Colorado’s characteristic love of individual freedom stands in contrast to California’s loosey-goosey embrace of “collective rights” and a government that imposes points of view, often moral ones, upon its people. And did we mention the taxes? Colorado requires the government to ask the people before raising taxes. California taxed and spent about $160 billion this year without asking first.

But fret not, California is merely an idea that can exist anywhere, and it’s on its way to save us Coloradans from ourselves. Luckily, all our pesky “fiscal responsibility” can be avoided by someone determined enough—someone Californian enough.

Today we proudly award someone who is that determined. Faith Winter has been a prime sponsor for bills totaling over $4.2 billion in taxes over the past few legislative sessions. No, really. Check out our list below.

She also added roughly 490 employees to the government payroll. In just the first six months of this year alone, she ran up a $367 million bill on the taxpayers.

Her proudest accomplishment by far in this regard is the employment-killing payroll tax, FAMLI Family Medical Leave Insurance Act and its accompanying program. She, like other Californians, understands that the road to prosperity is through taxation and paying people not to work. Progressive, bold, brilliant.

Another achievement of hers is the $10.4 million Senate Bill 21-1266, passed in the name of increasing environmental justice. It places particularly heavy burdens on her own constituents, suffocating manufacturers and sellers of hardware and appliances with “ambitious” environmental quotas. Colorado would usually embrace the self-reliant maxim that when something’s broken, you fix it. But Winter has brought a new idea: if something’s broken, throw it into an [expensive, environmentally compliant] landfill and buy a brand new [expensive, environmentally compliant] item altogether. Surely the residents, shopkeepers, and repairmen of the largely blue-collar north Denver metro area are grateful to be taught to update their old maxim.

Let us all give thanks we have someone in our legislature to enlighten us with some West Coast wisdom. Someone who understands that in order for us to learn, we must feel it in our checkbooks.

Oh, and as promised above, if you’re looking for a little leisure time reading, here’s the list of bills (with cost to taxpayers) in which Winter was a prime sponsor. Enjoy.

Please join me once again in congratulating Faith Winter, the 2021 Californian of the Year!