King's ransom: highway referendum

Rep. Keith King wants to give voters a chance to fully fund state highway projects, but it would mean a reduction in their yearly tax refund.

With state budget cuts threatening almost $55 million worth of local highway projects, King, R-Colorado Springs, is putting together a proposal to restore highway funds using money that was earmarked as a tax rebate. The referendum would go to the voters next November.

"The bill I'm working on would make it like Amendment 23 didn't happen," King said. "It would take money out of the (tax) refunds, probably $30 to $40 a year."

Amendment 23 is the citizen initiative passed Nov. 7 that requires lawmakers to pump $4.58 billion in surplus tax money into Colorado schools during the next 10 years.

The projected 2000-01 surplus from the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, or TABOR amendment to the state constitution, is $1.06 billion, which equates to a $265 tax refund for every adult.

Amendment 23 reduces the refund by $113 per adult. But Amendment 23 also creates a cash-flow problem at the state level because of the way it is funded.

Gov. Bill Owens and others have blamed it for more than $250 million in proposed cuts to the state's construction budget, including the widening of Interstate 25 and a $35 million health science building at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs.

King estimated that his proposal, which would not be a constitutional amendment, would reduce the refund by an additional $30 to $40 and route the money into highways and other construction projects.

"It gives the voters an opportunity to say, 'I think I still want roads to go forward, and I'm willing to take $30 or $40 out of my TABOR refund to do it,'" King said.

But it is early in the process and many aren't willing to say whether King's suggestion makes sense. A variety of options to pay for highways are expected to surface eventually.

"It's too early," said Dick Wadhams, spokesman for Owens. "The governor will want to wait and see what happens during the session."

Colorado Department of Transportation Director Tom Norton said, "I'm all for any help we can get. I would have to look at (the proposal) and see how Keith is going to do it."

Paving the way

Rep. Keith King's proposal would give voters the chance to decide whether they're willing to give up $30 to $40 a year to fix roads.

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