There is always someone that tries to resurrect a tired old issue; they try to re-package it to sound more up-to-date….but any analysis will show that it is a tired unsuccessful issue or program.

The GOP is trying to resurrect the Health Savings Account (HSA) as a way to push health reform…at best a tired issue….but my favorite is the push for tort reform, you know those frivilous lawsuits….but unfortunately for the GOP, the CBO crapped all over that proposal….why….they have said that lawsuits account for one half of one percent of the total cost of health care.  Pretty much a dead issue unless of course you are a Repub without any new ideas, then just resurrect something that sounds good but actually does nothing to control the rising costs.

But I digress, the subject of this post is the resurrection of the tired old issue of TABOR…Taxpayers Bill Of Rights….

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights (abbreviated TABOR) is a concept advocated by conservative and free market libertarian groups, primarily in the United States, as a way of limiting the growth of government. It requires that increases in overall tax revenue be tied to inflation and population increases unless larger increases are approved by referendum.  (Thanx to wikipedia for the definition)

With rising deficits in the national programs and the state’s dwindling revenue, I look for the TABOR to make a comeback and comeback strong as a way to try and find the funds for the state’s and its programs.

The name sounds like a good thing , right?  A Taxpayers bill of rights…..a great selling point….anytime you invoke the Bill of Rights you have got a winner especially when dealing with people that have no idea what they are voting on.  TABOR is just such an issue.

But how has the past TABOR’s done in helping the state’s fund their programs?  According to the Economist magazine:

The experience of states around the country with constitutionally-mandated taxation limits has been pretty disastrous. California, whose Proposition 13 pioneered the genre, is on the verge of bankruptcy 30 years later, unable to raise the taxes it needs to cover annual expenses because voters refuse to acknowledge that they must pay for the public services they receive. The effect has been particularly devastating on public education. But, you know, why not try it out? Maine’s not Colorado or California, and maybe it’ll work for them.

Everyone hates to pay higher taxes…it is American to do so……in the same breath I ask…..do they want programs like education to be funded?  The Oregon Center for Public policy wrote this in a paper on TABOR:

During recessions (we have that now) …..TABOR’s revenue limit for future  years gets ratcheted back.  When the economy starts to recovery, state government cannot readily restore services  to pre-recession levels, because the new base for determining  spending growth is the low revenue level from the recession.  Thus any cuts in services are basically permanent.

Under TABOR, tax breaks and loopholes cannot be reduced or eliminated without a vote of the people.  Present and future tax loopholes and breaks are effectively locked into place…….

In short, TABOR is a bad idea….sounds like a good idea only because they will package it with the words “Bill of Rights” and we all think that is a good idea…If they, the tax reform people, are trying to sell this idea in your area….do some research, do not just take my word, do some research and see if it is everything they promise….you will find it is NOT!