Various grassroots organizations have begun planning how to convince Colorado voters that they should dig into their pockets to help solve the state’s financial problems.
The legislature approved a ballot question last week that will ask voters to give up about $3.1 billion in constitutionally required refunds over the next five years in exchange for more funding of roads, health care and education.
The same day, a high-powered campaign – being called unprecedented in its bipartisan roster of prominent front people and well- connected political operatives – announced plans for an effort some say could cost $8 million to $10 million.
But backers agree that in addition to buying TV ads, it will be crucial for myriad groups to talk to their members face-to-face.
Lawmakers have cut about $1.1 billion over the past four years to balance the budget during economic hard times and are facing an estimated $561 million more in cuts in the next five years.
The trick, politicos agree, is to translate those numbers into the effects on people.
For instance, a major statewide business advocacy group plans to help companies explain the proposal to their employees.
Chuck Berry, president of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, said member companies employ about 300,000 people.
“The board’s message is going to be that ‘this is important to Colorado’s economic future, and it’s important to your company and your job that we have a skilled workforce, that we have a good 21st century transportation system,”‘ Berry said.
The Colorado Education Association supports the measure and will be involved in the campaign, spokeswoman Deborah Fallin said. The teachers union can reach its 37,000 statewide members through a newsletter and direct mail.
“We will be actively engaged in educating our members about why they should support it and how they can be involved in helping by talking to neighbors and friends and family,” Fallin said.
Those reasons, Fallin said, include Colorado’s perennial bottom-of-the-barrel status in teacher-to-student ratios and per-student funding.
National and local taxpayer groups plan to fight the measure, expected to be called Referendum C.
Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute, said his group will let voters know the measure would take all their constitutional refunds for five years.
Legislative economists estimate the measure will cost an average taxpayer about $300 over the first four years.
Caldara said he expects to put several competing initiatives on the ballot.
The campaign coalition announced last week already has started raising money to counter Caldara’s message.
“What matters is that they can go out and raise the money to fund the campaign,” said Republican state Sen. Norma Anderson of Lakewood. “It’s the information they give the average voter so that the average voter understands the issues.”
Anderson and others agree the fundraising will fall to the campaign co-chairmen:
Bruce Benson, former Republican state chairman and a big-time party donor and fundraiser.
Republican Joe Blake, president of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.
Al Yates, former Colorado State University president, registered as unaffiliated but a champion of Democratic causes.
Directing the campaign will be well-known Democratic consultant Rick Reiter. Veteran Republican campaign consultants Walt Klein and Katy Atkinson will help Reiter sell the message.
The experienced ensemble mirrors the bipartisan support the budget-reform bill received in the legislature when Republican Gov. Bill Owens and Democratic leaders struck a deal to put it on November’s ballot.
Reeves Brown of Club 20, a Western Slope advocacy group, said passing the measure will “be an uphill battle.”
It’s tough to explain the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, which limits how much revenue the state can keep, he and others noted.
“The voters have lived under TABOR for 12 years, and 99 percent of them don’t understand it anyway,” he said.
What’s going to resonate with voters, Brown said, is “the notable significance of Democrat and Republican leadership standing shoulder-to-shoulder saying this is a good thing.”
Colorado State University professor John Straayer, a three-decades-long Capitol observer, said he has never seen such a high-profile, bipartisan coalition pushing a statewide ballot issue.
But polls have shown a budget fix will be a tough sell.
Enter grassroots organizations, including the Bell Policy Center.
President Wade Buchanan said members plan to travel throughout the state to explain the importance of community colleges to the area economy and their roles as local gateways to higher education.
Buchanan cited the opposition’s recent bumper sticker, “No Refund for You!”
“From my point of view, it’s ‘No College for You!’ or ‘No Job for You!’ or ‘No Road for You.’ … That’s what’s at stake.”
Voters can expect to hear a lot more between now and November.
Staff writer Chris Frates can be reached at 303-820-1633 or cfrates@denverpost.com.
