This brazen wave of sprinkler system thefts in affluent Douglas County is yet another symptom of Colorado's self-inflicted affordability crisis. When hardworking families are crushed by skyrocketing property taxes—set to jump even higher in 2025-2026 as temporary relief measures expire and assessment rates climb—combined with a cost of living that's well above the national average (housing alone 15%+ higher), desperation breeds crime. People aren't stealing brass valves because they're career criminals; they're doing it because the state government's endless spending, regulatory overreach, and failure to control explosive growth have made honest living feel impossible for too many.

Colorado ranks middling in overall tax burden (around 8.7-8.9% of income), but locals feel the pinch hard: property taxes remain burdensome despite low effective rates in some rankings, local sales taxes pile on in places like Denver (pushing combined rates near 9%), and the flat 4.4% income tax doesn't offset the housing inflation driven by out-of-control migration and green mandates. Meanwhile, politicians push more fees, regulations, and spending that drive up costs without delivering safety or relief.

The real scandal isn't just the thefts—it's how high taxes and living expenses are squeezing middle-class Coloradans so tight that scrapping sprinkler parts starts looking like a viable side hustle. Time for real conservative fixes: slash unnecessary regulations, cap runaway spending, protect TABOR fully, and stop pretending endless growth without consequences is sustainable. Otherwise, expect more of these "scrap metal crimes" as people turn to desperate measures in a state that used to stand for freedom and opportunity, not financial suffocation. Homeowners, check your systems—but demand better leadership before the next cut isn't just a valve, but your quality of life.