Face The State Staff Report
In response to business leaders striking a deal late Wednesday night with organized labor that removed four union measures from the ballot in exchange for a $3 million contribution to fight three remaining union-opposed measures, two state lawmakers are crafting a bill that would criminalize such an arrangement in the future.
“Last time I checked, that is extortion,” said Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument. “Are we so overrun by unions that Denver is the new Chicago?”
Colorado Concern, an alliance of business leaders, took over negotiations to remove the union measures after Joe Blake, president of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, publicly distanced himself from the deal after receiving some bad press. While union officials originally sought $6 million from the business community, Face The State sources reported that the last offer had business leaders countering at just $3 million.
Unions pulled Amendments 53, 55, 56 and 57 off the ballot Thursday morning, hours before the 5 p.m. deadline. The details of the agreement were announced at a press conference that morning. Speaking at the conference was businessman Bill Coors. Coors' great-nephew Jonathan Coors is backing the most targeted of the three initiatives, Amendment 47. As part of the agreement, labor and business leaders announced a joint-campaign to fight Amendments 47, 49, and 54. Colorado Concern formed an issue committee called Colorado Businesses for Sensible Solutions that will work with Protect Colorado's Future, a union-backed coalition, to fight the three measures.
In response, Stephens and Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, announced they are drafting a bill that would make it illegal to remove a ballot measure in exchange for money. The two conceived the idea separately after being disgusted by news reports of the backroom deals between top Democrats, including Gov. Bill Ritter, business leaders and union bosses.
“What’s stopping anyone with enough money to skip the election process down the road?” asked Kopp.
The bill builds on a current law that makes it a crime for a candidate to remove their name from the ballot for money. Because it will not be introduced until the 2009 legislative session, it would have no impact on the current deal. But, if passed, it would prevent similar future deals.
“I think it’s a terrific idea,” said Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute and lead backer of Amendment 49. “The unions have taught me I’ve been missing out on a huge profit center. I know how to get initiatives on the ballot, so I’m giving up the think-tank work. I’m going into something profitable: putting bad initiatives on the ballot and getting paid to take them off.”
Stephens says the bill reflects a bi-partisan concern and she is hopeful it will receive support from both sides of the aisle.