We are on the threshold of the most significant opportunity to help level the political playing field since two-thirds of Colorado’s men voted to amend our state’s constitution to give women the right to vote in 1893. Initiative #53, which is titled Colorado Citizen-Funded Campaigns (CCFC), is a proposed amendment to Colorado’s Constitution that would allow any qualified citizen who volunteers to accept the rules and regulations set forth in Initiative 53, to run for a state-wide office such as governor, treasurer or the general assembly, with public money set aside for this purpose from a $5 to $10 tax on all personal income tax forms each tax year.
Colorado Citizen-Funded Campaigns would help level the playing field by reducing the influence of private and special interest money from determining who runs a competitive campaign, who gets elected, and what bills are introduced and passed in our legislature. CCFC would make it possible, for the first time in Colorado’s history, for a CCFC qualified candidate to receive an amount equal to the average of what it took to win a competitive campaign in their district over the past two campaign cycles. Up to now, such candidates have had little or no opportunity to participate in, let alone win, a competitive campaign in our campaign environment.
Colorado Citizen-Funded Campaigns would dramatically reduce the amount of time currently required to raise the funds necessary to run a competitive campaign. It would effectively stop the never ending money chase for those candidates who volunteer to run their campaigns as CCFC candidates. Such candidates would qualify by obtaining the number of $5 contributions and signatures specified in Initiative #53 for the type of office for which they propose to run, after which they would be allocated the amount of money required to run a competitive campaign for that office in their district.
A CCFC candidate would have more time to spend talking with constituents about their problems, concerns, and needs. And since such a candidate would not be dependent on any other sources for the funds necessary to run a competitive campaign, he or she can more readily become an effective leader and voice not only for his or her constituents but for efforts to unite Coloradans in the major programs and policy changes that are desperately needed to resolve the escalating budget, economic, and social crises that characterize our state.
How do we cross this threshold? Sign one of the petitions being circulated across our State. We need over 100K signatures by July 5. Urge your friends and neighbors to sign a petition. Volunteer to circulate the petitions. Call us (303 665-9718 or 303 988-2729) and we will provide you with the necessary materials and training to help you do this. This is a grass roots, non-partisan effort! Please join our efforts to make Colorado the fourth state in the nation to cross this threshold!
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