Proposition 101, Amendments 60 and 61

There are three measures that are going to be voted on this year Proposition 101, Amendments 60 and 61. These are the ballot questions:

Proposition 101

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Revised Statutes concerning limits on government charges, and, in connection therewith, reducing vehicle ownership taxes over four years to nominal amounts; ending taxes on vehicle rentals and leases; phasing in over four years a $10,000 vehicle sale price tax exemption; setting total yearly registration, license, and title charges at $10 per vehicle; repealing other specific vehicle charges; lowering the state income tax rate to 4.5% and phasing in a further reduction in the rate to 3.5%; ending state and local taxes and charges, except 911 charges, on telecommunication service customer accounts; and stating that, with certain specified exceptions, any added charges on vehicles and telecommunication service customer accounts shall be tax increases?

Amendment 60


Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning government charges on property, and, in connection therewith, allowing petitions in all districts for elections to lower property taxes; specifying requirements for property tax elections; requiring enterprises and authorities to pay property taxes but offsetting the revenues with lower tax rates; prohibiting enterprises and unelected boards from levying fees or taxes on property; setting expiration dates for certain tax rate and revenue increases; requiring school districts to reduce property tax rates and replacing the revenue with state aid; and eliminating property taxes that exceed the dollar amount included in an approved ballot question, that exceed state property tax laws, policies, and limits existing in 1992 that have been violated, changed, or weakened without state voter approval, or that were not approved by voters without certain ballot language?

Amendment 61

Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution concerning limitations on government borrowing, and, in connection therewith, prohibiting future borrowing in any form by state government; requiring voter approval of future borrowing by local governmental entities; limiting the form, term, and amount of total borrowing by each local governmental entity; directing all current borrowing to be paid; and reducing tax rates after certain borrowing is fully repaid?

I have read that Colorado Attorney General John Suthers and Reeves Brown, spokesman for Western Slope advocacy group Club 20 believe that these measure would result in "complete anarchy". Really?
Colorado's  budget is about 20 billion dollars. These measures would limit 2.2 billion in taxes. So you are telling me that if you eliminate 10% of a budget that it would cause anarchy? Let's get real people.  What limiting 10% of the budget does do is prevent us from paying interest (wasted money) in borrowed money. It also puts $2.2 billion back into the economy where the people can decide how to spend that money not the government. When businesses look for places to place setup shop, one of the main things they look at is the tax burden. If we lower that burden I believe it would also bring in more businesses (ie: more tax revenue). Will it be hard to do? Sure. But it can be done.  I'm for any idea that limits the power (money) of government.