Opinion: You know what’s better than flowers or a card for Colorado mothers? Reforming TABOR’s harmful limits that affect women

On Mother’s Day, we honor the commitment, sacrifice and work that our mothers put into raising us to become the people we are today. But rather than spending money on flowers and cards, the best gift for many mothers would be to reform the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR — the state constitutional amendment that strangles investments in Colorado women and children. From access to health services to funding for K-12 education, the“T-word” prevents our families from fully thriving. 

To survive and get ahead, hundreds of thousands of women in Colorado depend on crucial food, health care and child care services because women continue to experience multiple barriers to economic security. In the past, the state was able to provide assistance to at least put some food on the table, supply life-saving medicine and offer safe learning environments for young children while their parents work. 

But critical resources that allow working families to make ends meet are now out of reach because of a state budget severely limited by TABOR. The consequences will be compounded by the Department of Government Efficiency’s dizzying and destructive cuts to family-focused programs at the federal level, which will harm Colorado more than other states. 

While legislators in other states can move funds around, borrow or raise revenue to fund essential services, TABOR ties the hands of our legislature. Embedded in our Colorado Constitution, TABOR’s strict policy limits budget increases based on population growth and inflation. Duly elected legislators aren’t permitted to raise taxes, which can happen only by winning multi-million dollar statewide ballot initiative campaigns. 

This means Colorado must ration those services families rely on — and most Coloradans believe in and support — like SNAP and WIC providing nutritious food, Head Start assuring school readiness, and Medicaid delivering basic medical care. TABOR’s inflexible limits cut essentials because food prices keep going up and health care costs are increasing at rates that outstrip the inflation rate.

Faced with a $1.2 billion shortfall in our state budget this legislative session, TABOR’s stranglehold preventing backfilling funds and slashed federal funding, Colorado is at a crisis point for the support of women, children and families. 

Linley, a single mom in Larimer County, is in her last year of school and preparing for her final mandatory — and unpaid — internship this summer. Her daughter’s school doesn’t offer summer programs, so she was excited to apply for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, or CCCAP, to cover child care during her internship. Despite qualifying, the lack of state funds means that the program’s funding is frozen and Linley is desperate to find a safe and affordable place for her daughter this summer.

I understand her panic all too well. In 2006, I had to “opt” out the workforce because my corporate employer demanded that I work in Washington, D.C., two weeks out of the month with a newborn. At home with two young children in 2009, I wanted to shift into the nonprofit sector but entry-level salaries wouldn’t even cover our child care expenses. 

Even after the recession led to my husband’s wages being cut in half, we qualified for less than $50 a month in child care subsidies — not enough to make it worth taking a new job. I had no choice but to stay out of the workforce, harming our family finances and future savings, just to avoid unaffordable child care expenses.

It shouldn’t be this way. As state Rep. Lorena Garcia said about the lack of funding to support our families at The Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s advocacy day in March: “Colorado is the ninth richest state, but because of TABOR it doesn’t feel like it. TABOR prevents adequate funding in our education and early childhood sectors, two sectors women rely on in order to help raise and educate their children and for employment.” 

Many Coloradans value the TABOR refunds that can offer critical cash assistance to families — but we should relax the rigid parts of TABOR that prevent elected officials from raising revenue through legislation. 

For Mother’s Day, let’s envision an infrastructure that supports success for Colorado moms and children, including living wage jobs, affordable housing, adequately funded public education — and yes, affordable child care, health care and healthy food. Then let’s figure out a way to reform TABOR so we can create the infrastructure that will allow every family to grow and thrive.

So after you mail or give your mom a card this year, send one to your legislator demanding a robust conversation on how to improve TABOR so we can provide the foundation families need to build sustainable lives. 

Renee Ferrufino of Denver was raised in Sterling and is the first Latina president & CEO of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, a community-funded foundation creating more pathways to gender, racial and economic equity for Colorado women.

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy. Learn how to submit a column. Reach the opinion editor at opinion@coloradosun.com.

Follow Colorado Sun Opinion on Facebook.