RESOLUTION AGAINST THE MISNAMED TAXPAYERS BILL OF RIGHTS (TABOR)

WHEREAS, several states have implemented Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) schemes to limit the revenue and spending practices of their state and local governments; and

WHEREAS, legislators in other states are currently attempting to implement TABOR proposals by amending state constitutions; and

WHEREAS, TABOR schemes limit increases in government spending to the CPI plus population growth with any additional spending needing referendum approval; and

WHEREAS, such limits assume that the current or a smaller size and shape of state and local government is all that citizens will ever need; and

WHEREAS, such limits are disingenuous to the growing needs, hopes and desires of all citizens and do not address or acknowledge the double-digit inflation in healthcare costs; and

WHEREAS, the TABOR limits on states, local units of government and school districts have a "ratcheting down" effect on spending, resulting in smaller budgets into perpetuity; and

WHEREAS, TABOR will codify the current inequities in our revenue stream, forever favoring corporations over working families; and

WHEREAS, TABOR is misnamed as a bill of rights and affords citizens no form of redress against government for violations of their individual freedom; and

WHEREAS, TABOR would make it difficult if not impossible for governments to adequately address the growing problems of today's society; and

WHEREAS, TABOR allows legislators to abdicate their responsibility to the people by whom they were elected in barring them from making tough and informed decisions for the citizens of their state; and

WHEREAS, states that have enacted such legislation have seen substantial and devastating effects on their economies; Colorado, which enacted TABOR in 1992, has lost more jobs than any other state, has had substantial drops in resources and performance for K-12 and higher education, and has a bond rating that has stifled investment in the public and private sector; and

WHEREAS, TABOR is part of an ongoing attack on the public sector carefully crafted and maliciously conceived by ideologues who oppose government in any form:

RESOLVED, that the AFT fight any further attempts to enact TABOR proposals and work to overturn or modify those already in place; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT oppose any constitutional amendment or proposal that would seek to limit spending and revenue into perpetuity; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT urge its locals to fight attempts to enact TABOR or similar proposals in their states.