{"id":2431445,"date":"2025-05-06T13:15:01","date_gmt":"2025-05-06T17:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legislators-debate-whether-to-sue-over-taxpayers-bill-of-rights-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-05-06T13:17:10","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T17:17:10","slug":"legislators-debate-whether-to-sue-over-taxpayers-bill-of-rights-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/legislators-debate-whether-to-sue-over-taxpayers-bill-of-rights-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Legislators debate whether to sue over taxpayer\u2019s bill of rights &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Flegislators-debate-whether-to-sue-over-taxpayers-bill-of-rights-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2431445&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In the final days of Colorado\u2019s legislative session, lawmakers are considering a joint resolution that would mandate the General Assembly to sue regarding the state&#8217;s Taxpayer\u2019s Bill of Rights (TABOR). This resolution,which aims to challenge the constitutionality of TABOR,requires passage before the session adjourns. TABOR, passed by voters in 1992, restricts tax increases without voter approval and limits state revenue growth, intending to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-ask-for-spending-cuts-as-congress-prepares-for-debt-ceiling-battle\/\" title=\"Republicans Ask For Spending Cuts As Congress Prepares For Debt Ceiling Battle\">control government spending<\/a> and ensure any surplus is refunded to taxpayers. Critics within the legislature attribute the state\u2019s budget issues, including a important deficit, to TABOR\u2019s constraints. A recent report noted that legislation since 2021 has decreased potential TABOR refunds by $2.3 billion, raising concerns about TABOR\u2019s impact on the Colorado economy. Previous legal challenges to TABOR have been dismissed, and voters have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/country-singer-maren-morris-files-for-divorce-from-ryan-hurd\/\" title=\"Maren Morris seeks divorce from Ryan Hurd.\">recently shown support<\/a> for maintaining the amendment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Legislators debate whether to sue over taxpayer&rsquo;s bill of rights<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2114590\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &ndash; <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/colorado\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Colorado<\/a> lawmakers are scheduled in the final days of the legislative session to consider a joint resolution that would require the General Assembly to sue over the state Taxpayer&rsquo;s Bill of Rights.<\/p>\n<p>The&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/thecentersquare.com\/\/colorado\/article_1adfdc49-c394-4b77-b610-cacf9740f83c.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">joint resolution<\/a>&nbsp;only has until Wednesday to pass, before the General Assembly&nbsp;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-house-guts-bill-that-would-have-given-election-board-power-to-investigate-secretary-of-state\/\" title=\"Georgia House removes power from ... allowing Election Board to investigate Secretary of State\">adjourns sine die<\/a><\/em>. It hasn&rsquo;t moved in the chamber since April 10, when it was laid over.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3402403\/virginia-policy-protecting-girls-sports-transgender-athletes\/\">Virginia readies to ratify policy protecting girls sports<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3402514\/parents-medical-bill-of-rights-north-carolina-house\/\">Parents&#8217; Medical Bill of Rights gets House floor vote next<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3402512\/california-lost-jobs-march-welfare\/\">California lost 11,600 net jobs in March, nearly half of new jobs from welfare<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>TABOR is the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 1992 that requires voter approval for all tax increases. The amendment also limits state revenue growth to inflation plus the rate of population growth, with the intent of controlling state spending. TABOR also requires any revenue surplus to be refunded to taxpayers.<\/p>\n<p>TABOR &ldquo;has removed necessary and essential powers of its representative institutions and so deprived the state of a republican form of government,&rdquo; the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/over-160-republican-lawmakers-rally-behind-resolution-to-nullify-bidens-vaccine-mandate\/\" title=\"Over 160 Republican ... Rally Behind ... to &#039;Nullify&#039; Biden&#039;s Vaccine ...\">joint resolution reads<\/a> in part.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/leg.colorado.gov\/bills\/hjr25-1023\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">House Joint Resolution 25-1023<\/a>&nbsp;would direct the Committee on Legal Services to hire legal counsel and file a lawsuit to determine TABOR&rsquo;s constitutionality.<\/p>\n<p>A recent&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.commonsenseinstituteus.org\/colorado\/research\/taxes-and-fees\/the-legislative-assault-on-tabor-how-colorado-lawmakers-are-rewriting-the-rules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report<\/a>&nbsp;by the Common Sense Institute, a free-enterprise think tank, details how legislation since 2021 has led to a $2.3 billion reduction in TABOR refunds that would have gone back to taxpayers (an average of $736 per taxpayer).<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The desire of some within the current legislature to weaken or eliminate TABOR, as confirmed by the General Assembly&rsquo;s treatment of excess revenues and the proposal of HJR25-1023 during the 2025 session, raises questions about TABOR&rsquo;s value to the Colorado economy,&rdquo; the report said.<\/p>\n<p>CSI estimates that without TABOR, state government would have spent $9.2 billion more since 2021, and taxpayers would have paid $1.9 billion more in taxes.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats in the legislature blame TABOR for the state&rsquo;s budget issues, like this session&rsquo;s $1.2 billion deficit to the $43.9 billion&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/leg.colorado.gov\/bills\/sb25-206\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">budget bill<\/a>,&nbsp;which was signed into law last week.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/3377788\/jared-polis-signs-restrictions-semiautomatic-weapons-colorado\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">COLORADO GOVERNOR SIGNS RESTRICTIONS ON PURCHASING SEMIAUTOMATIC WEAPONS INTO LAW<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>TABOR has faced legal challenges before. A 2011 lawsuit brought by Democrats challenging the constitutional amendment was dismissed in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>Colorado voters have also in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >recent years signal support<\/a> for TABOR. Voters rejected a measure in 2019 that would have allowed the state to retain excess TABOR revenue. In 2023, they declined to pass a measure that would have lowered property tax assessment rates and used excess TABOR funds to backfill lost revenue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2114590\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2114590\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lawmakers discuss suing over taxpayer rights in Colorado<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2431446,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24095802896677-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[3896,4585,11768,54704,32076],"class_list":["post-2431445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-debate","tag-lawsuit","tag-legislators","tag-taxpayer-rights","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/AP24095802896677-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431445","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2431445"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431445\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2431449,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2431445\/revisions\/2431449"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2431446"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2431445"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2431445"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2431445"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}