Ref C rebate a no-go

Other groups also fail to turn in names by ballot deadline

Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 8, 2006 at midnight

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Backers of a Referendum C rebate and bans on late-term abortion and domestic partnerships didn't turn in voter signatures by Monday's deadline, ending their bids to put the issues on the November ballot.

But backers of heterosexual marriage, gay rights and marijuana did make the deadline, adding their measures to proposals that either are already on the ballot or awaiting approval by the secretary of state.

Politically, the biggest stunner was the news that activist Jon Caldara abandoned his ballot proposal that would have let voters decide whether a portion of Referendum C money should be refunded to taxpayers.

The move spurred speculation that Caldara wanted to protect GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez, who has been criticized by the business community for supporting the Ref C rebate proposal.

But Caldara - president of the Independence Institute, a self-described "cranky conservative" and strident critic of Ref C - said that wasn't the case at all. Caldara said he decided not to turn in his signatures because he doesn't have the money or the time to fight the "pro-tax chamber of commerce mafia."

"I did some real soul-searching over the weekend. Quite simply, I had to give myself a reality check," Caldara said. "I did not talk to Bob Beauprez about this. If anyone is calling him 'Both Ways Bob' on this - hardly."

Caldara said he would rather spend his time making sure "real" Republicans who support limited government get elected.

Also failing to turn in signatures Monday were backers of a proposal to ban late-term abortions. Instead, they are watching developments on the issue at the federal level and in other states, Tim Dore, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference, said in a statement.

Opponents claimed victory for Colorado women and their families.

"I think they couldn't garner enough support to place such an intrusive measure on the ballot," said Ellen Brilliant of the Protect Families, Protect Choice coalition, which was formed to oppose the ban.

In addition, backers of a measure against domestic partnerships did not turn in signatures. They fell short of getting the required number, according to an organizer, Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud.

The group trying to legalize possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana for anyone 21 and older submitted more than 129,000 signatures, almost twice the needed number.

Many of those who signed petitions are "hard-working, middle-aged folks" from across the state, said Mason Tvert, director of Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation.

"Many agree that punishing adults for using a substance less harmful than alcohol is an absurd waste of time, money and life," he said.

As for the Rec C rebate, Caldara said he believes he had enough valid signatures to get it on the ballot. But he said a chief factor in not going ahead is that he heard his opponents were going to spend $3 million fighting him, and he couldn't muster the same firepower.

Caldara last year led the unsuccessful fight against Referendum C, which allows the state to suspend tax-and-spending limits imposed by the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for five years to allow the state to recover from the recent recession.

Voters were told that the state expected to keep an additional $3.7 billion over five years, but with the current booming economy, the state will receive far more.

Caldara's proposal would have refunded to taxpayers any money above the $3.7 billion figure.

Caldara said his effort at least forced the gubernatorial candidates to stake out a position on the issue.

Beauprez, who had opposed Ref C, was the first signer of the rebate petition. Members of the business community who backed Ref C bristled at the plan, however, saying the money is needed for roads and other pressing state needs.

"We still need to keep faith with the voters on Ref C and ensure that money is going toward what it was intended for, and not for new government programs," said Beauprez's campaign manager, John Marshall.

But Democrats couldn't resist jabbing the GOP candidate.

"Buh-bye! to Beauprez's bad ballot boondoggle," read the headline in a release from the Colorado Democratic Party.

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