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Caldara’s Newsletter 03-17-17

Caldara’s Newsletter 03-17-17

You might be reading this on your smartphone while stuck in traffic. How is that possible?

The short answer is because the state refuses to prioritize transportation in the budget. Medicaid expansion, crony handouts to Hollywood film makers and Tesla owners, and building bike paths get funded instead. Still, Colorado’s governor and state legislature show zero interest in re-prioritizing their spending in favor of roads. Their “grand bargain” is to raise your sales tax 21%.

We have a better plan. Since our elected officials won’t do their damn jobs, we the people will do it for them. We call it, “Fix Our Damn Roads.”

Here’s the wild, crazy, can’t-be-done, GAWD-are-you-guys-at-Independence-stupid idea… re-allocate 2% of the budget to roads.

Last week the Independence Institute filed a ballot proposal with the Legislative Council to take the question of transportation funding directly to Colorado voters. Our “Fix Our Damn Roads,” initiative would take tax dollars currently being spent on budget items that fall far outside the proper role of government, and re-direct them solely toward road and bridge construction, and maintenance and repair. If we are successful, voters can decide in the election this fall if they want to re-allocate existing dollars to roads, or (if the anti-taxpayer crowd is successful) raise taxes 21% with some of that going to roads and the rest going to transit and political slush funds.

You can read about the proposal here, but stay tuned for our forthcoming study discussing the full details of possible budget reallocations. In the meantime, tell us what you think about transportation funding in our weekly poll question here.

Independence Institute’s Director of Health Care Linda Gorman was featured in The Hill this week as she accused the Republican version ObamaCare of being a “sham.” Read the full story here.

Yesterday we hosted EPA transition team leader and “climate contrarian” Myron Ebell, Director of Global Warming and International Environmental Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, as he answered the question: What can Coloradans and the nation expect from the EPA for the next four years? The room was packed full with standing room only! If you missed it, you can watch the whole thing on YouTube here and keep an eye out for your invitation to our next event!

Devil’s Advocate will make its usual channel 12 appearance tonight at 8:30 PM on Colorado Public Television. If you miss it, shame on you. Luckily it’s rebroadcast on Monday at 12:30 PM.

Think Freedom,
Jon Caldara