Here's a story about Bob Beauprez and his new opposition to Amendment 38, from the Rocky Mountain News. They write, "Congressman Bob Beauprez withdrew his support Friday for a controversial ballot measure that is opposed by much of the business community, prompting a leading supporter to accuse him of betrayal. Beauprez, the presumed Republican candidate for governor, announced Friday that he will not support Amendment 38, a so-called "petition rights" constitutional amendment that would make it easier for citizens to challenge local government decisions through initiative campaigns. Beauprez endorsed Amendment 38 in April. His change of heart outraged Douglas Bruce, the anti-tax crusader who endorsed. Beauprez earlier this year. Bruce said Beauprez was earning the 'Both Ways Bob' label given him by former primary opponent Marc Holtzman...
"Amendment 38: Allows circulators 12 months, not the current six, to collect signatures for the ballot; Establishes the state standard for signatures (5 percent of the last vote for secretary of state) as the maximum for initiatives on local governments' ballots - Cities currently are allowed to set their own standards; Extends the initiative process to county governments and special districts. Cities already do it; Allows any sort of initiative to be considered even on odd-year ballots, which the state Supreme Court has ruled can now only feature TABOR-related issues; Makes it much tougher to disqualify signatures by giving the benefit of the doubt to the sponsors in every case."
More details from Dan Haley (via the Denver Post). He writes, "Pressure had been mounting for Beauprez to abandon 38 for weeks. Its backers say it would clean up some of the abuses in the petition process, but opponents claim it undercuts representative government and could open a Pandora's box of problems. Ambiguity in the proposal, Beauprez notes, 'could invite activist courts to reinvent the law.' Colorado Counties Inc. and Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, and many of the groups that supported Referendum C, have come out against 38. Gov. Bill Owens, Beauprez's most visible supporter, also opposes it. Beauprez had worked himself into a corner, and his move Friday still may not be enough for some since he's opposing it on a technicality of sorts. And that brings us to Beauprez's other predicament with the business community, Initiative 88, which would limit the amount of money the state could retain under Referendum C. The business leaders who rallied to pass Ref C also oppose it, as does Gov. Owens. Beauprez was the first signature on the petition, and still backs the idea."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
9:30:03 AM 
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