Not Even Conservatives 'Seduced' By Colorado's 'Extreme,' 'Terrifying' Tax Cuts
Reporter Dan Frosch warned from Denver about the dangers of "extreme" tax cuts in hyperbolic fashion in Tuesday's "Tax Cuts on Colorado Ballot Stir Bipartisan Alarm."
With Republican candidates thundering against government spending and the Tea Party's popularity soaring in parts of the country, one might think that any proposal aimed at lowering taxes would be a safe bet for the Republican Party these days.
But in a state known for strict constitutional limits on taxation, even Colorado's conservative Republicans are alarmed by three ballot measures that would - of all things - cut taxes.
The measures - which would lower property, income and sales taxes; limit government borrowing; and reduce vehicle registration fees - are widely seen as too extreme by Democrats and Republicans alike. With the November election approaching, they present a test case for a conflict that is playing out, perhaps in less drastic fashion, throughout the country: voters showing a strong inclination to diverge from the recommendations of their elected officials.
Both parties here fear that if frustrated voters approve the tax measures, they could pose major challenges for state and local governments in providing basic services.
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The amendments would require school districts to cut property taxes, and prevent the state from borrowing money, and reduce the state income tax rate.
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For politicians and civic groups, even those who support limited government, those numbers are terrifying enough to have spurred a voter outreach effort by elected officials. Indeed, many officials fear that the proposals could actually be passed by unwitting voters, particularly Republicans, who might be seduced by tax cuts.
Between the "alarm" and "terror," Frosch left just three paragraph for supporters of the measure to argue that the cuts would stimulate job growth and besides, would be phased in over a number of years, leaving time to adjust.
