In between vetoes and selecting Colorado’s new quarter, Gov. Bill Owens has been trying to pull some well-heeled Republicans back under the GOP’s big tent.
Referendum C, the ballot initiative to reform the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, has created a rift in the party, pitting the See No Evils against the Lessers of All Evils.
The See No Evils, led by the Independence Institute, see nothing wrong with TABOR and don’t want it touched. The Lessers of All Evils, led by Owens, see Ref C as a pragmatic way to change the way Colorado budgets its money – and figures it’s much better than watching TABOR eventually gutted by a citizen initiative. If passed by voters this fall, C will allow the state to keep $3.1 billion more in revenue over the next five years.
Owens has been privately trying to convince some Republicans that it’s best to reform TABOR now and eliminate it as a potential headache for the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2006.
The only officla GOP candidate, Marc Holtzman staked out an early position against C. Likely foe Congressman Bob Beauprez expressed “serious reservations,” but hasn’t decided how he’ll vote.
“I think it’s extremely conservative, maybe ‘traditional’ is a better term, to be fiscally responsible, and investing in the long-term infrastructure needs of the state is fiscally responsible,” he says.
That sounds like Owens’ approach may be working. If he can’t get conservative office-holders and candidates to vote “yes,” Owens at least wants them to soften their skepticism. Witness former Senate Minority Leader Mark Hillman at last week’s press conference where the governor named him interim state treasurer. He’s a “no” vote, but essentially said he won’t be a torch-bearer for the cause.
But when serious money guys like Ralph Nagel and Edward Mc- Vaney are upset, it could spell trouble for the GOP. The party was outspent by Democrats in last November’s elections, and GOP leaders were counting on the likes of Nagel to pour cash into the 2006 races. Instead, Nagel and McVaney are part of an “issues committee” formed by Jon Caldara of the Independence Institute aimed at sinking C. The committee includes the wealthy and the influential, with names like Jeff Coors, Helen Kriebel, former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong and oilman Courtland Dietler.
The institute already is airing radio ads targeting Referendum C and Caldara hopes to eventually raise a couple million dollars. In 1998, it only cost him $150,000 to defeat a statewide de-Brucing issue using the same slogan: Vote No, It’s Your Dough.
Beauprez, who’s walking a tightrope these days over the issue, says the party needs to stave off the desire among some to “to pull out the dictionary and define who’s a real Republican and who’s not. ” Whenever Republicans go down that path, he said, “we seem to have more Ls than Ws after an election.”
Beauprez staffing up
Speaking of Beauprez, the Arvada congressman’s campaign for governor is in full swing. He’s hired John Marshall, former senior policy adviser for Owens, as his campaign coordinator. Marshall most recently ran Greg Walcher‘s failed congressional bid. Julie Herrmann from the Leadership Program of the Rockies was hired as organizational director, and Rich Beeson, former regional political director of the Republican National Committee, is under contract as chief fund-raiser.
Beauprez also is beginning to unveil some campaign themes (expect to hear the phrase “Are we doing business the way we ought to be doing business?” often) and will offer up plans on education, health care, water and transportation.
While it was hard telling House Speaker Dennis Hastert he was running for governor, party leaders back East “know this governorship is a big deal,” he said. “I talked with the folks at the White House and they understand it. In fact, they said, ‘How can we help?”‘
Gov. Dodgeball
The next time some kid is taken out at the legs by a big red rubber ball, he or she can curse the governor. Among his 47 vetoes, Owens wisely saved dodgeball.
Lawmakers approved a bill that would have created a program to reward schools that meet national physical education standards. But those standards would have been based on content from a national group opposed to pesky “elimination games” as a potential assault on a loser’s self-esteem.
“I have no intention of presiding over the abolition of dodgeball from Colorado public schools so long as I am governor.”
Dan Haley (dhaley@denverpost. com) is a member of the Post’s editorial board.
