Gov. Polis signed into law this week a $34.1 billion budget passed by the Democrat-controlled legislature for the state to operate in the next fiscal year beginning in July.
That’s $4 billion more than the current budget the state needed under a state of emergency in a pandemic year.
Let that sink in, then follow along closely because this is kind of like a magic trick.
Our state government has grown so huge, they are going to confiscate $34 billion of our hard-earned money just to pay themselves and operate their bloated system for one year.
That’s billion with a B.
Plus, the state is getting an extra $3.8 billion from taxes confiscated from taxpayers nationwide (plus our own) of COVID stimulus dollars to spend.
Now here’s where lawmakers show you there’s nothing up their sleeves before they pull a rabbit out of their hat.
The state Senate this week also passed an additional $5.3 billion transportation spending package to pay for “most of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s 10-year, $5 billion priority project plan,” according to the Denver Post.
Did you catch that?
To repeat, the $5.3 billion will pay for “most of” of the $5 billion transportation plan.
And that will be paid for in part by new taxes, which the legislature is planning to raise by completely bypassing public approval and TABOR by calling the taxes fees.
Watch closely:
The new fees, taking effect in mid-2022, would raise an estimated $3.8 billion over the next decade, hitting consumers at the gas pump, when they order items for delivery — including from Amazon and other online retailers — and when they take Uber or Lyft rides. The trucking industry would pay more for diesel fuel, and electric vehicle owners would pay higher registration fees.
The rest of the money to pay for aspects of the bill would come from $1.5 billion in state budget transfers and stimulus money, though a good chunk of that already was planned.
In conclusion, the state blew it’s wad of $35.1 billion and plans to blow another chunk of $3.8 billion in stimulus dough, then insisted they have to raise our taxes another $3.8 billion for transportation spending to fix roads and … hang on, this just in …
The Polis administration is insisting companies prohibit one quarter of their workforce stop driving alone to work next year, and 40% by 2024, in order to cut down on road traffic to save us all from a climate crisis.
Well then, if the state isn’t going to let us drive our car where we need like we’re some kind of free Americans or something, perhaps Democrats should rethink all those new taxes they claim will help fill potholes.
While they’re at it, tell us what the other billions in the budget are being spent on, instead of just doling out a few items they think the public will go for, like “free” kindergarten.
Which isn’t at all free.