The Taxpayer Bill of Rights was never designed to cut any services or programs. It is a citizen-initiated directive to our elected representatives to hold down the increases in spending to a special formula that is part of the increase in the cost of living and the increase in population growth.

Having spoken to people I know from Colorado, it has not failed there. That is a myth promoted by those who are afraid they won’t get as much of an increase to spend (read also waste) as freely as they would like to. They would have people believe that reducing the increase is a “cut.”

It has also been suggested that electing different representatives would work better. But that is a long and cumbersome process, after the fact, and after the debt has been raised that taxpayers have to shoulder. Those representatives can vote themselves raises and lifetime care as part of that debt.

It is better for them to have orders from those they choose to represent, and not have a free hand to just spend.

Harvey “Hap” Gallin,

West Sumner