(Denver, CO) -- Representative Matt Soper stated in committee on Monday that his bill was in line with what Colorado voters approved. Soper's bill, House Bill 22-1059 would have required a two thirds vote on any legislation that adds fees and taxes to businesses and individuals in Colorado.
Testimony in the State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs reported that no other bills require a super majority vote such as bills in the crime and justice category or health category. Representative Soper stated that was true but also mentioned that at least 15 other states require the super majority when dealing with bill with fees and costs attached. Representative Soper added that at the end of the legislative session from last year, 2021, six new enterprises were the result. The cost was estimated to be 699 million dollars in new fees on businesses and individuals in the state of Colorado. Soper said taking into account the new fees born out of legislation over the last few years the total annual cost in 2.2 billion dollars.
In final words, Soper says his bill would be in line with what Colorado voters approved with Proposition 117. Prop 117 states that if an enterprise is created that generates 100 million dollars over a five year period, then it must go to a vote of the people. Here is text from that proposition from ballotpedia.com
The ballot title for Proposition 117 was as follows:
“Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes requiring statewide voter approval at the next even-year election of any newly created or qualified state enterprise that is exempt from the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, Article X, Section 20 of the Colorado constitution, if the projected or actual combined revenue from fees and surcharges of the enterprise, and all other enterprises created within the last five years that serve primarily the same purpose, is greater than $100 million within the first five fiscal years of the creation or qualification of the new enterprise?[6]”
The bill died after a motion was made to postpone the bill indefinitely. That motion passed on a vote of 7-to-4.
Here is the audio from committee from the Colorado Legislature's website.
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~Anne Boswell, anneboswell@coloradonewsyourway.com