Colorado Dem Sen: 'Flip A Coin' On A $1 Billion Tax Increase

It seems Colorado is becoming something of a joke.  Today, Revealing Politics reported that Colorado Democratic State Senator Evie Hudak, told her Republican colleague, Sen. Owen Hill, to “flip a coin” on a bill with a billion dollars in tax increases.  The taxes in SB 13-213 are meant to be used toward education in the state.  Yet, amendments proposed during committee have actually increased the cost by 20%.

Todd Engdahl of EDNews Colorado wrote yesterday that:

The Senate Education Committee voted 5-4 Thursday to advance the bill that proposes a major shift in the way Colorado funds K-12 education.

But approval came only after passage of an amendment that increases the bill’s price tag by about 20 percent, an issue certain to be revisited when the bill reaches the Senate floor, which probably won’t happen until April Fool’s Day at the earliest.

[…]

[Democratic Sen. Nancy] Todd, a retired teacher and veteran legislator, said she was concerned by the “disparity” between districts like Aurora and Cherry Creek in the bill. “All districts have to feel like they’re coming away from the table with a win for their children.”

She proposed an amendment that essentially would bring such districts up to the statewide per-pupil average with a “bonus” payment every year, even if the bill’s formula set them at a lower amount. That would raise the estimated $950 million cost of the bill by an additional $220 million a year, according to Johnston. (However, the impact of the amendment hasn’t been fully calculated, and some observers think the cost could be different.)

Nevertheless, we have a bill with a huge tax increase, and Sen. Hudak thought it was professional to suggest flipping a coin to determine Sen. Hill’s decision.

Hill: “I can’t vote on something I haven’t had a . . .”

Hudak (interrupting): “Here’s a coin you can flip.

Hudak: Pass for now.

Hill: I didn’t knock on 20,000 doors to flip a coin,

Hudak: Neither did I. Uhm, you’ll pass for now, here’s a coin if you want to flip it.

Hill (under his breath): Unbelievable.

Keep in mind that Hudak is the same legislator that brazenly told Amanda Collins, a rape victim and gun rights advocate, that the statistics weren’t “on her side,” when Collins was testifying against the state’s pending bill banning concealed carry firearms on college campuses.

(H/T Revealing Politics)