Budget Passes House Approriations but Senate Adjourns

The leadership's new budget deal, which is essentially the same as the old deal, just passed the House Appropriations committee. The Senate on the other has just adjourned until tomorrow. Speculation is that they do not yet have the votes to pass the bills. We must prevent them from getting them.

The bills are mostly identical to the bills passed previously. The exception is the last bill containing the sales tax ballot measure. In the previous version, the sales tax referral was accompanied by a flat tax proposal. In this version it would be accompanied by a income and corporate tax rate cut. The tax cuts would become law with the Governors signature. The sales tax would have to be approved by the voters. Also included would be a TABOR like cap on future appropriations and a repeal of the prop. 105 protections (currently preventing the legislature from cutting 301 monies).

The damaging policy language is also included in the new bills. (Legislative summary sheet for HB2011). If passed:

• Retention based on tenure or seniority would be prohibited.
• Statutory deadlines for contract and salary notifications would be eliminated.
• Local associations could not negotiate for compensated days for professional association activities. (presumably this would also effect release time officers)
• Recall rights following RIF's would eliminated.

The legislative leadership has lost its connection to Republican principles. It has perverted the concept of limited government with minimal taxation to broken government and tax cuts at all costs. Ironically, one of the only Republican NO votes was by Rep. Briggs who voted against the tax bill because the rate reductions would not take effect immediately, leaving an opportunity to repeal them during the next session.

Please keep contacting your legislators.