HomeMy WebLinkAbout20162071.tiffRESOLUTION
RE: APPROVE EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR RAISE THE BAR, PROTECT OUR
CONSTITUTION INITIATIVE
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to
Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of
administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and
WHEREAS, the Weld County Board of Commissioners, have a unique role in governance
with both legislative and executive duties, and
WHEREAS, the Commissioners are the elected officials closest to the constituents in
Weld County, and
WHEREAS, the Commissioners are looked to for leadership on matters of government
policy, and
WHEREAS, Colorado law requires the same citizen initiative process to amend our
Constitution as our state statutes creating a framework for one of the most easily amended
Constitutions in the country, and
WHEREAS, under the current initiative process, there is no incentive to seek a statutory
change as opposed to a constitutional amendment since the standard to change both is the same,
and
WHEREAS, since 2005, special interests have presented Colorado voters with over two
dozen constitutional amendments, and
WHEREAS, the Board believes that the ease of amending Colorado's constitution leaves
the state vulnerable to "out of state" special interest groups, and
WHEREAS, the Board believes that amendments to the Constitution should be broadly
and not narrowly supported, and
WHEREAS, the Board believes that broad support would be shown by including all
Coloradans in the signature gathering process with signatures obtained from all 35 state senate
districts before a measure qualifies for the ballot, and
WHEREAS, the Board believes that once on the ballot, broad support would be shown by
achieving 55% of the vote to pass instead of the current requirement of a simple majority, and
WHEREAS, the Board believes that the Raise the Bar, Protect Our Constitution initiative
preserves voters' rights to propose changes and place an initiative on the ballot.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners of Weld County,
support Raise the Bar, Protect our Constitution's initiative that makes it harder to amend the
Colorado Constitution.
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2016-2071
BC0049
EXPRESSION OF SUPPORT FOR RAISE THE BAR, PROTECT OUR CONSTITUTION
INITIATIVE
PAGE 2
The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted
by the following vote on the 29th day of June, A.D., 2016.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
ATTEST: C%ddeti < jC iso;cA.
Weld County Clerk to the Board
BY:
uty Clerk to the Board
Clay DA
ounty Attorney
Date of signature: ^T/ aCo( a
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Mike Freeman, Chair
Sean P. Conway, Pro -Tern
eve Moreno
2016-2071
BC0049
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