We live in a time when politicians who want to do something — but know doing it like they normally would by ignoring half the voters and angering the opposition that would kill their re-election chances — simply punt the issue to voters.

That way, when politicians don’t get what they want, they have someone to blame. Or worse, when they do get what they want they can yell, “Democracy” and claim a “mandate” to put into law something unconstitutional or patently unfair. And the opposition can replace that same word as “mob rule” in defeat.

This brings us to the first two ballot initiatives announced for our upcoming 2019 election cycle:

Prop CC: Retain revenue for education & transportation

WITHOUT RAISING TAXES AND TO BETTER FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND ROADS, BRIDGES, AND TRANSIT, WITHIN A BALANCED BUDGET, MAY THE STATE KEEP AND SPEND ALL THE REVENUE IT ANNUALLY COLLECTS AFTER JUNE 30, 2019, BUT IS NOT CURRENTLY ALLOWED TO KEEP AND SPEND UNDER COLORADO LAW, WITH AN ANNUAL INDEPENDENT AUDIT TO SHOW HOW THE RETAINED REVENUES ARE SPENT?

Prop DD: Authorize and tax sports betting

SHALL STATE TAXES BE INCREASED BY TWENTY-NINE MILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY TO FUND STATE WATER PROJECTS AND COMMITMENTS AND TO PAY FOR THE REGULATION OF SPORTS BETTING THROUGH LICENSED CASINOS BY AUTHORIZING A TAX ON SPORTS BETTING OF TEN PERCENT OF NET SPORTS BETTING PROCEEDS, AND TO IMPOSE THE TAX ON PERSONS LICENSED TO CONDUCT SPORTS BETTING OPERATIONS?

I know, it’s in all CAPS. That’s how politicians present ballot initiatives when they’re really serious about power grabs allowing them to avert the rule of law. And these are serious — seriously bad.

On Prop CC, it’s the folks in Denver trying to keep monies they’re required to give back in over-collected taxes. Let’s begin with the obvious, the state doesn’t over-collect, it over-confiscates. And regardless of what it collects, the state never has enough money — NEVER. But the state doesn’t have a collection problem, it has a spending problem. And even with its spending and collecting all of this money, exactly how are our schools, higher education, roads bridges and transit doing? I’m not arguing that these are things the state provides. I’m simply saying the state provides them poorly, no matter how much money it takes in.

Add to this the lost “revenue” from our energy sector due to the Democrats’ overreaching new regulations, and you can see the cluster coming. Seriously, how many more times can we increase taxes so our politicians can “better fund public schools, higher education, and roads, bridges and transit”? I can’t tell you when they’ll stop, but I can assure you the only thing that gets better is the “funding.” And the last insult is the whole “balanced budget” wording. Really? The state constitution mandates a balanced budget. And just look how good all of these areas of our state are doing with the contorting “budgets” we let these scammers get away with.

All Prop CC is going to do is allow the state (well, Democrats) to put monies into certain areas of the budget so they can take other monies from those areas for other social spending of their desire.

On Prop DD, let’s begin with another obvious: Just what the hell do water and sports betting have to do with one another? Oh, that’s right, a burgeoning riverboat casino industry in our state. Just kidding — until some crony proposes one. So again, another old political trick. This prop is to get our heartstrings going about “our water” while passing a new law “legalizing” something for special interests from a portion of the “sin” economy our government controls. My gosh, a win, win, win for state pols here.

First a tax increase—and it isn’t for the “water”. Second, more tribute and taxes from the casino lobby. And last, they get all this money and control without a clue as to what this new tax will bring in. All they know is that someone has to regulate what our government considers “sins” (although that list vacillates based on votes or taxes) for the people’s own good. After all, all those folks who want to “sports bet” couldn’t do it with on their own in any way, right? Because unless it’s taxed, it’s bad sports betting.

My prop? Make all of these “sindustries” legal for anyone to do or operate and put a tax on them. That’ll increase state coffers via the free market way more than satisfying your cronies — although it will hurt your personal wealth and power. And then, actually make our roads and schools and infrastructure better, not just better “funded.”

Otherwise, this is just about power and money — again.