TABOR will play role in reform

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights again plays a part in Colorado policy-making as legislators prepare to tackle the health-care reform issue in the spring session.

"Any of these plans will require more money coming into the state, and that will require a tax increase," noted State Sen. Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins, referring to the five plans under consideration by Colorado's 208 Commission. Under TABOR, voters must approve any tax increase.

Sen. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, agreed. "We can't do anything without a vote of the people," he said, adding that that's a good thing. "It's appropriate to have that discussion on an issue that's so important to everyone on a personal basis."

Bacon noted that it will be challenging to explain to voters that, with health-care reform, they may pay more in taxes but save in other arenas such as health insurance premiums.

"It will be an extremely complicated thing to explain to voters," he said. The more complicated the plan, he added, the more difficult that task will be.