Colorado Springs, Colorado
Douglas Bruce is the author of Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), the constitutional amendment passed in 1992 that requires voter approval for tax increases. A former Republican state legislator and prosecutor, he remains an active defender of taxpayer rights.
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Douglas Bruce is best known as the architect of Colorado's Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR), the constitutional amendment that Colorado voters approved in 1992 after Bruce led nine election campaigns to secure its passage. TABOR requires voter approval for tax increases and limits government revenue growth, making it the most restrictive tax and expenditure limitation in the United States.
Before his work on TABOR, Bruce earned his law degree in California and served as a deputy district attorney for nearly six years. He later became a property owner and non-practicing attorney. His background in law and prosecution informs his expertise in constitutional and tax policy matters.
Bruce served in elected office as a Republican member of the Colorado House of Representatives from 2008 to 2009, and also served as El Paso County Commissioner. His political career has centered on fiscal conservatism and taxpayer protection.
A Colorado College professor has called Bruce "the most influential Colorado politician of his time" due to his lasting impact on state fiscal policy. He continues to actively defend TABOR against legislative attempts to circumvent its protections and has appeared on the Kim Monson Show eight times to discuss tax policy and voter rights.
Bruce is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he operates a property rental business.
September 5, 2025
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Election integrity expert Josh Findlay and TABOR author Douglas Bruce discuss mail-in voting risks and Colorado's taxpayer protections on September 5, 2025.
“More power for the government is less power for us.”
November 30, 2023
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Douglas Bruce on tabor enforcement, Brad Beck on public listening, Karen Levine on year-end real estate market, Trent Leisy on border security. November 30, ...
“They've tried to figure ways for 30 years of success of Tabor, and they've tried and basically mostly failed. People have voted for a few tax increases that were properly presented.”
October 20, 2023
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Nephi Cole on hunting rights, wildlife conse, Douglas Bruce on prop hh, Steve McKenna on cherry creek school board acco, Scott Graves on education reform. Oc...
“If they trick people in this election, they will have gotten people to surrender their right to vote. Now, it's all illegal. They can't do it, but there's an engagement, a giant bluff to try to get people to vote, to give up their right to vote. Not only for themselves, but for their children, their grandchildren, their neighbors' grandchildren, everybody, forever.”
“And this is the largest tax increase in American history of any state in American history. Think about that. And they won't even tell us what the amount is that they're asking for. They can't do it.”
September 14, 2023
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Douglas Bruce defends TABOR against Proposition HH; Walt Johnson and Colton Moyer discuss A Climate Conversation. September 14, 2023.
“It is the biggest bluff in state history. That's what it is. The biggest lie ever told, because what's at stake is $ 2 billion in TABOR refunds by year 10. And it goes on forever.”
November 4, 2019
Ballot Measures & TABOR
TABOR architect Douglas Bruce urges Coloradans to reject Proposition CC and protect their constitutional right to vote on tax refunds.
“The Declaration of Independence talked about the consent of the governed. And they want to ask us to give our consent on Tuesday, not just for ourselves for now, but ourselves for forever, and our children and grandchildren, and everybody else's children and grandchildren forever.”
“Something that has been a success for 25 years is antiquated. And their idea of a so-called formula is let us keep everything we get forever, forever, no matter how much we raise taxes by calling it fees and cheating you out of your right to vote again.”
October 16, 2019
Ballot Measures & TABOR
TABOR architect Douglas Bruce and journalist Sherry Pife expose deceptive tactics behind Proposition CC on October 16, 2019.
“The first three words of the Constitution are 'we the people,' not 'we the politicians.' Tax limitation is human liberation. If you don't have any limits on your servants, and they are supposedly public servants, then we're headed towards tyranny.”
September 27, 2019
Ballot Measures & TABOR
TABOR architect Douglas Bruce warns that Proposition CC threatens Coloradans' constitutional right to vote on taxes. September 27, 2019.
“We simply tell people the truth, which is the government grows automatically. It's on autopilot, but if it wants a bigger share, if it says it has this wonderful new program, I mean, don't we have enough government programs already?”
“So we have to make that final decision because it's our money, it's our family, it's our freedom, it's our future.”
April 1, 2019
Ballot Measures & TABOR
Douglas Bruce defends the Taxpayer Bill of Rights as HB19-1257 threatens voter control over excess state revenue on April 1, 2019.
“That's the basic premise that people learned somehow, sometime, and it's called the consent of the governed.”
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