Here in Colorado Springs, the big issue for this very second is Ballot Measure 2C. Some claim that by passing this ballot measure that the city will ‘be saved.’ In fact, the ballot measure supporters of 2C website is labeled acityworthfightingfor.bs. Let’s go to their site and take a look at their rather misleading arguments in support of the measure.

First off, read this little jewel they have published there…

‘Understanding the contribution the business community makes to the city, Council passed a Resolution agreeing to remove the Business Personal Property Tax saving the business community $2.2 million per year, if this measure passes.’

Yeah, that’s right! The measure actually proposes decreasing the taxes on those best prepared to pay taxes, the Colorado Springs business community! Poor little Lockheed won’t have to pay their tax anymore if it passes. Instead, others will have to pay those taxes and even if you rent, they will pass their new taxes on to you to pay for them. 2C supporters seem to overestimate ‘the contribution of the business community’ and underestimate the contribution of others in this city. In this, they parrot the federal government which trhows trillions of dollars to the rich business community in handouts, while letting the supposed bottom dwellers (low wage workers) fend for themselves.

Let’s us go on though….

‘Vote Yes on 2C

Keep Our Fire and Police Forces Strong

Keep Our Parks & Streets Maintained

Provide Public Transit For Those Who Need It’

Is that true really? To examine this bullshit we have to go to the city budget and see how much of it is dedicated to those nice things of life? Most of the big item spending goes to the bloated police department, and that is who 2C is really designed to keep funding big time. The parks and public transit of poor folk get pennies comparatively. Nothing would change about that if 2C were to pass! City of Colorado Springs budget expenditures

Notice that only 3.9% of their $210 millions of tax money to be spent actually goes to parks and transportation. Notice though how 2C proponents act as if 2/3 of the reason to buy their sale of this taxation is dedicated to talking as if they will be saving parks and transportation. The other 1/3 they say will be saved is the Fire Department and POLICE. They’re trying to con the liberals in the community into backing it, that’s why? In reality the 2C measure is designed to obtaine more revenues to keep pushing off on us an excessive amount of police force in the area. Study those city expenditures well when considering voting for this ballot measure!

The other argument is that the new tax will be just a tiny pinch more for the common folk? They try to make you feel guilty if you are supposedly too tight wad to back it. But if so that it is just a tiny bite more, then why not INCREASE the Business Personal Property Tax? Instead, the ballot measure 2C calls for eliminating it! This is a huge level of hypocrisy for their argument that the tax really is no big increase. In fact, their real scheme is to rob from the poor to let the rich off the hook!

Back to the ’save us’ website… Look at their list of endorsers for passing 2C. Look at all those liberal types in the city that have been hooked to supposedly stop the city from underfunding parks and transportation. My favorite one is the Pikes Peak Peace and Justice Commission, those cop hugging Democrats that call themselves pacifists. They took time off from their busy schedule of not protesting the occupation of Iraq and continued war there to rally themselves in for the pass 2C cause? Aren’t they just so responsible?

The site directs us to this youtube video, in fact, where the PPJPC salaried guy, Steven Saint, is seen promoting ‘being a good citizen’ and voting for more taxes on the common folk (and less on the business people). It has the lovely title of Our City Is Worth Fighting For

Notice that Steve does not identify who he actually represents. Notice that his spot comes immediately after a blurb about how without 2C there supposedly will not be bus service provided to the surrounding military bases and that 24 cop positions will be cut. Boo-hoo-hoo.

Steve of the PPJPC wants the ‘city to be saved’ and is willing to increase taxes for the common folk and decrease them for the business sector. I simply don’t not see this as ’saving’ anything though. Some of these ’services’ we’ d be better off with in fact. And the services we need we simply just won’t be getting with the city managed by the people now in charge. (Steve, have you ever gotten down to the city council meeting to demand that the city council and mayor pass a municipal resolution condemning the use of government torture on people? I thought not. Other cities have passed such a resolution though. Their ‘peace people’ did do what you can’t find time for.)

The proponents to pass 2C create a panic scenario to help pass a poorly designed revenue enhancer for a city run by a Pentagon whore body of a city council. Count us out. The funds are already out there but are being misspent. Local liberals should know all this already but apparently have bought all the sweet talk about ’saving’ souls sold them by the Pentagon tied local business community. They’re just plain gullible is what it is. 2C? I can’t see it as a good cause at all.