The Colorado Republican Party’s Executive Committee has taken official positions on Amendment Y and Z and Propositions 74 and 112. On the other amendments and propositions, the party has not taken an official position.
— from the Colorado Republican Party website, October 23, 2018
We’re all good people, and we all care about many of the same things.
Yesterday, I was looking for confirmation of my theory that — no matter where we stand within the political spectrum — we Americans share a lot of the same values, and will tend to support, or reject, the same ballot issues.
Okay, there might be a few key issues on which we must disagree. But we all truly want the best for our state and our home towns, no matter whether we lean Right or Left… and therefore we will vote the same way on many of Colorado’s 2018 ballot measures. That was the theory, at least.
I got to wondering if this was true, so I did a search for ballot recommendations from the Right, and from the Left. I was pretty sure the Colorado Republican Party and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, for example, would lean to the Right with their recommendations, and the Colorado Democratic Party and ProgressNow would lean to the Left.
Our readers who’ve reviewed their mail ballots, or maybe even voted them already, are aware that we have a boatload of amendments and propositions to consider this election season.
Nine (9) proposed constitutional amendments. Four (4) propositions.
13 ballot measures on which we might agree. Or not.
Apparently, the Colorado Republican Party Executive Committee could find consensus on only two amendments, and two propositions:
‘Yes’ on Amendments Y and Z. ‘Yes’ on Proposition 74. ‘No’ on Proposition 112.
Four, out of 13. Not a great score.
When I compared this meager set of endorsements to those coming from the folks on the Left, my theory fell apart. Turns out, the Right and the Left do not agree on much of anything.
Here are the numerous recommendations from the Colorado Democratic Party:
As we note, the Democratic Party also recommends a ‘Yes’ vote on Amendments Y and Z, just like the Republican Party. Y and Z together would create nonpartisan, independent Commissions to handle congressional and state re-districting following the decennial US Census.
But the two parties part ways on Amendment 74 and Proposition 112.
Amendment 74 would allow a property owner to sue a government agency for “compensation” if a new law or regulation “reduces the fair market value of the property.” A similar law, passed in Oregon, generated $20 billion in lawsuits within the first three years, threatening funding for schools, police, fire departments and just about every government service. Amendment 74 is officially opposed by 100 Colorado civic organizations, including the Colorado Municipal League, Club 20, and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, plus more than 50 counties, cities and towns, and more than 120 elected officials. And also by the Colorado Democrats.
But Amendment 74 is one of the three measures officially supported by the Colorado GOP.
The other point of disagreement, between the two parties, is Proposition 112. This law would require new oil and gas wells to be located at least 2,500 feet from “any structure intended for human habitation,” as well as from rivers, streams and other environmentally ‘vulnerable’ areas.
The Democrats officially support the setbacks, and urge a ‘Yes’ vote. The Republicans oppose them and urge a ‘No’ vote.
According to Ballotpedia, supporters of the 2,500-foot setbacks have spent about $800,000 to educate voters. Their opposition is better funded — thanks perhaps to contributions from oil and gas companies — and they’ve spent about $17 million on the ‘Vote NO on 112’ campaign.
ProgressNow tends to agree with the Colorado Democrats, pretty much straight across the board, on almost every amendment and proposition.
The only disagreement on the Left is about Amendment 75, which would greatly increase the amount of money a contributor can donate to a candidate’s campaign, under certain circumstances. The Democrats took no official position. ProgressNow urges a ‘No’ vote, calling it a “sneak attack” by Trump supporters.
Over on the Right, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce — like the Republican Party — took official positions on only certain ballot issues. (They posted their arguments on their website, and also created a handy, printable “ballot guide” like the one from ProgressNow.)
The Denver Metro Chamber agreed with the Republicans on Amendments Y and Z (‘Yes’), and on Proposition 112 (‘No’). But unlike the Republicans, the Chamber urges a ‘No’ vote on Amendment 74 — the “property owners can sue governments for any changes to their property values” issue.
The Chamber also recommends a ‘No’ vote on:
- Amendment 73, a $1.6 billion tax increase for Colorado public schools
- Proposition 109, a huge, unfunded debt for repairs to a few state highways
The Chamber urges a ‘Yes’ vote on Proposition 110, which increases the sales tax by 0.62 percent and creates a $6 billion debt for transportation improvements. On the other six ballot measures, the Denver Metro Chamber takes no official position.
It would appear that the Left is either more eager to express an opinion, or else finds it easier to come to consensus on difficult issues.
None of these political groups weighed in on our two local ballot issues. 1A would increase your sales tax by 1.0 percent, to fund ‘Justice System Capital Improvements.’ Whatever that might mean. (I’m voting ‘No.’) 5A would increase your local property tax by about 6 mills, and supply the Archuleta School District with an additional $1.7 million per year. (I’m voting ‘No.’)
They say variety is the spice of life. I suppose that applies equally well to a ‘variety of opinions.’ I’d probably be bored to death if we all agreed… on everything.
