Don't blame it on Bruce

Opinion by Gerald Trumbule

Mayor Hancock with staff and cabinet

Denver's Mayor Handcock is planning to ask City Council to place a referendum on the up-coming November ballot asking us to raise the property tax on the properties we own in Denver. It's got some carrots along with a big stick - you can read the details here. I just want to make one point: QUIT CALLING IT DE-BRUCING.

Yes, we know that nobody likes Doug Bruce, that he went to jail and that he acts like a jerk, but we voted for TABOR, regardless of who created it, and we are glad we did. If it wasn't for TABOR, you wouldn't even have to ask us to vote to raise our taxes, you could just do it, and the increase would probably be much bigger.

So quit trying to use Bruce's name to taint TABOR. This has nothing to do with Bruce and everything to do with our Taxpayers Bill of Rights, the one we voted for, the one that controls how you tax us.

Mayor Hancock, please have the balls to ask for your tax increase straight up, if you must. It's hard to be honest especially when you started your tenure by hiring too many "assistants" and giving out a whole bunch of salary increases to your bureaucrats. It makes it look like you get the presents and we get the pain.

And by the way folks, be sure to let your City Council person know what you think of this tax increase we can't afford (which could allow the city to keep an additional $44 million in 2013). They'll be voting to put it on the ballot on Aug. 13. Tell them you'll be watching. That's our Rights they are messing with.