Independence Institute: Colorado needs open government

Amy Oliver and Stephanie Kubala of the Colorado Independence Institute wrote a great op-ed discussing the need for transparency in Colorado’s government spending, especially as state taxes and fees have soared there in the last decade, nearly doubling the state budget since 2000.

And still, tax-eaters demand more. Oliver and Kubala cite three 2008 ballot measures that could raise taxes- Amendment 51, Amendment 58, and House Speaker Andrew Romanoff’s SAFE initiative.

Taxpayers should demand a complete accounting of every penny, and if officials are unable to do so, then maybe budgets are too big already.

Thanks to the Sam Adams Alliance, Colorado taxpayers have a new motto: No taxation without information!

Providing information is easy. Simply put government check registries online in a searchable database that includes contracts, grants and expenditures.

More than 20 states, including Kansas, Minnesota, Florida and New York already do this in some fashion.

According to the article, Colorado does have some leadership in the transparency movement, praising the Fort Collins city council, State Representative Don Marostica, the Colorado Press Association for their advocacy of opening the books.

Oliver and Kubala’s advice:

When some elected official or special interest group want to increase your taxes, you have a response: No taxation without information!