Special Session Wrap Up:
After six days at the Capitol for the Special Session, debt has increased, taxes have increased, regulations have increased, and consumers are worse off than before the Special Session.
The Democrats are moving money around like a shell game attempting to bypass TABOR. It is likely this will result in another lawsuit like the one against HB25-1296. The Common Sense Institute noted how the bills passed from this special session will cause job losses, lower GDP growth, and lower personal income at staggering rates. See the data from their institute here:
HB25B-1003 will directly spike insurance premiums and healthcare costs and completely violates TABOR. HB25B-1006 borrows $100 million with a 20-year repayment, causing a $75 million decrease in available TABOR return funds. shifting today’s budget issues onto future generations. These five bills result in increased taxes of a total of $250 million. This methodology is not how we solve a budget crisis. It is in fact the reason we are in a budget crisis today!
The opening remarks by the Speaker and every subsequent Democrat sponsor, that the fiscal crisis was caused by the Republicans, is deeply disturbing and blatantly false. The Democrats have controlled every lever of power in the Colorado State government for the past seven years. The budget and government growth have nearly doubled in that time. Colorado went from being one of the most business-friendly states, low cost of living, and low crime; to where now Colorado is the 6th most regulated state in the country, high cost of living, and high crime due to the Democrats soft on crime policies.
Prior to and during the Special Session, the Democrats did not reach out to Republicans or ask us for any input. They killed every Republican sponsored bill in committee. I sponsored HB25B-1021, to help small business and the restaurant industry with an allowance for the sales tax vendor fee, but the Democrats killed it in committee. In addition, the Democrats passed HB25B-1005 that eliminated the state sales tax vendor fee that went to help small businesses. Republicans had over a billion dollars in proposed cuts that were never considered.
People can expect higher prices at restaurants and small businesses, and it is probable that some small businesses and restaurants will be forced to close their doors and lay off their employees. The Democrats simply told us they were the Majority Party, and they were in charge (See here). The outcomes were predetermined before we ever stepped foot into the Capitol.
Between the dual use of Rules 14 and 16, the Democrats limited and shut down debate. This prevented Republicans from representing our constituents. This eliminated balanced governance and transparency, which raises serious concerns about the current legislative process at the Capitol. Each time I challenged the process using the House Rule Book, I was told it was the prerogative of the Committee Chair and the Speaker to decide. The saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely is very fitting for this Special Session. Ultimately, it is the citizens of Colorado who are hurt the most when power, control, and arrogance prevent proper representation. (Watch House GOP’s response here)
My office is here to listen, serve, and keep you informed as we work to make Colorado stronger.