Wednesday, November 21

The Robin Hood for climate change


Northern Colorado's Sue Radford is behind an effort to create a state constitutional amendment that would shift state taxes to fight global warming. The Colorado Clean Energy Tax Shift proposal, now getting vetted by state legislative staff, would charge for tons of carbon dioxide emissions -- from burning fossil fuels, like at coal plants -- and then allow the state to lower sales taxes and business personal property taxes, as well as send some funds to a state earned income tax credit, which is being pushed by Rep. John Kefalas of Fort Collins.

If the legislative staff approves the language for the measure, Radford and co. would next have to gather signatures to send the initiative to the voters in 2008. Stay tuned to the Chronicle and Holla for more details.

2 comments:

Sue Radford said...

Robin Hood, Josh? He was a thief. Please, this is hard enough.

COCETS would transfer money from polluters to taxpayers, who are mostly the same people, with voter approval. It's effective pollution control without big government. Isn't that what we need?

Joshua Zaffos said...

Sue,

I like to think of Robin Hood as a "wealth-distribution reallocator," rather than a "thief."

And remember: He also ran his take-from-the-rich (polluting corporations) and give-to-the-poor (taxpayers and those who would qualify for earned income tax credits) operation without big government.