skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, April 26, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Louisiana teachers' union concerned about educators' future; Supreme Court hears arguments in Trump immunity case; court issues restraining order against fracking waste-storage facility; landmark NE agreement takes a proactive approach to CO2 pipeline risks.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Speaker Johnson accuses demonstrating students of getting support from Hamas. TikTok says it'll challenge the ban. And the Supreme Court dives into the gray area between abortion and pregnancy healthcare, and into former President Trump's broad immunity claims.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The urban-rural death divide is widening for working-age Americans, many home internet connections established for rural students during COVID have been broken, and a new federal rule aims to put the "public" back in public lands.

CO Early Voting Begins: Tax Reduction Measures "Devastating?"

play audio
Play

Monday, October 18, 2010   

DENVER - Early voting begins today in Colorado, and even though Coloradans have one of the lowest tax burdens nationwide, voters are considering two ballot measures designed to further pare state taxes and fees.

Shepard Nevel, vice president of policy and operations for the Colorado Health Foundation, says the results of Amendment 60 and Proposition 101 would be devastating.

"We all support responsible government and responsible spending, but there is a big difference between limiting government and deconstructing it or eliminating it."

The measures lower property and income taxes by about one-fourth. A study by the state's former budget director projects a revenue loss of $3.5 billion a year when fully implemented. Nevel says that would mean cutting things like law enforcement, schools and social services.

Mark Neuman-Lee, policy analyst with the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, says Amendment 60 would overturn almost two decades of local votes by citizens to increase funding for schools or libraries.

"It'll force local communities to divest from their K-12 education and divest from other public services that they have previously voted to fund to a greater amount."

Proposition 101 also reduces state fees Coloradans pay. Republican Bill Jerke is a former state lawmaker and county commissioner. He says Proposition 101's organizers were reacting in part to an increase in vehicle fees over the last two years, but they went too far.

"They didn't seek to take back the rates to before this rate increase was passed. They took it back to 1919. Back to the Model T. They took the rates back from say $100 dollars a plate back down to $10."

Shepard Nevel says the result of the two measures would leave Colorado without money to pay for most government functions.

The impacts study was conducted by Colorado Strategies. It is available online at
coloradostrategy.com




get more stories like this via email

more stories
The United Nations experts also expressed concern over a Chemours application to expand PFAS production in North Carolina. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

United Nations experts are raising concerns about chemical giants DuPont and Chemours, saying they've violated human rights in North Carolina…


Social Issues

play sound

The long-delayed Farm Bill could benefit Virginia farmers by renewing funding for climate-smart investments, but it's been held up for months in …

Environment

play sound

Conservation groups say the Hawaiian Islands are on the leading edge of the fight to preserve endangered birds, since climate change and habitat loss …


Jane Kleeb is director and founder of Bold Alliance, an umbrella organization of Bold Nebraska, which was instrumental in stopping the Keystone Pipeline. Kleeb is also one of two 2023 Climate Breakthrough Awardees. (Bold Alliance)

Environment

play sound

CO2 pipelines are on the increase in the United States, and like all pipelines, they come with risks. Preparing for those risks is a major focus of …

Environment

play sound

April has been "Invasive Plant Pest and Disease Awareness Month," but the pests don't know that. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it's the …

Legislation to curtail the union membership rights of about 50,000 public school educators in Lousiana has the backing of some business and national conservative groups. (wavebreak3/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Leaders of a teachers' union in Louisiana are voicing concerns about a package of bills they say would have the effect of dissolving labor unions in t…

Health and Wellness

play sound

The 2024 Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium Public Conference kicks off Saturday, where industry experts and researchers will share the latest scientific …

Environment

play sound

Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people's health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021