Ed Casso

Fiscal Conservative?
Moderate Democrat?
Best Representative for HD-32?
Endorsed by the Business Community?
Dirty Dozen Tax Bills Summary

Ed Casso says he is a fiscal conservative.

TRUTH
Ed Casso is a big spender and unconstitutionally raised your taxes. You can review his voting record posted on www.leg.state.co.us. He voted for the "dirty dozen" tax bills. (See Dirty Dozen Tax Bill Summary Below.) These tax bills eliminated tax exemptions for things such as candy and soda, software, energy use, cooperative direct mail, and agricultural products. These bills unconstitutionally circumvented the TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) requirement to receive prior voter approval before raising taxes and eliminated jobs. Because of taxes on online purchases the Amazon Affiliates left Colorado.

"Tax increases [such as those supported by Ed Casso] for online purchases and downloads are guaranteed to destroy high paying tech sector jobs. The tax increases on items such as soda, candy, doggy bags, napkins and other items will hit those least able to afford it the hardest." Is this really the time to place additional burdens on struggling businesses and families? http://www.atr.org/colorado-senate-debates-dirty-dozen-tax-a4505

TRUTH
Ed Casso voted against the interests of Colorado taxpayers 96% of the time. Source: Colorado Union of Taxpayers http://www.coloradotaxpayer.org/new/CUT-ratings-2009.pdf.

Ed Casso says he is a moderate Democrat

TRUTH
Ed Casso is not a moderate but a progressive Democrat. Progressive is a term that is often used to describe Obama and Nancy Pelosi and their policies. Ed Casso is listed by the Progressive Majority as a major win for the progressives in 2006. www.progressivemajority.com.
The word progressive sounds good, but what it really means is that they want to progressively move away from the Constitution and toward European style socialism. Socialism is a form of government where there is a large centralized government that controls and nationalizes key industries such as health care, auto industries, banks and others. As government gains more control history has shown that its citizens are less free to make their own choices.

Ed Casso is not a moderate in his social views. Many moderates describe supporting the ACLU views as extreme. Ed Casso voted with the ACLU on social issues 73% of the time in 2009 and 85% of the time in 2007. www.projectvotesmart.org

Ed Casso says he can best represent the people of House District 32.
TRUTH
Ed Casso represents special interests, not your interests. 75% of his contributions come from special interests groups, not the citizens of Adams County. These include Political Action Committees, (PACs) and lobbyists. You can review his campaign finances by going to the Colorado Secretary of State's Website at: http://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/Reports/Reports.aspx

Representative Ed Casso's contributions look like a who's who of political special interests. In 2010, "Casso's contributor list is dominated by contributions from political action committees. The same was true for Casso's unopposed win in 2008; he raised $10,335 that year with all but $315 coming from PACs, lobbyists or other elected officials." The Statesman http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/992145-casso-hopes-jump-over-hoopes-third-term. To view his campaign contributions click on this website: http://tracer.sos.colorado.gov/PublicSite/Reports/Reports.aspx

TRUTH:
Ed Casso voted for the interests of labor bosses, while rarely supporting the interests of Colorado small businesses and taxpayers. It earned him the title "Best Union Steward" by Face the State http://facethestate.com/articles/16008-legislative-superlatives-2009

"Ed Casso sponsored Senate Bill 180, legislation seeking to override the local will of voters and impose collective bargaining on all local police and fire departments, and House Bill 1170, which gives workers locked-out in labor disputes access to unemployment benefits…. So what if the bills kick Colorado's economy while its down? The guys at the union hall have got his back, at the state house and on the campaign trail." Face the State http://facethestate.com/content/16008

TRUTH
Ed Casso stated in the Candidate Forum that he would be the best representative for House District 32 because "I am District 32". Does that sound like someone who is interested in representing you? We believe the the House District 32 seat belongs to the people, not Ed. Watch the debate and see for yourself by clicking on the link below. View the House Candidates Group 2. http://thornton.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=120

Ed Casso says he supports business and is endorsed by the business community.

TRUTH
The Metro North Chamber of Commerce ranked Ed Casso's overall support of their key business issues at 7%. This placed him at the bottom of the list compared to other Representatives in the State Legislature for supporting legislation important to business. This information was posted on the Chamber's website around August 2010. See the 2010 Metro North Chamber of Commerce 2010 Legislative Session Report Card below. Ed Casso was then later endorsed by the Metro North Chamber of Commerce. With such a low rating as a legislature, are you curious about why they would endorse him? Below is the Session Report card that appears on the website.

A second business chamber, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce reported that Ed Casso voted for bills important to business only 52% of the time. You can check these facts at http://www.votesmart.org/summary.php?can_id=66685

TRUTH
Ed Casso was fired as the Vice-Chairman of the Business and Labor Legislative Committee.

TRUTH
Ed Casso sponsored a radical anti-job bill that raises energy costs and kills thousands of oil and gas jobs in Colorado. He supported energy mandates that require the purchase of forms of energy that cost more per kilowatt hour. The increase will inevitably be passed along to consumers. www.heartland.org/policybot/results/15720/Renewable_Energy_Mandates_Raise_Prices_and_Cost_States_Jobs.html

"This [renewable energy bill] may as well be called Colorado's own 'cap and tax' bill because it is going to strangle our state's economy and our pocketbooks…"
http://www.coloradostatesman.com/content/991661-states-renewable-energy-standards-increased

TRUTH
Ed Casso was fired as the Vice-Chairman of the Business and Labor Legislative Committee.

The Dirty Dozen Tax Bills - Summary
The Dirty Dozen tax bills actually eliminate tax exemptions for things such as candy and soda, software, energy use, cooperative direct mail and agricultural products. The tax increases are designed to help cover budget shortfalls which have been estimated at $1.1 billion. (Colorado has a constitutional requirement to balance its budget.) Many estimate that the below "Dirty Dozen" tax bill will result in a loss of 15,000 jobs and raise prices for consumers.

The bills passed the house on a party line vote. Republicans fought against these tax increases because they will hurt Colorado businesses and raise prices for consumers. The Dirty Dozen also circumvent the TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights) requirement to receive prior voter approval before raising taxes. Many if not all of the passed "Dirty Dozen" tax increases are likely to be challenged in court as violations of the Colorado Constitution.

HB 10-1189 Eliminates the sales-tax exemption on direct mail materials
HB 10-1190 Eliminates the sales-tax exemption on fuel sales used for industrial purposes
HB 10-1191 Eliminates the sales tax exemption on candy and soda
HB 10-1192 Elminates the sales-tax exemption on software purchased anywhere other than a retail store (you guessed it Internet purchased are not exempted.)
HB 10-1193 Requires in-state affiliates of out-of-state online retailers that direct customers to
Purchase from those businesses to pay sales tax on the materials purchased
HB 10-1194 Eliminates the sales-tax exemption on non-essential food containers like plastic bags
HB 10-1195 Suspends the sales-tax exemption on agricultural compounds, pesticides and bull semen
HB 10-1196 Narrows the definition of vehicles that are eligible for alternative fuel tax credits
HB 10-1197 Decreases the maximum amount of state income tax credit that may be claimed for the
Donation of a conservation easement in gross.
HB 10-1198 Suspends the credit against the state income tax of a portion of the credit allowed under the federal internal revenue code for payment of the alternative minimum tax
HB 10-1199 Limits to $250,000 the amount of net operating loss a business can carry over on their taxes for the next 3 years
HB 10-1200 Requires that a taxpayer defer claiming any amount of an enterprise zone investment income tax credit that exceeds $250,000