News
Your source on political action, legislation & voter info

Colorado residents vote to suspend Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR), restore critical state funding

Nov. 7, 2005 - The Coalition for Ohio's Future issued a statement last week about the rejection of TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) in Colorado. OCSEA is a part of the coalition.

The Colorado vote sends a powerful message to Ohio, where voters will decide on an almost identical TABOR amendment in 2006.

Statement issued by the coalition:

“Yesterday’s passage of Referendum C in Colorado is great news for that state, and sends a powerful message to Ohio.

"Colorado voters agreed to suspend the state’s TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) constitutional amendment for five years to allow the state to restore critical funding for higher education, K-12 education, roads and healthcare. Passage of Referendum C will greatly help that state halt the serious deterioration and regain its footing as high-performing state.

"Colorado is the only state to have to live under TABOR. Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell and Citizens for Tax Reform are pushing for passage of a TABOR amendment in Ohio in 2006 that is almost identical to the Colorado measure. Colorado voters sent a loud and clear message that TABOR is a failure. Why would Ohio adopt a permanent change to our Constitution that hasn’t worked in the only state where it has been tried?

"The Coalition for Ohio’s Future urges Ohioans and Ohio lawmakers to oppose the TABOR amendment for Ohio. The Ohio amendment is fraught with problems and actually does more to burden state and local government with the potential for wasteful spending.

The Coalition for Ohio’s Future is a non-partisan campaign organization whose 150 members include doctors, firefighters, police and other public safety professionals, teachers, business groups, labor, faith-based groups, senior citizens advocates and many more.

The Coalition opposes a proposed constitutional amendment known as TABOR (Taxpayers Bill of Rights) or TEL (tax and expenditure limitation), which proposes a gimmick that would forever force state and local governments to follow an unworkable and rigid budgeting formula. According to studies and independent research conducted by CFOF and its supporters, the TABOR amendment is full of flaws and ambiguous provisions that do nothing to address the real challenges facing Ohio.

See Related

The Coalition for Ohio’s Future website