Governor Hickenlooper is backtracking on his support for the coming tax hike campaign. The Denver Post might not have noticed it, but reporters and operatives across Colorado certainly did.
In an interview yesterday with the Post‘s Democrat blogger, Allison Sherry, Hickenlooper shifted position and said he was still “undecided” on supporting the tax increase that will be on the ballot this fall.
WASHINGTON — Gov. John Hickenlooper said Wednesday he was still undecided on whether to back a ballot measure this fall that would fuel a new $1.1 billion tax increase necessary to pay for a newly overhauled system for administering the state’s education dollars.
But, Hickenlooper said it would be “crazy to put more money into the system unless you change the structure of the system.”
“I think it’s likely that we will support something,” he said.
That’s interesting, because when he was signing the bill attached to the tax increase, SB213, he said he’d support any tax increase proponents came up with.
“Still undecided”? Hasn’t @hickforco repeatedly said he’d support whatever tax goes to ballots? Now just “likely”? http://t.co/PPK1RsWWcl
— Kristen Wyatt (@APkristenwyatt) June 19, 2013
Why yes, Kristen, he has. Flashback to reporting by the Durango Herald‘s Joe Hanel on Hickenlooper signing SB213 in May:
Hickenlooper pledged Tuesday to campaign for the tax increase once the sponsors pick a single initiative.
It’s possible that after seeing the dramatic drop in his poll numbers in the latest Quinnipiac poll, Hickenlooper decided he no longer had the political capital to spare to support an unpopular tax increase.
If that’s true, and Hick is backtracking on the tax hike, it will only further cement the view that the governor is incapable of tough decisions.
It also would explain why the President of the largest teachers union in Colorado took to Twitter recently to trash Hick for hiding on the tax increase.
Post-Dunlap, it looks like Chickenlooper is here to stay.
Mike Burns Same here. I'm scouting free states now…
yep ours too. such a shame. yes proud to be living in colorado all these years and now its gone to hell just like the USA. time to pick up and head to texas where im appreciated or even Oklahoma. will see what really happens. what ever the case im not sticking around here much longer if hes re elected and im looking for obama to be ousted too. have some good friends in dc that are talking about some things going on with obama but hes unaware of what they are. some good army things and bingo. who knows. times are tough and people with money just dont give a damn anymore. i cant even pay for my meds. alas…i died two times and came back on my own so im not done yet.
Poopenscooper is a one termer. If he gets re-elected, then it will finally give me the incentive to leave this crap hole, Commierado. I've had it with the RADICAL swing to the Progressive Left that has happened to this State. It's both sad AND sickening.
It's been a LONG time, Jack. After 42 years of living here, if Poopenscooper IS re-elected next year, and IF the Political atmosphere doesn't change . . . My ass is outta here !!!
Trying to avoid the consequences of this unpopular tax. He will support it again after the election.
Do you remember when you were proud to be from Colorado?
About as unlikely as he was to push gun control after Aurora or sign the massive energy rate increase on rural Colorado. Hick is nothing more than your average contemptible two-faced politician. I strongly believe at his core, he is a hard core progressive leftist.
He knows this would fire a giant torpedo into his re-election campaign in 2014. Who wants the monkey of a tax increase on their campaign back?
He's still committed to raising taxes through the roof….He even says as much in his interview. This is nothing more than a granstand statement to try and hide another nail in his Colorado career.
$238-Trillion deficit in unfunded mandates, $800,000 per American. What's a billion here and there?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323949904578537291633693464.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEFTTopOpinion
Agreed Jame!!
Kick the can down the road and let someone else decide! Way to go Hickenlooper, you are a disgrace to Colorado!