What’s an election without issues or candidates?
City officials in Las Animas wondered the same thing and canceled Tuesday’s election for lack of contested races or ballot issues.
Statewide, 55 regular elections are being held Tuesday, in addition to at least 12 special elections focusing on TABOR or term limits, says Sam Mamet, executive director of the Colorado Municipal League. Most of the elections will be done by mail ballot.
Denver is among 13 local governments seeking voter approval to borrow money for various projects. By Mamet’s calculation, the measures have a decent chance of passing. Since 1993, 68 percent of such questions have been approved at the municipal level.
Proposed tax increases also have a fairly good history of passage. Thirty cities or towns are proposing tax increases or extensions. Most would raise sales taxes, in keeping with a national trend by state and local governments to boost sluggish revenue by increasing taxes on retail sales. Iowa even tried taxing pumpkins until the governor rescinded the plan last week.
Polls show the sales tax is the least-hated major tax.
Pressure on Rose to leave
We know that three-term state Rep. Ray Rose is leaving his seat in the legislature after next year, and that former GOP congressional candidate Scott Tipton is interested in replacing him. Now, some Republicans are pressuring Rose to leave sooner.
Why? Popular Democrat Noelle Hagan also wants the job. And the Montrose city councilwoman might be able to beat Tipton if he doesn’t have a slight edge — like the kind you get from incumbency.
The plan, if Rose steps down earlier, would be to appoint Tipton to finish his term. That would give Tipton a step up in 2008.
Tipton unsuccessfully challenged U.S. Rep. John Salazar for Congress in 2006. The well-known Cortez businessman who owns Mesa Verde Pottery is active in politics but never held an elective office.
Rose supporters in District 58 are annoyed by the turn of events. One supporter emphasized that, despite the pressure, Rose had not decided whether to leave earlier than he originally planned.
Dodd hits rock bottom
If you thought Tom Tancredo’s presidential poll numbers looked miserable, get a look at Christopher Dodd’s. Tancredo has consistently languished at the bottom of GOP contenders for president. Normally, Dodd has polled between zero and 1 percent. But at a moment in time last week, Dodd hit zero among Democratic candidates. Tancredo hovers in the 1 percent to 3 percent range.
Of course, it was just a poll. It didn’t mean the Connecticut senator didn’t have any votes. After all, the International Association of Firefighters, with more than 281,000 firefighters and paramedics, just endorsed him.
Dems may shoot for 6th CD
CU Regent and Democrat Stephen Ludwig says he’s pondering a run for Tancredo’s 6th Congressional District seat because Tancredo has ignored health care, education and small-business development in the district.
The Evans-Novak political report said last week that without Tancredo to run against, some Democrats believe they may not be able to win over the independent voters who hold the balance of power there.
If Democrats can recruit a top candidate, however, it could become a seat that Republicans will be desperately defending next fall.
Julia C. Martinez (jmartinez@denverpost.com) is a member of the Denver Post editorial board.
