News
Amendments 46 and 51 deserve close attention from voters, if for no other reason than they could set serious precedents for the future of Colorado.
At first glance, Amendment 46 seems like a no-brainer. Its goal is to end discrimination in government hiring and state education by prohibiting preferential treatment to people because of their race, ethnicity or gender.
But if you support affirmative action, you should oppose Amendment 46, because behind its crafty language is an amendment that sets Colorado back 40-plus years. While we certainly support a level playing field when it comes to education and hiring practices, we also are not naive to the fact that discrimination is still a reality, and affirmative action helps to keep it in check.
Vote no against Amendment 46.
Which leads us to Amendment 51. By virtue of our position on Amendment 46, one might reason that we would support this amendment. We do not.
Amendment 51 aims to raise the state sales tax from 2.9 percent to 3.0 percent on July 1. On July 1, 2010, the state sales tax would increase from 3.0 percent to 3.1 percent. It’s a nominal sales tax hike, indeed, translating to four more cents on a $20 purchase when the 3.1 percent sales tax takes effect.
And make no mistake, we feel the beneficiaries of this tax hike — the state’s developmentally disabled — are inadequately funded. The developmentally disabled are those people with Down Syndrome, autism, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy, among other maladies. Proponents of Amendment 51 argue that by 2012 the new sales tax would provide a safety net for the 12,000 developmentally disabled who do not have adequate care.
However, as small a price as it would be to pay with a sales tax hike, we cannot support 51. Tax hikes are always controversial during an economic slowdown, but our chief argument against Amendment 51 is that we cannot support a sales tax hike that caters to a specific interest group, no matter how vulnerable it might be.
If Amendment 51 passes, what other special needs group will be next to ask for a dedicated sales tax hike? For sure, the state’s situation with its developmentally disabled is embarrassing. But this is a problem for the Colorado General Assembly to fix using existing state resources.
Vote no on Amendments 46 and 51.
At first glance, Amendment 46 seems like a no-brainer. Its goal is to end discrimination in government hiring and state education by prohibiting preferential treatment to people because of their race, ethnicity or gender.
But if you support affirmative action, you should oppose Amendment 46, because behind its crafty language is an amendment that sets Colorado back 40-plus years. While we certainly support a level playing field when it comes to education and hiring practices, we also are not naive to the fact that discrimination is still a reality, and affirmative action helps to keep it in check.
Vote no against Amendment 46.
Which leads us to Amendment 51. By virtue of our position on Amendment 46, one might reason that we would support this amendment. We do not.
Amendment 51 aims to raise the state sales tax from 2.9 percent to 3.0 percent on July 1. On July 1, 2010, the state sales tax would increase from 3.0 percent to 3.1 percent. It’s a nominal sales tax hike, indeed, translating to four more cents on a $20 purchase when the 3.1 percent sales tax takes effect.
And make no mistake, we feel the beneficiaries of this tax hike — the state’s developmentally disabled — are inadequately funded. The developmentally disabled are those people with Down Syndrome, autism, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy, among other maladies. Proponents of Amendment 51 argue that by 2012 the new sales tax would provide a safety net for the 12,000 developmentally disabled who do not have adequate care.
However, as small a price as it would be to pay with a sales tax hike, we cannot support 51. Tax hikes are always controversial during an economic slowdown, but our chief argument against Amendment 51 is that we cannot support a sales tax hike that caters to a specific interest group, no matter how vulnerable it might be.
If Amendment 51 passes, what other special needs group will be next to ask for a dedicated sales tax hike? For sure, the state’s situation with its developmentally disabled is embarrassing. But this is a problem for the Colorado General Assembly to fix using existing state resources.
Vote no on Amendments 46 and 51.
