Here’s all the new taxes Coloradans got stuck with this legislative session

Jun 11, 2021

The Democrat-controlled legislature has adjourned and Coloradans can finally release the white-knuckle grip on their wallets to take stock of what’s left of their hard-earned money.

The state collected $34 billion from us taxpayers over the last year to pay themselves and fund government programs most folks have never heard of, but it wasn’t enough so they raised our taxes to collect billions more. 

This year’s session was a conservative’s tax and spend nightmare. 

Or as Gov. Polis called it, the most productive session in (his) recent memory.

Here are the lowlights of Democrats’ highway robbery.

Democrats hiked state gas taxes 14 cents a gallon through 2029. On average, drivers will pay $8 in taxes every time they fill up, which is about $400 a year for most folks.

Democrats raised diesel taxes even more, which will hit truck drivers and bump up the cost of food and other goods they’re delivering.

If you think your grocery bill is already climbing higher, it’s not just your imagination and it’s about to get worse.

Those who own electric and hybrid vehicles also got hit with higher fees, owing up to $90 a year for being so environmentally conscience. 

There’s a new mystery tax to be determined later for taxi rides. For Uber or Lyft, you owe the government 30 cents a ride. 

Online shoppers and ordering from Grubhub will cost an extra quarter. 

Please make a note of it, because Democrats have cunningly scheduled the new taxes to take effect after their election in 2022.

Republican House Minority Leader Hugh McKean of Loveland called it a “gerrymandering of policy.”

“ … That’s a trick and it should not be allowed,” McKean said. Voters will be making decisions at the next election before they feel the pain caused by some of the bills passed in 2021. “That’s not right.”

For businesses crippled by the Polis pandemic shutdown, Democrats punched them in the gut yet again by capping their net operating loss deductions.

Then they hit them again with a capital gains tax for added pain and suffering.

Taxes went up for energy and industrial manufacturing companies, which of course will be passed on to you, the consumers.

For extra giggles, Democrats killed the Trump tax cuts from 2017.

So whatever happened to that income tax cut Gov. Polis pledged he would get for working Coloradans?

It didn’t happen.

Democrats had other priorities, like this:

But Democrats didn’t always get their way.

A few examples of Democratic bills that were substantially altered or killed this year: the public-private health insurance option whittled down from a true public option; the tenant rights bill that wound up exempting a wide swath of landlords; forgoing entirely a measure to change arrest standards and lower jail populations; and a failed attempt to provide more protection against workplace harassment and discrimination.

This is what happens when there’s a cockeyed disproportion of Democrats over Republicans controlling any state legislature.

Tax, and spend.

Remember when you go to the polls next year that Democrats hold almost twice as many seats as Republicans in the House — 41 to 24.

In the state Senate, Democrats rule with a 20-15 margin.

You get what you vote for.

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