In the Taxpayers Bill of Rights (TABOR), Colorado has one of the nation's most effective tools for keeping government in check and its finances put on an even keel.

But TABOR has been weakened in recent years, and a ballot measure up for approval in November could gut it.

Independence Institute president Jon Caldara recently had this to say about the ballot measure:

Hey taxpayer! Can ya spare a blank check? Barry Poulson's new Issue Backgrounder titled Amendment 59 Gives the Education Lobby a Blank Check exposes Amendment 59'S adverse effects on Colorado taxpayers. Barry shows that under the guise of helping kids and the education system, 59 will siphon all budget surpluses - money that would have gone back to taxpayers - to the State Education Fund. This will eliminate potential tax refunds indefinitely. Thereby finishing what Ref C started: the death of Colorado's popular Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR).