THE ISSUES
TABOR
Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, better known as TABOR, was adopted in 1992 with a simple principle: taxpayers should have a voice in tax increases, and government should be accountable for how it spends public dollars. I believe that principle is just as important today as it was more than thirty years ago. Government should be transparent, fiscally responsible, and accountable to the people it serves.
The challenge is that Colorado has changed dramatically since 1992.
Our population has grown. Our economy has changed. The cost of building roads, educating our children, staffing fire departments, maintaining parks, and providing other essential public services has increased significantly. Yet our budgeting system often forces us to operate as though Colorado hasn't changed at all.
Instead of planning ahead for growth, we have spent years trying to catch up to it.
You can see the effects throughout Colorado Springs. Our schools have struggled with funding shortfalls. Roads and infrastructure have fallen behind the needs of a growing community. Public safety agencies are responding to more calls with limited resources. Libraries, parks, and other community services are continually asked to do more with less. None of these challenges happened overnight, and none of them will be solved overnight.
I don't believe the answer is abandoning TABOR. I believe the answer is updating it for the Colorado we actually live in today.
Modernizing TABOR does not mean giving government a blank check. It means creating a budgeting system that allows Colorado to keep pace with responsible growth while preserving the taxpayer protections voters value. It means making thoughtful investments before funding problems evolve into emergencies.
As your State Representative, I will support fiscally responsible reforms that preserve voter oversight while giving our communities the flexibility they need to invest in priorities like public education, transportation, public safety, and other essential services. I also believe every tax dollar should be spent wisely, with transparency, measurable results, and regular public accountability.
Colorado families understand that responsible budgeting means planning for the future. We save for emergencies, maintain our homes, and prepare for our children's futures. Our state government should operate with that same mindset.
We should not have to choose between protecting taxpayers and investing in our communities. We can do both. By preserving the spirit of TABOR while updating it to reflect the realities of today's Colorado, we can build a stronger future that remains accountable to the people who make this state such a great place to call home.
