Saturday, July 10, 2004

Rocky Mountain News: Opinion: "The problem with the brochure is that it appears to violate state law preventing government agencies from spending public money to oppose or support ballot measures. In its zealousness to play advocate, RTD has thrown legal caution to the wind.
The state's Fair Campaign Practices Act doesn't address the issue of government officials campaigning for a ballot measure. FasTracks' most public boosters such as RTD Chairman Bill Elfenbein and Joe Blake, chairman of the Colorado Transportation Commission, to name but a few, have the right to sing FasTracks' virtues, separately or in unison, to their hearts' content.
But the law does prohibit the use of public money, staff time or property for political campaign purposes. Insofar as materials on a ballot issue may be distributed, they must be factual, include arguments both for and against the proposal, and refrain from any conclusion or opinion in favor or in opposition. "

Why isn't this same criticism leveled at the SCFD (Scientific Cultural and Facilities District) that is campaigning for the renewal of it's tax authority this fall on the same ballot with the RTD tax increase.

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