After a dozen years of TABOR choking the life out of Colorado, we came together in 2005 and put our house in order.

Now we have the chance to save other states from the righties' woe-begotten "starve the beast" pipe dreams. The lesson? Don't believe Grover Norquists's hype, 'cause we've been down that pothole-strewn road...

Letter warns states to fight initiatives

Powerful Colorado business groups are urging business leaders in Maine, Michigan and Oregon to oppose proposed ballot initiatives in those states that largely mirror the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights.

The constitutional amendment known as TABOR was passed by voters here in 1992 and placed a limit on Colorado government revenue growth. Voters last November suspended TABOR in part for five years via Referendum C.

"If it passes, TABOR will push Maine to the edge of the cliff as it did in Colorado," reads part of a letter sent by a coalition called Concerned Colorado Business Leaders to the Maine Motor Transportation Association. "You have a chance to act now - save your state from years of artificial budgetary wrangling and save yourselves the cost of [an] inevitable, expensive TABOR- reform fight."