Amendment 52, backed by three up-and-coming Republican lawmakers - Sen. Josh Penry, of Grand Junction; Rep. Cory Gardner, of Yuma; and Rep. Frank McNulty, of Highlands Ranch - aims to shift some state drilling revenues from water and wildlife projects to road construction. They say there will still be plenty of money for water. But the measure is meeting resistance from fellow Republicans.
One of the most prominent is former state agricultural Commissioner Don Ament, who is whipping up opposition on the plains. Ament, who worked for eight years under former Republican Gov. Bill Owens, has trashed the measure. He says it will siphon money from water projects critical to farmers and derides the effort to put the spending plan into the cluttered state constitution. He said the trio is using Amendment 52 to attack Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter over what they see as a failure to pump enough money into transportation...
Other Republican legislators have also come out against the measure, including Reps. Marsha Looper, of Calhan, and Ellen Roberts, of Durango. Many water conservancy districts that supply farmers and other users also oppose Amendment 52, including the giant Colorado River District in Glenwood Springs.
Gardner downplayed the opposition from Ament and others, calling it "isolated." He noted the top contributor, who gave $35,000 to the campaign against the measure, is Pat Stryker, a wealthy heiress who funds Democratic causes and candidates.
