DMCC bucks Ritter on higher-ed severance tax proposal

After the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce voted yesterday to oppose the so-called "Right-to-work" ballot measure this fall some on the right scrambled to paint the DMCC as some kind of leftist organization that does not really represent Denver's business community.

What say they now?

At least 20 powerful Denver metro business and education leaders voted Thursday to oppose Gov. Bill Ritter's proposal to boost severance taxes to pay for college scholarships, saying money from a tax increase should be devoted to colleges' operating funds.

The decision by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce board of directors was the third time in recent weeks that a business group has opposed the measure, which will probably be on the November ballot.

The severance tax measure seems to be dying a slow death. It's an idea that never had much momentum behind it to begin with and the slow drip of interest groups coming out in opposition to the measure may ultimately kill the proposal.

The idea of closing the severance tax loophole in Colorado seems to be a smart one on it's face. Unfortunately politics has, apparently, necessitated that the fix be couched behind the idea of scholarships. Proponents have admitted that the idea was not so much based on sound policy but on political expediency.

It's hard to oppose the scholarship program, which is of course the whole idea, but I'd prefer to see the funds be dispersed more widely. That of course is a harder sell to the public but it's an argument that a leader who has the courage of his convictions needs to make.