Colorado House Republicans Denounce Attempts to Raise Gas Prices

DENVER—This week, as Coloradans saw their gas prices jump to $3.77 per gallon, Democrats in the United States Senate attempted to push through legislation to raise taxes on American energy producers and killed a measure to expand domestic energy production. 

The Democrat-sponsored tax hike would have meant higher gas prices for families and small businesses during these challenging economic times.   

“It’s as though Democrats don’t realize that times are tough,” said State Rep. Libby Szabo, R-Arvada.  “With high unemployment and gas prices going through the roof, families need their elected officials to fight lower energy prices, not higher bills.” 

This legislative session Republicans worked to help Colorado’s small businesses grow and create jobs.  Many of the measures focused on the state’s energy industry, which pumps millions of dollars into the state’s economy and employs thousands of Coloradans.  Unfortunately, Democrats in the Colorado House and Senate opposed these measures.    

Republicans said actions taken against the American energy industry this week at the federal level, and opposition by Democrats in the statehouse to measures to lower energy prices, highlight the fact that Democrats don’t understand the needs of Main Street Colorado: 

“We worked tirelessly this session on an agenda to get Colorado’s economy back on track.  These punitive policies against energy producers would have meant small businesses choosing between filling their gas tanks or reinvesting in their businesses and creating jobs,” said Keith Swerdfeger, R-Pueblo West.       

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