CO-05: Jeff Crank's History of Advocating Tax Hikes

Earlier this year, the Club for Growth PAC endorsed taxpayer superstar Doug Lamborn to replace retiring Congressman Joel Hefley in Colorado's 5th congressional district. The GOP primary in this safe Republican seat is next Tuesday, August 8.

One of Lamborn's opponents, former lobbyist Jeff Crank, has been whining about our criticism of his support for higher taxes. He says we've been unfair. You decide.

Crank was once the vice president of government affairs for the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. In that capacity, he helped the Chamber advocate for higher taxes on a number of occasions (e.g. Amendment 32 and "Go with 1A"). In one news report (no link, CS Gazette, 06/20/2002), he also tried to gather support to oppose ballot measures that would cut taxes and spending.

Crank claims that while the Chamber supported higher taxes, he was personally opposed to them. Uh-huh. That doesn't pass the smell test for us. Why would the Chamber keep someone on the payroll who continually disagreed with them? More importantly, why would Crank, if he's professing to be a principled, pro-growth person, stay on the payroll of a group that advocates higher taxes?

However, even if you give Crank a pass for carrying water for the tax-hiking Chamber, he still has a tax increase on his own hands. In 2002, he was the campaign manager for a failed referendum that sought a hike in property taxes in El Paso County.

Doug Lamborn, on the other hand, is a vocal opponent to ALL tax hikes. Remember Referendum C&D, the two proposals which were designed to weaken Colorado's Taxpayers' Bill of Rights law? Even though the Republican governor supported C&D, Lamborn stood up to his own party and opposed them. Commenting about Referendum C, Lamborn wrote (no link, CS Gazette, 10/27/2005):

"What is most offensive about C is that it calls itself the 'Economic Recovery Act'. This is taking the exact wording used by Ronald Reagan for tax cut legislation and applying it to a massive tax increase. I thought we had all learned that lower taxes, not higher, are the road to a stronger economy."

Also, Lamborn is continually ranked as one of Colorado taxpayers' most ardent defenders by the Colorado Union of Taxpayers. Just last year, he received the second highest state senate rating by the organization. Before that, during the three years of 2002-2004, he was ranked first.

What Congress needs now, more than ever, is someone who will stand for the pro-growth principles of lower taxes and limited government, even if that means going against your own party. You can help advance that cause by donating to Doug Lamborn's campaign now.

PAID FOR BY CLUB FOR GROWTH PAC AND NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE'S COMMITTEE. 202-955-5500.