Another year, another structural gap in the budget.

Structural budget gaps represent the difference between what the state promised it would do and what the state expects to collect in revenue. It’s an indication that either the state is promising more than it can deliver, or taxes are going up to keep those promises. It’s part of the reason politicians have a hard time keeping promises.

Every year, the gap is closed by breaking some promises and raising some taxes. Immediately after closing the gap, the legislature runs out and promises to spend more in the next budget, which helps to perpetuate the cycle.

We need to stop the cycle of higher taxes and broken promises. It’s not fair to taxpayers. It is not fair to those that have been promised relief.

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights is designed to eliminate structural gaps by keeping politicians from promising more then they know they can pay for. It is easy to promise more money for noble things we want done. It is hard to stand before voters and tell them the honest truth: that there are some things we cannot afford unless we raise your taxes. TABOR forces politicians to do that. Then we get to decide if the higher taxes are worth the promised benefit.

This year we have two chances to vote for change. We can vote for TABOR, and we can vote new people to the legislature.

Bob Stone, Lewiston