Colorado Governor, Bill (Tax) Ritter and his cronies in the state government have yet to find a tax they don’t like. Their newest assault on the Colorado taxpayer’s pocketbook is a proposal on the table to tax candy and soda. Their reasoning, they need the money.
Now you would think that any reasonable politician would see that the economy is on the skids, people are losing their jobs, homes and livelihoods and it’s time to reduce the tax burden to help these folks get through this economic crises. Not our Governor and State legislature! They have over spent, over hired and budgeted poorly so instead of fixing their own house, they reach into the tax payers pocket.
Recently Tax Ritter along with his tax and spend buddy Senator Chris Romer increased the registration fees on all cars and trucks licensed in Colorado. Under this new law, owners of passenger cars and many SUVs now pay an extra $32 for vehicle registration this year and then $41 the following year. The owners of larger vehicles and trucks would pay more according to their weight. The fee increases would be tied to inflation. Colorado is now one of the most expensive Sates to own and license a vehicle in.
Last winter Romer proposed to set up a toll road on Interstate 70 through the mountains. Romer’s contention was that this toll fee for cars with two riders or less would reduce congestion during the ski season and would help finance road improvements. What a crock. This is just a way to bring more money into the State coffers and the roads and congestion would remain the same.
Six years ago the voters in the State of Colorado approved a tax to build a fast track commuter transpiration corridor that would connect most outlying suburbs and DIA airport with either light rail or bus service. Again the contention was it would reduce congestion and make commuting easier for those living outside the Denver city limits. After all these years only the south corridor is completed and now the State says they need a couple of more billion dollars to complete it. What a surprise (not).
So back to this new tax on candy and soda. Who would be most impacted by this, the people who can afford it the least? People who are on a fixed income, who are struggling to pay their mortgages and those who are barely making ends meet. This includes the poor and elderly. These folks as well as the majority of Colorado citizens need a break from taxes during these hard times, not an increase.
It’s time we say enough is enough and let Ritter, Romer and the rest of these knuckleheads know that if they think taxing us is the way to balance their overspending then they can join the list of the unemployed after this next election year.
If we let them get away with this tax, what’s next, a tax on fatty foods, or maybe a tax on cakes and ice cream? Who knows what they have up their sleeves but we do know that it has to stop. It’s no wonder that businesses are moving to Wyoming were the tax burden on the citizens low.
Our elected officials should be working to improve the standard of living for the citizens of Colorado not destroying it.
