Opinion: Just say no to “ballot box budgeting” in November

Heard of ballot box biology? That’s when special interests ask voters to circumvent the expertise and inclusive decision-making of the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to get what they want.

Equally pernicious is ballot box budgeting which distorts the state budget process in favor of certain interests by appealing directly to voters through initiatives. Ballot box budgeting impedes lawmakers from doing their job while sheltering them from the consequences of their decisions. That’s why I’m voting no on Proposition 130 and Proposition KK on this November’s ballot.

Proposition 130 would direct the legislature to appropriate $350 million for law enforcement training, hiring, and retention programs and provide a death benefit for family members whose loved ones have died in the line of duty. Proponents of this initiative are right to point out that communities suffer from crime and law enforcement deserves support.

Protecting the natural rights of citizens, their life, liberty, and property, is the main purpose of government and should be a priority at every level. It is not, however, the only purpose. In addition to police, corrections, and judicial services, the Colorado state government budget funds programs supporting health care, pre-k-12 education, higher education, parks, agriculture, the environment, poverty alleviation, natural resources, public safety, and transportation.

It’s the job of the legislature to balance all of these competing interests and to divide revenue effectively and equitably among them. When outside interests or the politicians themselves appeal directly to voters on behalf of their favored programs, they sidestep the legislative process and jump the line. If Proposition 130 passes, law enforcement will receive more money but other priorities will get less. That’s unfair to those who went through the legislative budgeting process in good faith and Coloradans who rely on all of these services.

Initiatives undercut representative democracy. Under the form of government established by our nation’s founders, lawmakers represent their constituents who both contribute revenue and benefit from government services. When politicians raise taxes too high or make poor funding decisions, they lose credibility with voters and are replaced by those more in line with constituents’ preferences.

Ballot initiatives sever this accountability. Voters can simultaneously demand lower taxes and higher benefits. This incongruity tortures the budgeting process and pushes lawmakers to rely on gimmicks to raise revenue and to meet funding obligations. The legislature has not been able to raise taxes without voter permission since the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) ballot initiative passed in 1992. So politicians nickel and dime us through less obvious fees or raise taxes through ballot initiatives that target minority populations. Tabor shields voters from large tax increases but it also protects politicians who never have to face angry voters in the election after a tax increase.