PROGRESSIVE
COALITION OPPOSES REFERENDUM A
Statewide Member Poll Results: Unanimous,
Strong
"It's a $4 Billion Blank Check!"
please forward on....
posted October 27, 2003
Thank you to the more than 250 of you who responded
to our Statewide Member Poll on Referendum A.
Based on your unanimous response - with
263 voting to oppose in just two weekdays - CPC
strongly recommends a "No" Vote on Referendum
A. Please help us get the word out and pass
this along to all in your address books to inform
more of your friends and neighbors about this expensive
and ill conceived referendum. The vote will
be close so please distribute widely!
CPC opposes Referendum A for both economic and environmental
reasons. At its core, Referendum A is an attack
on Coloradans' wallets and our environment.
It's too expensive and, ironically for the self-promoting
"fiscal conservatives" lining up to push
it, the $4 billion it will cost is unspecified.
We believe that reasonable Coloradans will see through
the governor's propaganda and vote No on Referendum
A. We find it continually amazing - and brazenly
hypocritical - to watch how quickly conservative
politicians line up to propose billions in funding
for more dams, roads, and prisons while our health
care system, public schools, and economy are all
suffering. Let's show them that Coloradans
are wiser than that.
FYI: Responses came from CPC members and community
allies throughout the state. We are especially
grateful for the perspectives of those from outside
Denver who took the time to write. Responses
came from members throughout the six county Denver
area as well as Canon City, Colorado Springs, Crested
Butte, Del Norte, Dillon, Durango, Fort Collins,
Grand Junction, Greeley, Johnstown, Manitou Springs,
Palmer Lake, Paonia, Pueblo, and Woodland Park.
REFERENDUM A: WHAT IT'S ABOUT
This November Coloradans will vote on Referendum
A – a $4 billion blank check to build new dams.
Referendum A fails to list even one project or one
solution that would help the drought. But, don't
just take our word for it –read it for yourself:
BALLOT QUESTION
SHALL THE STATE OF COLORADO DEBT BE INCREASED $2
BILLION, WITH A REPAYMENT COST OF $4 BILLION, MAXIMUM
TOTAL STATE COST, BY AN AMENDMENT TO THE COLORADO
REVISED STATUTES
REFERENDUM A: A $4 BILLION BLANK CHECK FOR
UNSPECIFIED PROJECTS
The best way to understand Referendum A is to read
it yourself. But here are a few key points:
Referendum A outlines very specifically $4 billion
in costs to Coloradans, but gives no specifics on
how the money will be spent. It is a $4 billion
blank check, signed by Colorado voters.
Referendum A establishes a bureaucratic process
by which Colorado will increase its debt and could
hand over our water and our money to corporations
to speculate on their own private water deals.
REFERENDUM A IS RISKY AND NOT NECESSARY
The major water suppliers in Colorado such as Denver
Water, and the Colorado Springs Utilities have said
they will not use Referendum A because they can
already get better financing for projects.
Referendum A funds could be used to dry up Colorado's
farm land.
The Colorado Water & Power Authority already
has bonding authority for up to $500 million for
each public project sponsor.
If projects funded under Referendum A fail, taxpayers
could end up paying the $4 billion dollar tab.
REFERENDUM A IS OPPOSED BY A STRONG COALITION
Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar
U.S. Congressman Scott McInnis (R)
U.S Congressman Mark Udall (D)
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
Club 20
League of Women Voters of Colorado
Colorado Trout Unlimited
Western Colorado Congress
and many more, now including Colorado Progressive
Coalition
The Rocky Mountain News, Grand Junction Sentinel,
Pueblo Chieftain, Boulder Daily Camera and other
news outlets all recommend a no vote on Ref. A.
NO ON A: IT'S A $4 BILLION BLANK CHECK!
