With the state party conventions less than two weeks away, the two Republicans vying for governor have unveiled dueling tax-refund proposals.
Marc Holtzman on Tuesday announced his plan for “the largest tax break in Colorado history,” proposing to cap Referendum C revenues at $3.1 billion and refund the surplus.
On Monday, U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez announced he was the first to sign a petition for a “fiscally prudent” constitutional amendment that would cap those revenues at $3.7 billion and send the rest back to taxpayers in the name of heating-bill refunds.
Meanwhile, Holtzman for the first time Tuesday addressed the removal of his campaign manager. Dick Leggitt resigned Friday after admitting in court that he lied to a Denver Post reporter about poll numbers that were quoted in a story.
“I said that if what was reported was true, that I could not have someone on my team who did the things that were reported,” Holtzman said. “We came to a very amicable separation arrangement. And he is no longer with the campaign, so I think that probably speaks for itself.”
But Holtzman rejected the notion that Leggitt’s admission has hurt the campaign. He said he and running mate Lola Spradley have a reputation for being “straight shooters” and his staff has adjusted.
“We’ll work hard to earn that trust back where there have been some questions,” he said. “But I’m not particularly concerned.”
Holtzman said he is looking for a new campaign manager but has a solid focus on pushing his tax-reform package and getting on the ballot, either at the state convention or through petitions.
“If we campaign on this as the centerpiece of our campaign and we win, we will have a mandate to affect the kind of change,” he said.
At issue are the extra revenues the state gets to keep after voter approval in November of Referendum C. When that referendum was proposed, the state estimated it would get to keep an extra $3.1 billion that otherwise would have had to be refunded under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.
But tax-revenue estimates have steadily risen. They were estimated at $3.7 billion in the voter guide for the ballot issue. And the latest estimates indicate the state will end up keeping about $4.25 billion over five years.
Beauprez spokesman John Marshall said it makes sense to cap revenues from Referendum C at the $3.7 billion figure in the voters Blue Book.
“I don’t think there is anything particularly radical about holding the state to what was advertised to the voters in the official voter guide,” he said.
Holtzman was a lead spokesman for the anti-Referendum C campaign. Beauprez opposed it but kept a lower profile.
Democratic House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, who was among those who joined Republican Gov. Bill Owens in crafting the budget compromise that led to Referendum C, called both proposals “electioneering stunts” intended to rally the conservative base.
“We had a good debate last fall over Referendum C, and the governor, most of the legislature and the majority of Coloradans were on one side. Mr. Beauprez and Mr. Holtzman were on the other side,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that they are not free to come up with good ideas; it is just that their ideas aren’t good.”
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 303-820-1657 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
