By Carolyn Martin (CHEC’s Director of Government Relations)

Proposition HH — Don’t Be Fooled It’s All About TABOR

A transformational ballot initiative will be on the ballot this November and every voter should be well-informed before marking their ballots. Though it will be sold to voters as a reduction in property taxes, the reduction will be minimal (around 0.065%). Not only that, but the legislature doesn’t need to ask the voters to reduce taxes, they could just do it and they have done it in the past. So, why don’t they just lower them? Because the real goal of Proposition HH is to get the voters to neuter the single most powerful constitutional tool citizens have to reign in government taxation and spending.

In 1992, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) was placed in Title X of the Colorado Constitution by the people. Through a formula outlined by TABOR, the government is basically only permitted to expand in line with the growth in population of the state and inflation. If the government collects more money through taxes than the formula dictates, the government must ask the people if they can keep any amount they overtaxed us. [When you see the wording “without raising taxes” on your ballot, it’s usually because the government is asking you if they can keep the monies they collected above the TABOR limit.] Proposition HH will allow the government to essentially overtax every person in the state to the tune of at least $11 billion over the next ten years and keep it to fund their pet projects without asking we, the people.

Lastly, you should know that this proposition began as a legislative bill (SB23-303) pushed through by Governor Polis in the waning hours of the legislative session this year. It passed with NO Republicans voting for it. The House Republicans were unable to debate the bill as the majority party shut down all debate. Ultimately, the minority caucus in the House walked out of the legislature on the last day in protest for silencing the millions of constituents they represent.

It’s our turn now. Vote NO on Proposition HH to save TABOR and stop the growth of government!

Take Action!

• Get informed!
  • Read the Common Sense Institute evaluation of Prop HH.
  • View the Independence Institute videos.
• Inform your friends and neighbors about this deception!
  • Check out the Magellan Strategies Survey to see how important it is for you to inform others! Without being informed, people will be fooled into voting for it.
  • Use these flyers to start the conversation: Independence Institute and TABOR Coalition.
• Ask your legislators to do the right thing and lower property taxes without growing government and let them know you do NOT support Prop HH. Find your legislators here.

Trusting in the mighty power and grace of Jesus,

Carolyn Martin, CHEC Director of Government Relations
Carolyn@chec.org

About the Author: Carolyn Martin

Carolyn Martin serves as CHEC’s Director of Government Relations, working for you and other liberty-loving families to protect homeschool freedom, parental rights, and religious liberty at the state capitol. Subscribe to the CHEC blog for Carolyn’s regular updates here, learn more about legal issues in Colorado here, and donate to support Homeschool Freedom here. Contact Carolyn directly at carolyn@chec.org.