Save the Gallagher Amendment!
From Dennis Gallagher:
Since the legislature voted to place a referendum to the November ballot, Amendment B, to Repeal the Gallagher Amendment, lots of friends and neighbors have asked me: "Dennis, why does the government want to repeal the Gallagher Amendment?" It’s simple - they want to take away the reduction in residential property taxes that is about to occur so they can lower property taxes for businesses.
Let's cut right to the chase. Repealing Gallagher will make you pay more home property taxes so businesses pay less in property taxes. Don't be distracted by all the song and dance routines, if you vote to repeal Gallagher, you lose the only protection for the middle class residential home owners and renters in the Colorado constitution. Are voters going to vote to take away the only protection which has worked since 1982 to keep their property taxes at a reasonable level? Voters approved the Gallagher Amendment by a margin of 65% to 35% in 1982. They rejected the last attempt to remove Gallagher by 80%. The voters are not so easily fooled!
Ending Gallagher will means you pay more in property taxes than you otherwise will. According to the Tax Administrator of the State of Colorado, in the first year residential property owners will be more than $203 MILLION than they would if Amendment B fails. It is really that simple! The legislature refuses to tell you the truth. They want to end Gallagher so that your property taxes will increase. Pure and Simple!
Are there problems with Gallagher? Yes. Any constitutional amendment or legislation which is almost 40 years may need to be changed. But the legislature did not fix Gallagher's issues. Instead they want to end it and its limits upon their power. Let me translate what they are really saying, "Oh, trust us, don't limit keep YOUR taxes high while we decrease the amount of taxes paid by CORPORATE INTERESTS. And we won't raise taxes all at once"
We, the voters, are not that stupid! And the legislature did not include in the title of this Gallagher Repeal an alert, a hint, a warning that your home property taxes will increase. Translation: "Don't tell the people if they vote for this referendum, their home taxes will increase. Don't tell them that. They may vote "no" on Amendment B.
One of latest surveys on business friendly environments had Colorado the 4th most business friendly state in the United States. But that isn't good enough for corporations, their swarms of lobbyists, and their insatiable concept of greed. What they are really saying: " We pay too much - shift the burden to home owners and renters!"
Ann Richards the once governor of Texas said, "Life isn't fair, but government should be." The Gallagher Amendment makes Colorado a much fairer place to live if you are a homeowner or renter. Don't give corporations is Colorado another tax break!
The voters of Colorado understood the wisdom of the Gallagher Amendment when the passed it in 1982. They reminded the powers that be in 1993 when they rejected its removal from the state constitution by almost 80%. I know we will once again have the good sense to end the legislature's foolish attempt to end it this year. Please share these comments with your family, friends and neighbors.