FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2008
Contact: Jon Caldara, 303-641-4255
"Ethical Standards" Question Approved for November Voters
Measure to Clean Up Colorado Government Clears Major Legal Hurdle,
Becoming Fourth Initiative to Appear on Statewide Ballot
DENVER—Secretary of State Mike Coffman today certified petition signatures for the "Ethical Standards" initiative, which proponents say will close an unethical government loophole.
On July 8, Independence Institute president Jon Caldara and state senator Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, submitted to the Secretary of State more than 120,000 collected voter signatures in support of the Ethical Standards initiative, now dubbed Amendment 49. The minimum valid number of signatures for certification is 76,047.
"Thousands of Coloradans are sending a strong message that they want their governments providing them with essential services, not collecting money for special interest groups," Caldara said.
Amendment 49 seeks to set a consistently simple and ethical standard: No state or local government agency can use payroll deductions to bundle and send money to groups that contribute to political candidates and lobby public officials. The conflict of interest goes deeper than just the act of deducting and bundling money.
"This is especially a problem when special interests fund candidates and lobby officials of the very same government that acts as their banker, accountant, and collection agent," said Caldara.
Under the proposal, government workers preserve all their rights of association and may transmit dues payments and other contributions through convenient private banking arrangements.
Ethical Standards Now is a registered issue committee with the State of Colorado.
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