Here are my recommendations for this year's ballot.
Amendment V, lowering the age requirement for legislators from 25 to 21. Vote no. To serve in the legislature you need to have at least some of life's experience. 25 years old is young enough.
Amendment W, ballot format for judicial retention elections. Vote yes. This is to create a simpler ballot format for judicial retention questions. It is needed.
Amendment X, industrial hemp definition. Vote yes. This eliminates the definition of industrial hemp in our state constitution. It should not be in the constitution in the first place. The definition belongs in State Statute.
Amendments Y and Z, congressional and legislative redistricting- Vote yes. These amendments set up a less political way for Congressional redistricting and State House and Senate district reapportionment. They are not perfect, but I believe they will make the process much fairer than the current process where one or the other political party controlling a majority of the House and Senate and the Governorship can gerrymander the districts to give total power to that one party.
Amendment A, prohibit slavery in all circumstances- Vote no. Our Constitution already outlaws slavery and there is a question as to whether Amendment A will prohibit the use of community service in judicial sentencing. Amendment A is not needed.
Amendment 73, tax increase for public schools- Vote no. This raises taxes for K-12 education. It not only raises income and property taxes, but it also sets up a very complex property tax assessment process that will be very difficult and costly to administer. Amendment 23, passed in 2010, already guarantees K-12 the previous years money per student plus inflation. K-12 is the only department that has that guarantee. The legislature needs to quit playing games using the "negative factor" and fully fund K-12 within the mandates of Amendment 23.
Amendment 74, requiring compensation to be paid for government regulatory takings. Vote yes. The Colorado Supreme Court mistakenly ruled that government can devalue private property by 90% through regulation or legislation before any compensation is required. This is an abomination! Amendment 74 fixes this huge injustice!
Amendment 75, level the playing field for campaign contributions. Vote yes. Rich people can fund their own campaigns with millions of dollars, but other candidates are restricted in what they can get from contributors. Amendment 75 will make political contests more fair.
Proposition 109, bonding for highway projects. Vote no. We have to get real about highway funding. Money for Prop 109 is supposed to come from the general fund. This is simply not realistic considering the other needs and mandates of the general fund.
Proposition 110, increase sales taxes and authorize a bond for transportation projects. Vote yes. I don't want to raise taxes, but Amendment 110 is the only realistic solution to highway funding. The legislature has put the State in the hole by not having the courage to ask the citizens of Colorado for adequate funding to maintain our highway infrastructure. The Democrats spend money on any new spending proposal and put highways on the back burner while for every day that we do not take care of our highways, it costs us that much more. Republicans, on the other hand, have tried to squeeze money for highways out of the general fund, but the Democrats have denied them at every turn. Highways are being funded now by the 1991 dollars provided by gasoline and diesel taxes with no adjustment for inflation. Those dollars are simply not adequate to keep up with highway needs. (Could you survive on the salary earned in 1991?) Proposition 110 is a .62 cent increase in state sales tax that would adequately fund state, county, and city highways. The money would go into the Highway Users Tax Fund where the legislature will not be able to get their grubby hands on it for other purposes. Counties and cities will no longer need to ask for local tax increases for highways and roads. There is a 20 year sunset on Amendment 110.
Proposition 111, limitations on payday loans. Vote no. Why should we be telling private business how much they can charge? If you want to increase competition and lower the costs of these businesses, regulation should be reduced.
Proposition 112, increase setbacks for oil and gas to 2500 feet. Vote no. This amendment does nothing to improve safety and will totally ruin the gas and oil industry costing the state billions of dollars.
Vote no on marijuana sales in Bayfield!
J. Paul Brown
Former Colorado State Representative, Ignacio
