Longtime Colorado Springs businessman Ed Bircham, who ran for City Council in April as part of a five-person slate with Douglas Bruce, said Bruce remains in good spirits despite being convicted of tax evasion in December.
Bircham said Bruce was the target of a witch hunt rooted to the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, which Bruce authored.
“They just don’t like to be told that they can’t be just taxing us to death, and I think Doug saved this state from going the way of some of the other states,” he said.
“I think Doug ought to be a consultant for different states around the country. I think that’s what he ought to be doing, depending on what happens. I guess the sentence will be the day before Valentine’s Day so we’ll find out what that is.”
Not being allowed to leave the state can be a condition of probation, but in Doug’s case, the judge should consider exiling him to Alabama, where he might be appreciated.
Doug did not save us from anything. TABOR is just bad math and shoud be given a D- and sent to jail with Doug.
To the tune of $2 million Doug hired the same non-resident petition carriers that failed across the entire midwest. So yes, Ed, he aided and abetted TABOR’s failed math scheme in other states. His Colorado adventure was seen as warning not to do the same to their states.
Show us where in states’ vital statistics even ONE case of someone who is ‘taxed to death’.
This man has no sense of reality. He always back the losing horse. I know at election time, when driving by his business on the corner of Nevada and Fillmore, from the endorsement banners out front WHO NOT TO VOTE FOR!
TABOR is a failure and was from the get go! I vote to let Mr. Bruce consult in any state OTHER than Colorado. He and TABOR got us in this mess!
Not to fear Mr. Ed. You can visit your playmate in prison and start planning the next crusade against the fine people of Colorado. It is your destiny.
It’s mostly likely Bruce’s consulting will be limited to giving legal advice to his fellow inmates…advice that will most likely be worth somewhat less than they pay for it..
Two old goats and “has-beens” (actually, NEVER WEREs) will NEVER get it – TABOR IS and ALWAYS HAS BEEN a BAD THING overall – for every little town, big city, county, and this State. Doug-Goat-Bruce didn’t “think” things through very well when this idea came-up – he was looking for “instant publicity” and approval – the end-result is that MANY towns/cities/counties in Colorado are in financial ruins because of TABOR. Ed-Goat-Bircham is just an old goat who hasn’t had any sort of good OR new idea in his entire life. GO OUT TO PASTURE YOU OLD GOATS and leave the world of “running” a decent society to the rest of us.
TABOR is the kind of check and balance every state needs to keep government employees and elected officials from easing into greater salaries and benefits for themselves. Its just not sustainable for the tax payer to shoulder the burden. Wages, Salaries and Benefits comprise the super majority of the cost of government. Today’s Gazette headline article demonstrate the overly extravagant compensation of our government servants.
Edward Mark: Another backward idealist with two first names. Reread the US and 50 state constitutions: the system of checks and balances are among elected officials, NEVER to the voting public (the only indirect checks citizens have are petition-referenda and election of officials). You may be advocating treason since direct-democracy is unconstitutional. We live in a constitutional republic.
Another thing: public employees and political officials are not the same. Don’t like the way politicians govern, or how they apportion budgets? Don’t vote for them and write/email their offices but lay off public employees have little say in their compensation.
@not so fast:
Wrong! You start off by critcizing someone you dont agree with? F off! He ( Matk Edward) is right. I would rather have more checks and balances rather than let someone in office dictate what we pay based off of what they decide. Why not let the taxpayers decide? Huh? if you dont like TABOR, leave!