- 02 recession the state’s revenue fell short 17%. The ratchet clause cause prevents state revenues from ever climbing above the pre 2001 levels.
Here an example of how the ratchet works. Say you make $25,000 a year, but the next year you loose your job, and in that year you gross $12,000. If TABOR applied to you, you could earn no more then $12,000 next year, and every year after that.
Amendment C will release not all, but most of that ratchet.
If C bombs, then we can expect more cuts to an already slashed budget. Since 2001, higher education as been slashed 20%, 50% from Public Health and environmental and occupational safety agencies, and 22 percent from the Natural Resources.
If the state is forced to cut back even further school districts, already feeling the pinch will likely drop arts programs.
Chipper needs a job! Please vote yes on C so Chipper can work!!

P.S. Coyote Mike- Perhaps next post I will tell of things that I wish I had done in diffrent company