Talking to seniors and renters about Prop HH: it exchanges a small benefit now for a bigger loss later. What really matters is not policy, it’s showing our righteousness. Only one cranberry?!
Speaking specifically to seniors and renters about Prop HH ...
There's been a lot of talk about Prop HH. I've spoken about it before and don't want to further add my voice to the din.
Except, I do want to speak to a couple specific groups that, as Mr. Murrey puts it below, Democrats are courting.
They really would like to reach out to both seniors and renters about Prop HH and get their support for it.
If you know someone in either category and would like to discuss Prop HH with them, how do you approach it? How can you push back against the Democrats' talking points about "saving seniors more money" or "helping renters because if they vote for Prop HH they'll get a bigger TABOR check this coming year"?
Mr. Murrey tackles those topics in the video linked below, starting at approximately the 7:20 mark. It's worth a watch, but I can also excerpt it here.
If you are a senior, you've likely heard that Prop HH has extra property tax relief for you. The ballot language, in fact, has the phrase "expanding property tax relief for seniors" in it.
The reality is not anywhere near that nice and not accurate. Seniors get nothing more in Prop HH than they already would. Take a look at screenshot 1 attached. If you are a senior, you already qualify (without Prop HH) to exempt $100,000 of your home's value from taxation.
With Prop HH, seniors JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, can exempt another $40,000 in the coming valuation. This is not an expansion. This is merely putting HH on top of something already there.
That is, seniors get nothing special under Prop HH. All they get is lost TABOR refunds in the future just like everyone else.
If you are a renter (or speaking to someone who is), I think a bit of history is helpful.
Democrats first passed the referendum that became Prop HH. As people read it, they soon realized that the measure was aimed solely at homeowners and landlords. They beat the drum about this loudly enough that the Democrats passed another measure that would give flat TABOR refunds to all as long as Prop HH passes.
A clear attempt to induce even renters to pass Prop HH. Why shouldn't they? After all, if they vote it in, they'll likely get a bigger TABOR refund this coming year.
And the end of the sentence above spells out the problem pretty clearly: if you vote in Prop HH you may benefit now. You will pay later with lower and, eventually disappearing, TABOR refunds.
Do not exchange a benefit now for a loss later. Getting a slightly bigger refund in the coming year will come at the cost of any benefit in the future.
What really matters is not policy to address a problem, it’s showing our righteousness.
In 2021, Democrats passed a law to stop public universities from using legacy (whether or not you've had a relative go to the college you're applying to) as an admissions criteria.
Most colleges had moved on from it. The law, at least as far as public Colorado colleges go, didn't change much.
One wonders if anyone eager to pass this bill thought to check with public colleges prior to passing to see if it was worth any time or effort.
What did it change? Take a look at the screenshot attached. I highlighted what it changed.
Perception.**
Well, as long as we can snuggle up on cold nights knowing how righteous we all are, it was worth it.
**The argument is made in the article that perhaps it will spark first-generation students to apply at higher rates, but (to borrow one of the media's favorite phrases) "there is no evidence of that".
https://coloradosun.com/2023/08/18/two-years-colorado-banned-legacy-admissions-colleges-universities-say-the-only-real-change-is-perception/
A meager Thanksgiving.
Gonna be a meager Thanksgiving: I only got one cranberry!
A friend told me I'll have to buy a bigger turkey to make up for it.
That's a joke. I wasn't expecting any at all this year because I just go the plant this Spring and it needs to establish itself.
In case you wonder how cranberries look on the vine as they grow (as I do--this is one of my major motivations in plant choice), I took a picture.
Just starting to pick up a blush of red.
I am not an expert on cranberries by any means, but I do know one little tidbit: when fresh and ripe, it should bounce.
I have heard that's one way commercial growers separate good cranberries from the bad ones. See the video below.
Probably I'll never need a commercial processor like in the video, but at some point I hope to have enough to actually have a need to test and separate!