Guest Blog - Representative Larry Liston

What Not to Do During a Recession

By Rep. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs

If the second half of the 2010 Colorado legislative session is anything like the first half, Colorado business owners need to hold on to their wallets.

The majority Democrats package of tax increases dubbed the dirty dozen, has gone into effect and is already driving businesses away from our state. With Amazon.com’s decision to terminate their relationship with their Colorado affiliates as a result of the Democrats House Bill 1193, thousands of Coloradans lost an important source of income. I am fearful that as the rest of these tax increases take effect, we are going to see even more Coloradans out of their jobs.

Statehouse Republicans stood firm against the Democrats rush to tax online sales, energy used for manufacturing, and even hamburgers and soda. Committee meetings packed to overflow capacity with Coloradans of all stripes in opposition to these bills lasted late into the evening. Despite the grassroots opposition and intense debate, ultimately these bills were adopted by our Democrat-controlled statehouse and signed into law by an outgoing governor.

Businesses and families are hurting as a result of the recession. Now is not the time to inflict further pain on our economy by way of raising taxes on businesses and costs to consumers. The actions of Democrats in the Colorado legislature, including those from right here in El Paso County, have consequences that I fear they simply ignore.

Although there is no question that Colorado is facing a significant budget shortfall, taking that money out of our local economy and into government coffers is not going to solve the problem. Republicans have pushed, for years now, the real need for true government reform and a state government that is in tune with our economy. Democrats have ignored our efforts in favor of increased government spending and a refusal to implement true budget cuts.

My message is clear. Let’s empower our small business owners to invest in our economy and get them hiring again. We can do this by rolling back unnecessary and burdensome regulations and offering incentives for new investment.

The current anti-business rhetoric and policies emerging from the offices of Democrat lawmakers is not going to get our economy moving again. Party does matter and Republicans are the Party that will stand with taxpayers and get Colorado’s economy moving again. That is why I will continue to stand up against hurtful policies in the second half of the session as much as I have in the first.