Auditor wants mayor's assurance that tax funds won't go to host DNC
By Daniel J. Chacon, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published June 13, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.
Photo by Rocky Mountain News
Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher.
Mayor John Hickenlooper is on a fundraising trip.
Are you worried Denver taxpayers will have to foot the DNC bill?
Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher is getting an earful from residents who are worried that taxpayers will be on the hook if the city comes up short of money to host the Democratic National Convention in August.
The auditor is asking Mayor John Hickenlooper, who has promised that no taxpayer money will be spent to host the convention, to reaffirm that commitment.
Under contract with the Democratic National Convention Committee, the Denver 2008 Host Committee must raise $40.6 million by Monday.
Hickenlooper, who is in Kansas City today to try to raise more money for the DNC, revealed last month that the host committee was about $15 million short.
Gallagher, in a letter to the mayor this week, said rumors are "swirling" that taxpayers may have to cover the difference if the city can't meet its obligation.
Kelly Jean Brough, the mayor's chief of staff, responded with a letter pointing out that other cities that hosted political conventions say fundraising "always picks up in the final months before the event, with nominees assisting in the process."
Brough also said "we have begun conversations" with Barack Obama's campaign about fundraising opportunities now that he is the Democrats' presumptive nominee.
"I have people buttonholing me in coffee shops, corralling me along the 16th Street Mall, even stopping by my house asking how the city will be able to afford the convention if the fundraising efforts fall short," Gallagher wrote in the letter.
"Specifically, people are asking me if Denver will have to use tax dollars to back-load any financial shortfall or even if the city is planning to use bond money to subsidize any shortfall," Gallagher said.
"I know that you have promised the citizens that tax dollars will not be used for the convention, and I repeat that promise on your behalf to those that question me, but the rumors swirl nonetheless." Gallagher said he wants Hickenlooper to restate his promise to assuage resident concerns.
Any rumors that some of the $550 million of bond money voters approved last fall will be used to host the convention are false, Brough wrote Gallagher. The bond money is "limited to the uses described to those voters prior to the election and cannot be used to finance the convention," the letter said.
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June 13, 2008
6:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
Art writes:
If you believe that no city tax money will be used for the Democratic orgy then I have a couple of acres of land in Florida that you can buy, or maybe a bridge in Brooklyn.
June 13, 2008
7:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
Mike846 writes:
Hickenlooper will just play a three-card Monte game, moving money from one tax bucket to another, say, education (most likely)to cover the city's losses on the convention, then come back with a slick campaign to increase taxes in the area he takes the bucks from. You can't turn down "the KIDS", right? Now according to Hizzoner's minions, no updates will be given out as to the status of funding, how short they are, etc. Gee, imagine if a Republican mayor was flying around the country at taxpayer's expense trying to raise money for a strictly partisan cause. The uproar in the not-so popular press would be predictable: outrage, calls for "transparency" in government, criticism of the mayor wasting time on partisan politics while he should be running the city. Gee, why is it I don't see ANY of that stuff here in the Rocky?? I'm so confused. You don't think the paper has a bias, do you? Gleefully, Mike
June 13, 2008
8:09 a.m.
Suggest removal
rickg19611 writes:
GO GALLAGHER GO! Help taxpayers protect themselves from the thieves in the Democrat party.
The fatcats are trying to steal from taxpayers, after lying to voters and claiming the Democrats wouldn't loot Denver taxpayers, so don't let the crooks get away with it.
Make Osama pay for his own sleazy party.
The low IQ crowd keeps whining that they "have no doubt 15 or even 20 million can be raised". Despite the admission from Democraps themselves that they've missed ALL of their fundraising milestones and are short tens of millions of dollars when their "fundraising" should have been complete by now.
If the idiots are so confident they'll raise their sleazy money, then why do they REFUSE to make a public commitment now that they won't renege on their earlier claims about not charging taxpayers?
Simple. Because they know their crooks are planning to steal from taxpayers.
June 13, 2008
8:49 a.m.
Suggest removal
Elwood writes:
Mike,
You are so right about the shell game that Hick will play with the tax dollars. I'm sure he has some kind of deal where the city won't charge the Dem's for services provided or rental on venues, etc.
June 13, 2008
9:26 a.m.
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DenverDan writes:
Colorado will host the next Pres. I love that the freaks on the right will spend tax money to do so.
June 13, 2008
10:35 a.m.
Suggest removal
rickg19611 writes:
So the truth is revealed... as it always is.... Democrats lied when they said they wouldn't charge taxpayers for their crackheads to party in Denver.
Of course, no citizen with an IQ above 12 thought Democrats were telling the truth.
Time for Hickenblunder to admit his lies.... Democrats are stealing from taxpayers to fund a fatcat party for a terrorist connected nominee.
Get Osama to have his terrorist buddies to cough up the Democrat funding. They're already campaigning for Barack bin Osama. The taxpayers NEVER asked for the boondoggle, so the Democraps and their HAMAS buddies should pay for it themselves.