Politix Cartoons

Colorado just passed the “Health Care Affordability Act.” (I love it
when politicians call a bill something that is the opposite of what it
is.) This bill is tax on hospitals designed to help “fund” the
uninsured by placing that burden on the hospitals. The hospital’s
only choice is to pass that cost down to their consumer, the paying
sick, thus raising health care costs. Analysts estimate that this
will raise individual hospital bills by 5%. For a $10,000 hospital
bill, that’s an additional $500! In essence, it is government kicking
you while you are already down.

This tax…oops… I’m sorry, I keep forgetting it’s a “fee.” If it
were a “tax” it would violate TABOR, but if we call it a “fee,” then
it is okay (even though 40 other states call it a tax). This “fee” is
made even more outrageous by the fact that the legislation does not
allow the hospitals from itemizing the tax on their billing
statements! So much for transparency. Why would the Assembly make such
a provision? For one reason: so that when your hospital bill goes up,
you blame the hospitals and not the government. Being as sick as I
frequently am, this bill irritates me.

To read more on this topic you can go here

The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday, March 16, voted to uphold Governor Bill Ritter’s law to freeze mill levy rates in order to raise property taxes (striking down the decision made by lesser courts). The Colorado Constitution clearly states in the TAx payer Bill Of Rights (TABOR) that the General Assembly and the Governor MUST ask the Colorado Tax Payer before raising taxes. Simple legislation, if you want to raise taxes, ask first. And after Ref C passed, the evidence clearly shows that the Colorado Tax Payer is willing to impose taxes on themselves.

This clear violation of the Colorado Constitution is not an isolated incident. Our Supreme Court has been labeled as one of the most liberal in the nation, and they have continued to rule against TABOR. Many on the left (and some on the right) have suggested getting rid of TABOR altogether. Fine, but that’s a decision that needs to be made by the people, and not the legislators or the courts. However, Amendment 59 this year proved that Coloradans are not quite ready to do away with TABOR yet.