Comments on: Did Someone Say Tax Hike? No, Of Course Not http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/12/05/did-someone-say-tax-hike-no-of-course-not/ Here are my thoughts; share yours Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:15:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Anoldguy1944 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/12/05/did-someone-say-tax-hike-no-of-course-not/#comment-1184 Anoldguy1944 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:37:14 +0000 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/12/05/did-someone-say-tax-hike-no-of-course-not/#comment-1184 I can't help but think that the double-talk would be unnecessary in a state where citizens knew that there's no free lunch. Decades of right-wing, Douglas-Bruce-style hysteria regarding the relationship of taxes and services has poisoned the political atmosphere here to the degree that Jim's opening line is all too true. Even when taxes are absolutely essential to the maintenance of even minimal government services, we pretend, as a state culture, that revenue and services are somehow not related to one another. "Efficiency" is laudable, and there aren't many taxpayers who really enjoy seeing their tax dollars wasted, but "efficiency" will only take us so far. Eventually, as costs continue to rise, the means of paying for things has to increase as well, or the services we expect have to diminish. Compared to a lot of other states, the menu of services in Colorado is pretty slender to begin with. "Double talk" in an effort to maintain even that slender menu is, in the end, self-defeating. If we want "x" service, we have to pay for it. I can’t help but think that the double-talk would be unnecessary in a state where citizens knew that there’s no free lunch. Decades of right-wing, Douglas-Bruce-style hysteria regarding the relationship of taxes and services has poisoned the political atmosphere here to the degree that Jim’s opening line is all too true.

Even when taxes are absolutely essential to the maintenance of even minimal government services, we pretend, as a state culture, that revenue and services are somehow not related to one another.

“Efficiency” is laudable, and there aren’t many taxpayers who really enjoy seeing their tax dollars wasted, but “efficiency” will only take us so far. Eventually, as costs continue to rise, the means of paying for things has to increase as well, or the services we expect have to diminish. Compared to a lot of other states, the menu of services in Colorado is pretty slender to begin with. “Double talk” in an effort to maintain even that slender menu is, in the end, self-defeating.

If we want “x” service, we have to pay for it.

]]> By: Grady Coker http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/12/05/did-someone-say-tax-hike-no-of-course-not/#comment-1188 Grady Coker Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:53:07 +0000 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/12/05/did-someone-say-tax-hike-no-of-course-not/#comment-1188 Ha!Ha! Any time Andrew Romanoff is involved then watch out. I have never been able to understand a word he says--and I am sure I am not alone in this thinking. Ha!Ha! Any time Andrew Romanoff is involved then watch out. I have never been able to understand a word he says–and I am sure I am not alone in this thinking.

]]> By: LHKMAN http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/12/05/did-someone-say-tax-hike-no-of-course-not/#comment-1203 LHKMAN Fri, 07 Dec 2007 17:03:46 +0000 http://spencerspeaks.com/2007/12/05/did-someone-say-tax-hike-no-of-course-not/#comment-1203 Thank you, Arnoldguy 1944, for exercising rational thought, something you seem to do with great regularity. I have tried to persuade friend and foe alike that the decision on what to spend taxpayer money is the proper activity of those who are elected to represent us. The decision not to spend any for any reason is NOT what they are elected for. Now we have Douglas Bruce as a full-fledge member of the state legislature, providing him a platform for his raving lunacy. He, too, shall be as irrelevant as was John Andrews and his ilk. Thank you, Arnoldguy 1944, for exercising rational thought, something you seem to do with great regularity. I have tried to persuade friend and foe alike that the decision on what to spend taxpayer money is the proper activity of those who are elected to represent us. The decision not to spend any for any reason is NOT what they are elected for. Now we have Douglas Bruce as a full-fledge member of the state legislature, providing him a platform for his raving lunacy. He, too, shall be as irrelevant as was John Andrews and his ilk.

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