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The rumble started elsewhere, in places like the technology industry, which hopes to stave off efforts at the Capitol to tax software installations, writes TechRockies. Now, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce is leading a cavalry, calling on its members to “take action” to thwart measures, now in the Senate, that suspend various business tax breaks.
“We understand the need for shared sacrifice to balance the state’s budget. … Nonetheless, we cannot endorse a budget fix that kills the proverbial golden goose,” states an e-mail from the Chamber—the “proverbial goose” being jobs (via the Denver Business Journal). And Democrats, who argue the measures would reap the state millions of dollars in revenue, preventing deeper cuts to items like education, are allegedly to blame.
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The Washington Times points out that the battle—over several bills that would eliminate tax exemptions on items such as farm equipment and restaurant napkins—is couched in semantics: “Were those tax increases? It depends on your political bent. To Democrats, the votes merely rid the books of tax breaks and loopholes for big business in order to avoid cuts to public schools and social services.” To Republicans, they’re tax increases.
The bills cleared the House earlier this week, and a handful of Democrats broke ranks, voting against. Nonetheless, House Speaker Terrance Carroll (pictured), a Denver Democrat, tells The Denver Post the measures are about “asking big business to pay their fair share. … It’s only been the GOP and their special-interest cronies who have been complaining because we’re rolling back corporate welfare and special-interest tax loopholes.”