As the new kid on campus, it will be difficult for Hank Brown to pull himself away from the University of Colorado, but he’s right to devote a part of his time to campaign for voter approval of Referendums C and D.
Brown is an invaluable addition to the distinguished group that wants to revise the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. His credibility is based on a long and unquestioned record as a fiscal conservative.
Opponents are trying mightily to brand the referendums as liberal tax-and-spend measures. They know better, of course. With Brown joining Gov. Bill Owens and prominent Republican lawmakers and business leaders on the C and D team, the demagogues opposing them will find it hard to cast these sensible measures as some crazy Democratic conspiracy.
Brown last week endorsed the two November ballot proposals to reform TABOR and invest more money into transportation and education, saying he’ll take unpaid leave from his new post at CU whenever he campaigns.
His decision to stump on his own time stems from a state law that prohibits university officials and appointed state employees from using taxpayer resources and time to advocate for a ballot issue or candidate. Brown, who became CU president Aug. 1, doesn’t want to spend too much time out of the office, but his efforts will be time well spent. If the measures pass, CU and all of Colorado education will be much better off.
As leader of CU and former president of the University of Northern Colorado, Brown understands education finance and knows our schools can’t endure more years of drastic cuts. That’s also part of the reason former state GOP chairman Bruce Benson is supporting the measures. As chairman of the Metropolitan State College trustees, he’s witnessed the damages caused by more than $100 million in state cuts.
To prevail against the anti-tax demagogues, C and D supporters like Benson and Brown will need to assure Coloradans that state government and businesses will be stronger if TABOR is reformed. We were glad to see pillars of the business community, such as Ray Kolibaba, who runs Ratheon’s 2,600-worker Space Systems business, stepping up to give their reasons why this budget fix is needed. Kolibaba is worried about an educated workforce and keeping good jobs in Colorado.
Opponents who cast these ballot measures as liberal causes are making a dishonest argument, unbelievable in the first place but even less so when voters hear from voices like Brown and Kolibaba.
