There is a dark, stormy cloud hanging over Colorado, threatening the citizens of the Rocky Mountain State. The cloud has a name; it's called Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 (SCR 1), an amendment to the Colorado constitution that would make it more difficult for ordinary citizens to use the state’s initiative and referendum process.
Under SCR 1, amendments to the state constitution would need to cross a 60% threshold, rather a simple majority, for passage. However, any amendments adopted prior to 2013 (such as the landmark Taxpayers Bill of Rights) could be repealed with a simple majority vote. Additionally, initiative petitions must gather five percent of the vote recorded in the previous election in each congressional district; currently there is no such geographic distribution requirement.
Although proponents claim that the simple fact that $177 million spent on initiative campaigns in the last decade is a sign that the system is broken, it is actually the sign of our vibrant democratic system at work. SCR 1 is not an attempt to clean up the initiative and referendum process in Colorado, but rather an attempt by well-financed special interests to prevent ordinary citizens from having any meaningful say in state through the initiative and referendum process.
SCR would end majority rule in Colorado by mandating that even a 59% majority of Colorado citizens can be thwarted by a narrow special interest with a cash advantage. Yet a simple majority could undue what Colorado voters have overwhelming demanded over the past several years, from the Taxpayers Bill of Rights to immigration enforcement to term limits. While I may not agree with every change sought at the ballot box, I believe that everyone has a right to at least present their views to the people.
By raising the threshold for passage, SCR 1 ensures that only multimillion-dollar campaigns financed by the special interests will have any chance of success at the ballot box. Further, by requiring a geographic distribution for signatures to get initiatives on the ballot, SCR effectively denies the ability of small, citizen volunteer groups to place a measure on the ballot, thereby giving a decisive advantage to paid signature gathering operations.
The only way to stop this assault on citizens' rights is for citizens like you to speak out. Below are the telephone numbers for several members of the House of Representatives who have cosponsored SCR 1. Call them. Tell them to remove their names as cosponsors and to support the rights of citizens to demand accountability from their government by opposing SCR 1.
Rep. Acree 303-866-2944
Rep. Barker 303-866-3069
Rep. Baumgardner 303-866-2949
Rep. Becker 303-866-2906
Rep. Brown 303-866-2914
Rep. Conti 303-866-2953
Rep. Coram 303-866-2955
Rep. Liston 303-866-2965
Rep. Massey 303-866-2747
Rep. McNulty 303-866-2346
Rep. Scott 303-866-3068
Rep. Sonnenberg 303-866-3706
Rep. Summers 303-866-2927
Rep. Swerdfeger 303-866-2905