A sugar-coated tax increase is still a...tax increase.

More on that in a moment on the Face The State Radio Minute.

I’m a proud graduate of CU-Boulder. But that’s not why I agree with Hank Brown, the past president of CU, who opposes a proposed tax increase on oil and gas production. The former U.S. Senator rejects the idea, even though it would provide funding for higher-education scholarships. He believes soaking the energy industry at a time when gas prices are soaring doesn’t make sense - and he’s right.

All government money is fungible, meaning you can’t really tie any one source of income to a specific expenditure. Tying an unpopular tax increase to something most people would support, like scholarships, is just a ploy to pass the tax. One sin can’t be offset by a penance paid to college kids.

And the proposal is unpopular: a recent poll shows only 38% of Colorado voters support the idea. Senator Brown isn’t the only one who sees through the sugar coating.

For FaceTheState.com, I’m Brad Jones.