PLEASE VOTE ON THE BALLOT ISSUES!!

Many people vote in the candidate races, such as US President and Senate, and leave some or all of the ballot issues blank. This “drop-off” can allow a small minority of people to get their agenda item in the state constitution. If you don’t know how you want to vote, you can always vote no and keep the status quo rather than not vote or vote for unintended consequences.

I hope this blog helps to educate voters and generates some conversation about the ballot issues. Warning: The descriptions below are very brief! Each ballot issue has its own blog entry if you would like more information or to make comments about the ballot issue. Please limit comments on this blog entry to general comments about the process or the election.


COLORADO BALLOT ISSUES

C = Constitutional (can only be changed by a voter-approved constitutional amendment)
- new = unwarranted constitutional amendment
- change = changing existing wording in the CO Constitution
S = Statutory (can be modified by the Colorado general assembly)

* = It is interesting to note that all the new tax measures have a de-Brucing clause to exempt future revenue from the TABOR (CO Constitution, Article X, Section 20) restrictions.


Initiatives
(Electors signed petitions to put these on the ballot.)

Amendment 46
Discrimination and Preferential Treatment by Governments
Commonly referred to as the Anti-Affirmative Action Amendment.
(C – new)
NO

Amendment 47
Prohibition on Mandatory Labor Union Membership and Dues
Commonly referred to as the Right-to-Work Amendment.
Prohibits mandatory union membership.
(C – new)
no

Amendment 48
Definition of Person
Defines a “person” from the moment of fertilization.
(C – new)
NO

Amendment 49
Allowable Government Paychecks Deductions
Prohibits union dues from being deducted from payroll checks.
(C – new)
NO

Amendment 50*
Limited Gaming in Central City, Black Hawk and Cripple Creek
Allows gambling towns to increase bet limit from $5 to $100.
Major portion of increased tax revenue goes to community colleges.
(C – change)
lean no

Amendment 51*
State Sales Tax for Services for People with Developmental Disabilities
Increase of $0.02 per $10 purchase by July 2010.
(S)
lean no

Amendment 52
Use of Severance Tax Revenue for Transportation
Reallocates some severance taxes from water projects to highways.
(C – new)
NO

WITHDRAWN - Will appear on ballot, but votes won't count.
Amendment 53
Criminal Accountability of Business Executives
Allows suits against business executives who know of a business failing to perform a legal duty.
(S)
lean yes

Amendment 54
Campaign Contributions from Certain Government Contractors
The extended family and the leaders of any company or union which receives a government contract of $100,000 which had fewer than 3 bidders is prohibited from financially contributing to political parties or local and state candidates.
(C – new)
NO

WITHDRAWN - Will appear on ballot, but votes won't count.
Amendment 55
Allowable Causes for Employee Discharge or Suspension
Commonly referred to as the Just Cause Amendment.
(C – new)
no

WITHDRAWN - Will appear on ballot, but votes won't count.
Amendment 56
Employer Responsibility for Health Insurance
Requires employers with 20+ employees to provide health insurance for employees and dependents either directly or through a new state health insurance authority.
(C – new)
no

WITHDRAWN - Will appear on ballot, but votes won't count.
Amendment 57
Additional Remedies for Injured Employees
Allows injured employees to seek damages over workers’ compensation levels.
(S)
lean no

Amendment 58*
Severance Tax on Oil and Natural Gas Industry
Eliminates property tax credit for oil and gas producers.
Most of increased severance tax revenue goes to college scholarships.
(S)
yes

Amendment 59*
Education Funding and TABOR Rebates
Eliminates Amendment 23's automatic increase in P-12 education spending. Ends TABOR rebates, instead directing money to the State Education Fund. Creates a savings account for education and limits when its money can be spent.
(C – change)
yes


Referenda
(The general assembly put these on the ballot with a 2/3 vote.)

Ref L
Qualifications for Serving in the Legislature
Lowers the age from 25 to 21 for serving in the CO general assembly.
(C – change)
yes

Ref M
Obsolete Constitutional Provisions Relating to Land Value Increases
Provisions allow state to temporarily exempt trees from land value.
(C – change)
YES

Ref N
Obsolete Constitutional Provisions Relating to Alcohol beverages
Provisions have been superseded by federal rules and duplicated in state statute.
(C – change)
YES

Ref O
Citizen-Initiated State Laws
Increases the hurdles for constitutional changes.
Decreases the hurdles for statutory changes.
(C – change)
yes


BOULDER COUNTY BALLOT ISSUES

1A
Boulder County Clean Energy Options
Allows the county to take on debt in order to make loans to property owners wanting to make energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. Taxes would not increase.
YES

1B*
Worthy Cause 0.05% Sales/Use Tax Extension
To continue for 10 more years a tax paid since 2001 to fund capital improvements and equipment at local human services non-profits.
no


CITY OF BOULDER BALLOT ISSUES

Tax Issues

201*
City Retention of Property Tax Funds
Allows the city to retain excess property tax funds up to .5 mills per year
for

202*
Sales and Use Tax Extension
Allows the 0.38% general fund city sales and use tax to continue indefinitely
FOR

Charter amendments

2A
City Council Compensation
Pays city council members $1000 per month instead of $174.31 per meeting.
for

2B
City Council Executive Sessions
Allows executive sessions if 2/3 of the council members present approve
lean against

2C
Amendment of Recall Election Procedures
Changes time from validation of recall petitions to election from within 40 days to 75-90 days
FOR

2D
Permit City Lease up to Forty Years
Allows city council to grant leases of 40 years rather than just 20 years
for

2E
Qualifications for Appointment to City Commissions
Allows people who are not city electors to serve on city commissions
against


OTHER BALLOT ISSUE SITES

Ballotpedia
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Colorado_2008_ballot_measures

Bell Policy Center
http://www.thebell.org/

Ben’s Guide to the Colorado Ballot 2008
http://bendegrow.com/guide-to-colorado-ballot-2008/

Colorado Republican Business Coalition
http://www.smallbusinessrepublicans.com/issues/2008Ballot.htm

Colorado Index
http://thecoloradoindex.typepad.com/the_colorado_index/2008/09/updated-voters.html

Independence Institute
http://www.shakedowncolorado.org/issues-08/

League of Women Voters of Colorado (English and Spanish)
http://www.lwvcolorado.org/

League of Women Voters of Boulder County
http://lwvbc.org/

People's Press Collective
http://www.peoplespresscollective.org/2008-colorado-ballot/

Your Colorado Ballot Initiatives Reference
http://www.coloradoballot.net/


COMMISSIONS ON JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE WEBSITE
http://www.cojudicialperformance.com/
Thanks to a reader for the website info above.
Information on retention of judges in your district is also in the hard copy of your "Blue Book" (aka 2008 State Ballot Information Booklet).


You can find information about the legislative session, the Colorado Constitution, the Colorado Revised Statutes, etc. at the website http://www.leg.state.co.us/