Colorado, Adams County and Thornton voters are faced with one of the longest ballots in our history.  Voters should not be dissuaded by this and need to take their time and understand the issues at hand before casting their vote.  Here is my take on the issues.

 

Amendment 46 – Discrimination by government
This amendment quite simply bans the favoritism of any individual or group based on race, sex, color or ethnicity.  As a victim of previous race-based quota systems myself and having seen firsthand the harm they do, I wholly support this amendment.  There may have been a time when quotas such as these were needed but that time has passed.  People need to stand on their own two feet and stand on their own merits.  We should not be giving an upper hand to one based on random requirements.  To do otherwise is simply government sanctioned discrimination.  Yes on 46.

Amendment 47 – Union membership and dues, Right to work
The time has come to let people have a real say as to whether or not they want to join a union and this amendment ensures that they have that choice.  Gone will be the day where they must join a special interest group simply to have a job.  Let the workers have the choice.  Yes on 47.

Amendment 48 – Definition of a person
This amendment has been called a number of things but let’s call it what it is – it is an anti-abortion law.  By defining a person to include life from the moment of conception, it essentially outlaws abortion and will certainly bring about lawsuits and possibly criminal charges against those that perform those types of operations and possibly against women that have abortions.  I am not pro-abortion by any means.  I firmly believe there are virtually always better alternatives to abortion and those should be taken before terminating the life of an unborn child.  I also believe that life, whether inside or outside the womb is sacred and needs to be preserved.  Sensible restrictions do need to be implemented.  However, an amendment to the state constitution of this level of strictness simply goes too far.  No on 48.

Amendment 49 – Government collection of union dues
To make the taxpayer foot the bill for the collection of union dues from government workers’ paychecks is wrong.  We should tolerate this for unions no more than we would tolerate the same for any other special interest group.  If unions want money from their members, let them collect the money themselves like any other group – the taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay.  Yes on 49.

Amendment 50 – Gaming limits
This one is a tough call in that it significantly increases the limits placed on gambling in places like Blackhawk and Central City while directing the added revenues to state community colleges.  When gambling was approved in Colorado, much of the money was to go to historic preservation.  Due to poor oversight by the state, local authorities in those communities have become corrupt and drunk with money.  They have been very poor stewards of taxpayer money and certainly have failed at their charge of historic preservation.  Unfortunately, the damage is done and the clock cannot be turned back.  Voters may as well make the best of it and help fund our community colleges.  Yes on 50. 

Amendment 51 – Tax increase for the developmentally disabled
As responsible citizens we are charged with helping those less fortunate and that is what Amendment 51 seeks to do.  Through an increase in the state sales tax, additional funding would be directed to organizations dedicated to helping the developmentally disabled.  This is an admirable goal.  However, I don’t believe this is the right way to accomplish it.  Fully 30% of state spending currently goes to healthcare relate expenditures.  A reprioritization of those funds via an open and deliberative debate at the capitol could shift funding to the developmentally disabled.  Further, there is no limit on this tax and little public discussion has taken place on whether this is even an appropriate amount nor does it specify where the taxpayers’ money is going exactly.  Supporters of this measure should work through other means to get their support.  No on 51.

Amendment 52 – Severance tax for highways
The goal of this measure is laudable – improvement of our roads.  However it comes at a steep price.  Money from oil and gas severance taxes currently is routed primarily to one of our most important resources – water.  We all know that here in the plains, water is our life blood.  Taking money from water projects is not the way to fix our roads.  Perhaps most notably as well, if this measure were to pass the state legislature would have oversight of this money (versus an independent commission as it is now) and thus our road projects would become highly politicized.  In a political battle over roads or just about any other state funded program, Adams County always gets the short end of the stick so there is no benefit to us and it sacrifices funding for one of our most precious resources.  No on 52.

Amendment 54 – Campaign contributions
This amendment would ban campaign contributions by government contractors for a period of two years after a contract is completed.  This is a matter of freedom of speech and severely limits business owners from having a say in our political process.  The goal is reasonably worthy in theory but the end result is wrong.  No on 54.

Amendment 58 – Tax increase on oil and gas industry
Is now really the time to raise taxes?  With gas prices as high as they already are, do we need to give the oil companies another reason to raise them?  Of course not.  Domestic exploration and the use of these resources is going to grow in the coming years and we certainly do not want to discourage that as Colorado has a bounty of natural gas and other oil-related resources that could be a boon for the state.  Oil companies may have a bad name but the fact of the matter is that they contribute $16.5 billion to our state’s economy and employ over 20,000 workers here at home.  Those numbers stand to increase significantly – if we don’t drive the companies out of the state with higher taxes.  No on 58. 

Amendment 59 – Education funding and TABOR rebates
Here we go again.  Voters approved the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) for a reason – to limit government spending, restrict its ability to raise taxes and to ensure we are returned any excess money that is collected.  Amendment 59 is simply one of the latest ways to try to evade TABOR and the will of the taxpayers.  It allows the state to keep money that would be coming back to you the taxpayer in the form of a TABOR rebate.  Most notably, there is no limit on how much the state can keep.  Of course the goal of this amendment is to increase education funding – the umpteenth time voters have been asked to do this in recent years.  Other funding that was approved in recent years has sent millions of dollars to public education.  Enough is enough.  These groups need to stop trying to evade TABOR and the will of the people.  No on 59. 

Referendum L – Age limits for serving in the state legislature
Currently a person must be 25 to serve in the state legislature.  This referendum would lower the age requirement to 21 years of age.  While I question whether or not the majority of 21 year olds have the background and experience to adequately serve in the legislature, if they are old enough to serve in this nation’s armed forces and die for this nation, they should be allowed to be one of our representatives.  Yes on L.

Referendum M – Obsolete constitutional provisions relating to land value increases
Clean it up.  Yes on M.

Referendum N – Obsolete constitutional provisions relating to alcoholic beverages
Old stuff, some related to Prohibition.  Clean it up.  Yes on N.

Referendum O – Citizen-initiated state laws
This referendum would change the requirements for modifying the state constitution and state statutes as initiated by citizens.  Our state constitution has become a cluttered mess and it is entirely too easy to modify it.  A constitution is something that should only be modified for the most important of issues – as is done on the federal level with the United States Constitution.  While making it harder for citizen initiatives to change the constitution, the referendum makes it easier to initiate statutory laws thus maintaining a proper balance by safeguarding the state constitution and preserving citizens’ rights to petition changes in the law.  This is a no brainer.  Yes on O. 

Adams 12 Five Star School Districts ballot issue 3A and 3B – Mill levy and bonds
We have already discussed this previously.  Please click here and here to read details on our position.  Say no to 3A and 3B.