Amendment 49

Illegal Anti-49 Electioneering Yields New Complaint
Well-Heeled Issue Committee’s Attacks Overstep Legal Bounds
ENGLEWOOD, CO – A leading proponent of a good-government initiative on this November’s ballot has filed a complaint against a group registered to oppose a different amendment.
Jon Caldara today submitted a formal complaint with the Colorado Secretary of State against the issue committee Coloradans [...]

The Rocky Mountain News - one of many major Colorado newspapers to endorse Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative - put out a hard-hitting editorial today knocking down the grossly deceptive arguments against the good-government measure. The deceptive arguments are bankrolled by millions of dollars from lobbying groups.
A couple key excerpts:

The foes of 49 [...]

Sandra Hagen Solin, writing as the issues manager for the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance (NCLA), explains in today’s Fort Collins Coloradoan why her organization backs Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative:

Amendment 49 prevents state and local governments from bundling money from public employees’ paychecks and delivering the funds to special interests, like unions. The NCLA [...]

Former state treasurer Mark Hillman explains the simple logic that underlies the Ethical Standards initiative:

Amendment 49 (”ethical standards”) prohibits state and local governments from intercepting a worker’s paycheck to collect dues or contributions for unions, lobbyists or any other special interest. It simply requires all interest groups to ask supporters directly for their contribution, [...]

October 22, 2008
Complaint: Amendment 49 Opponents Break Law
Issue Committees Illegally Transferred Campaign Resources
ENGLEWOOD, CO – Supporters of a good-government initiative on this November’s ballot say a citizen’s complaint against amendment opponents highlights the need for reform.
Today, Colorado Springs resident and former school board candidate Reginald Perry filed a formal complaint against the issue committee Protect [...]

Like you, the editors of the Denver Post are sick of the incessant political advertising, especially the deceptive commercials run by opponents of Amendment 49:

Nor can we watch Amendment 49 attacked as the scheme of “multinational corporations” working to “silence small business and working Coloradans.” Not true. The homegrown 49 would not hurt a union’s [...]

In a published letter to the Summit Daily News, Breckenridge business leader Steve Collins refuted the absurd attacks against Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative, and stated his support for the good-government measure:
Amendment 49 prohibits our government payroll systems from being used to collect funds for private organizations (including union dues). Accounting for deductions and [...]

In a 30-second radio spot playing across Colorado, former U.S. Senator Hank Brown touts the numerous newspaper endorsements of Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative:

Earlier this week in an interview on 850 KOA’s Mike Rosen Show, Senator Brown expounded on the endorsements and what the initiative does. Here is a brief but important clip:

A letter from former Governor Bill Owens supporting Amendment 49 was published in today’s Grand Junction Sentinel. After explaining how the initiative promotes government ethics and efficiency, Owens concludes:

This payroll reform is already working. Some county governments in Colorado, along with a handful of municipalities, have implemented this idea. But with an ethical loophole this [...]

Following the lead of eight major Colorado newspapers, some of the state’s smaller newspapers now are voicing their support of Amendment 49, the Ethical Standards initiative. This morning it’s the Mountain Mail in Salida:

Amendment 49 would prohibit automatic payroll deductions for such things as politically active groups including labor and professional associations. These entities often [...]