Face The State Staff Report
With an August 4 signature submission deadline looming, four union-backed initiative campaigns maintain that they are one step closer toward seeing their proposals make the November ballot. If successful, the initiatives could provide a dramatic ideological shift to the election, with the only four initiatives certified for the ballot thus far all representing conservative and free market causes.
Protect Colorado’s Future, the labor-backed coalition opposing Amendment 47, a right-to-work initiative already approved for the ballot, submitted just shy of 124,000 signatures to the Secretary of State Tuesday, for their own proposed initiative they say would hold executives personally liable for corporate fraud.
As Face The State previously reported, signature gatherers were labeling this the “Joe Nacchio Initiative,” saying it would prevent similar cases, despite the fact that Nacchio’s conduct of defrauding Qwest retirees was criminally prosecuted under federal law. Additionally, state law already provides sanctions for criminal activity perpetrated by individuals, such as fraud and embezzlement.
Protect Colorado’s Future also says it will submit signatures Thursday for its “Just Cause” initiative, with signature gatherers for the initiative spotted Tuesday still circulating petitions. This proposal would limit the right of employers to discharge employees to certain approved causes.
In addition, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 plans to present signatures for its two initiatives Monday, which is the deadline. The initiative is in addition to the union's local political efforts, including significant early contributions to Democrat state House and Senate races. The measures would discourage job growth by expanding workers’ compensation and mandating employer provided health care for companies with more than 20 employees.
Currently, four initiatives have been certified for the November ballot, including Amendment 47. The three others also represent center-right free market ideals or conservative values. Amendment 46, known as the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, would prohibit race and gender preferences in government hiring, contracting, and education. Amendment 48, known as the Personhood Amendment, would define a human life as beginning at conception. Amendment 49 would bar Colorado governments from withdrawing union dues from worker paychecks.
In addition, submitted signatures for three measures are currently being reviewed by the Secretary of State. Of these, two maintain a center-right perspective, and one advocates a tax increase. Initiative 120 (initiatives are renamed as amendments once they are certified for the ballot) would restructure the state's severance tax, allowing for greater funding of transportation needs. Initiative 121 would allow casino towns to increase bet limits and Amendment 128 would increase the sales tax to provide for disabled services.
If all three are approved, conservatives and libertarians will maintain a 7-to-1 ballot advantage. Meanwhile, if the four union initiatives are approved, that advantage would shrink to just 7-to-5.
Under state law, a proposed ballot initiative must receive more than 76,000 valid voter signatures to be approved for the ballot.