Consider Amendment 69, ColoradoCare:
All self-employed or retired people will pay a 10 percent tax (on top of the 4 percent) on gross income before deductions on wage and non-wage income. These people get hit the hardest.Those in-state residents employed by out-of-state companies will either be required to pay the 10 percent tax or convince their employer to pick up the 6.67 percent.There are risks that companies will downsize those employed by them, lay off part-time workers, leave the state, or at minimum be reluctant to give raises or bonuses as that would increase their tax burden. All increases in income will land a 6.67 percent burden on the company’s bottom line.There are no tax deductions for insurance premiums, a significant savings that need to be considered when calculating cost. Those who qualify now for free health care will no longer qualify.The 21-person appointed board can once a year raise the tax without voter approval, leaving us vulnerable to sustaining an unlimited tax burden.It is unclear what happens when one moves in or out of the state and whether new residents receive free health care at the expense of those who have been here.Those who have VA, Medicare and other affordable means of private health care will pay for health care they will not use.And what guarantee is there that this ColoradoCare will cover costs out of state or the quality of health care will not diminish?I urge you to read the fine print and to consider what they don’t tell you about ColoradoCare.
Vote “no” on Amendment 69.
Lynn Wolf
Durango
