Eight days and lots to talk about with bills that we are still hearing or awaiting. But something happened last night that makes me want to talk about the real world.
This is what I saw last night while filling up my car to leave early for work today. $93 for a tank of gas. I was shocked and angry and then it hit me again like it has all year: this is what is happening to families all across this state. Their budgets are blown and they are struggling to make ends meet. Getting to the Capitol will require two and a half tanks of gas this week, and another two tanks next week. Monthly it comes to ten tanks a month, $930. That’s a mortgage payment, just to get to work.
Inflation is a silent thief. It steals. The increase in cost doesn’t give us more stuff, in fact, the crafty packaging experts slightly reduce sizes so that the prices go up AND we get less. When we talk about the cost of living, it’s really the cost of surviving.
We have been trying to do more to save families money. We have proposed cutting the state income tax, and permanently reducing license fees, in fact, just today I brought a bill forward to get rid of state sales tax on food families buy “to go” at neighborhood restaurants. All those bills were defeated in Democrat committees, almost along party lines. Folks in Colorado deserve better.
This legislative session is drawing to a close but I will keep working for you. I will keep up the pressure for the Governor to send a waiver request to the Environmental Protection Agency, exempting us from the Severe Air Quality standards. Without this waiver, you can expect to see your gas prices go up another 80 cents. I will keep the pressure up to lower property taxes, an issue that will likely go to the ballot this fall. I will also keep up the pressure on doing more for regular folks, making sure that the State does everything it can to get government regulation and fees out of your way.
We meet for 120 days a year. It seems so short in January but oh so long as we approach the end. But this job never stops because life doesn’t stop for any of you. As a farm boy with a servant’s heart, I look forward to hearing from you.
By the way, if you care to, you should call the Governor and tell him to send the waiver request to the EPA. His number is 303-866-2471.
