JOE WEBB Columnist

he Colorado Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR) recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of its enactment. Over the past 30 years, TABOR has saved Colorado taxpayers approximately 8.15 billion dollars. ere was a party held on Jan. 14 in Lakewood to commemorate this occasion.ponents of TABOR that TABOR proponents just wish to limit the growth of government and to nix needed and essential government spending. Untrue. TABOR proponents like myself just wish the voters to have more of a say in how government appropriates their money. Voters have voted breaks upon TABOR in the past and they may just do so again.

What TABOR does is provide constraints on the revenue side of the Colorado state budget and local budgets around the state. It seems to me that the Colorado state budget ought to be examined as to how it is pro- herds. By selectively removing the weak and diseased, wolves slow and potentially stop the spread of disease, such as chronic wasting disease. And 27 years of evidence from the Northern Rockies informs that wolves have not harmed the livestock industry –with about 1,900 wolves alongside 2,000,000 cattle, about 148 cattle are lost to wolves annually and producers are compensated for losses – just as they would be in Colorado.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commissioners will soon be deciding on a wolf management plan. Commissioners should insist that the plan enable both a sustainable wolf population and a population with wide other 76 cents funds the services and projects of JeffCo Special Districts.

The Jefferson County Treasurer’s Office uses a third-party vendor to collect property taxes online. The third-party vendor charges a vendor or “convenience” fee for their services. The fee goes directly to the vendor, not the Jefferson County government. I have been able to negotiate a lower fee for credit card payments online. The

SEE TAXES, P13

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

KRISTEN FIORE West Metro Editor kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

RYLEE DUNN Community Editor rdunn@coloradocommunitymedia.com duced. at is the aim of probably the next 10 columns I propose to write for Colorado Community Media.

It will be a di cult undertaking. If I am successful at conveying the information that I research and interview others about, what will happen is that I will convey merely a rudimentary understanding of how the Colorado state budget is formulated, processed and voted upon. I was told by one former member of the Joint Budget Committee that it takes years to really understand the budget. If that is the case then what I share may be inadequate.

But I am willing to try this and distill the knowledge that I accumulate by researching and digging by writing it in this column. If I do this, the problem is that I may fail in conveying something with only so many words allocated per column. Correct geographic distribution. Best available science informs that a self-sustaining wolf population in Colorado requires a minimum of 750 wolves. e “Colorado Wolf Restoration Plan”, put forward by conservation and wildlife groups, identi es 13 zones, located on public lands on the west slope, for wolves to be reintroduced and re-establish themselves.

Nearly 12 million acres of prime wolf habitat are present on Colorado’s west slope. Most of these lands need wolves. Wolves enhance biodiversity. As climate change continues to impact Colorado and biodiversity is lost, wolves should be encouraged to do their part in healing native ecosystems and increasing me please knowing that I may have made an error in judgment, not intent. resilience across Colorado’s West Slope.

Knowing the what and how of the appropriations process from formulation to request and nally a vote by the legislature is important. It is also important to examine the components of the budget both revenue and expenditures. We need to look at what exactly the revenue and expenditure side of the budget is composed. All of these parts create the budget for which TABOR is but one factor. TABOR deserves a defense on this its’ 30th birthday. But the best defense for anything is always rooted in an understanding of the primary issue for TABOR which is the Colorado state budget.

Joe Webb is the former chairman of the Je co Republican party.

CPW Commissioners can realize the vision of Proposition 114 by working with agency sta to align the plan with current best science, as directed by Proposition 114. Such a plan would ensure a minimum population of 750 wolves that are well distributed across Colorado.

Colorado can be di erent from our neighbors to the north and the south. We can have a restorative relationship with the natural world. We can demonstrate our humanity by creating a gray wolf restoration plan that recognizes the intrinsic value and need for wolves in Colorado.

Rainer Gerbatsch, Arvada

MINDY NELON Marketing Consultant mnelon@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Columnists & Guest Commentaries

Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Press. We welcome letters to the editor. Please include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.

Email letters to kfiore@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Deadline Wed. for the following week’s paper. To opt in or out of delivery please email us at circulation@ coloradocommunitymedia.com