The Party’s On for Colorado’s Ref C

By Sandra Fish, 11-02-05

The Pinnacle Club in downtown Denver surged in celebration Tuesday evening, while glum was the word at Jackson's Hole across from Coors Field.

With Referendum C leading from the moment the polls closed, supporters breathed sighs of relief (and downed plenty of adult beverages) at the Pinnacle Club. Republican Gov. Bill Owens started making the rounds of television crews shortly after 9 p.m., with Democratic Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper showing up about 30 minutes later to take his moments in the bright lights.

Ref C means the Legislature won't face cutting $365 million from the budget next year, and instead will retain up to $3.7 billion in tax revenue over the next five years.

"This does not really put us that far ahead the first year," said Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Coal Creek. "It puts us $40 million ahead of our bills."

While voters gave the thumbs-up to Ref C, its companion, Referendum D, faced a narrower context. For Owens, who's made road-building a top priority for his administration, defeat of the initiative to sell bonds to fund roads, pensions and K-12, would be a big disappointment.

Meanwhile, Jon Caldara, the Independence Institute director who led the opposition to C and D, was planning his next move - a possible lawsuit contending the voter approved initiative is unconstitutional.

"We would try to put something together kind of quickly," Caldara said.

Caldara took the spotlight at Jackson's Hole, though he was momentarily upstaged by the arrival of TABOR author Douglas Bruce. GOP gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman, former Senate President John Andrews and House Minority Leader Joe Stengel huddled over the negative results around 8:20 p.m.

At the supporters bash, plenty of lobbyists mingled with GOP and Democratic lawmakers, as well as members of Owens' staff and former Denver District Attorney and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter.

While the budget battles of recent years may be quelled by the success of C and D, the 2006 elections likely will take precedent as Republicans try to retake the Legislature and Democrats aim for the governor's mansion.

"I'm not worried about what we'll fight about," Stengel said. "We'll figure something out."

And though the Jackson's Hole crowd didn't find solace in their original cause, there did appear to be at least one bright spot. When the television screen indicated Denver Initiative 100 to legalize pot was destined for victory, the fiscal conservatives found something to cheer about. [End of article]