October 13, 2006
At Your Request: What's on the November Ballot?
By Stan Dyer
When Colorado goes to the polls Tuesday, November 7, among other things, we will be considering the fate of 14 ballot proposals. With a lot of numbers and letters to remember, I compiled a list to use for quick and easy reference, and to help sort through the various choices. Today, as much as ever, it is important to make the right decisions.
According to the "blue book" mailed to the homes of Colorado voters, Amendments are proposals placed on the ballot by citizens through the process of petitions and signatures. Referenda, on the other hand, are proposals placed on the ballot by the State Legislature. This year's list contains seven Amendment proposals, and seven proposed Referenda. The list is as follows:
Amendments:
Amendment 38 - Petitions. It seeks to modify existing procedures for citizen proposals to change laws. If passed, it will change State, City, and Town laws.
Amendment 39 - School District Spending Requirements. It requires schools to allocate 65% of funding in specified areas more related to advancing the educational process. It is similar in construction to Referendum I, but with distinct variations.
Amendment 40 - New Term Limits for Colorado Supreme Court. It establishes four years as the term limit for elected judges. It also requires judges with 10 or more years of service to "leave" in 2009, and all others to face re-election in 2008.
Amendment 41 - Standards of Conduct in Government. It limits the gifts given to and the lobbying by public officials. It also establishes an "Ethics Committee".
Amendment 42 - Colorado Minimum Wage. It raises the Colorado minimum wage to $6.85 for regular employees and to $3.83 for "tipped" employees. The present minimums are $5.15 and $2.13 respectively.
Amendment 43 - Marriage. It defines marriage in Colorado as ONLY the union between a man and a woman.
Amendment 44 - Marijuana Possession. It legalizes the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana in the State of Colorado by person 21 years of age or older.
Referenda:
Referendum E - Property Tax Reduction for Disabled Veterans. It reduces the property tax on the first $200,000 of value of a residence owned by a veteran declared 100% disabled due to service in the military.
Referendum F - Recall Deadlines. It changes the recall provisions of the Colorado Constitution by removing old deadlines, allowing the State Legislature to set new deadlines, and changing the requirements for when a recall election is held.
Referendum G - Obsolete Constitutional Provisions. It removes obsolete language from the Colorado Constitution concerning duty in the Militia, Old Age Pensions, and School Districts.
Referendum H - Limiting a State Business Income Tax Deduction. It changes income tax regulations for corporations who hire illegal residents. It also defines "illegal".
Referendum I - Domestic Partnership. It creates and defines domestic partnership in Colorado and separates the two. It also gives rights to person involved domestic partnerships.
Referendum J - School District Spending Requirements. It is similar to Amendment 38, but with modifications and distinctions by the State Legislature. It still requires 65% of funds to be allocated in specific areas.
Referendum K - Immigration Lawsuit Against the Federal Government. It requires the State to sue the Federal Government to maintain and enforce Federal immigration laws.
This is just an easy reference list. How you vote is up to you, but it is important for each voter to investigate the choices and make informed decisions. Please consult your blue books for pro and con arguments as well as the full text of each proposal. If you still have questions, contact me by email, or go online for more information. I already know how I am voting, but I will only offer unbiased information to those who request my advice. The choices are up to you, and now, as much as ever, it is important to make the right decisions.