Published on Face the State (http://facethestate.com)

Memo: Business group shifts campaign toward defeating Amendment 54

By bradj
Created 10/27/2008 - 8:53am
Face The State Staff Report
Colorado Concern, the business group which joined forces with a labor coalition to oppose three initiatives on the November ballot, has "refocused its attention" to defeating Amendment 54, according to an internal fundraising memo obtained by Face The State (PDF). The appeal for funds is part of a $3 million pledge made to Protect Colorado's Future, the proponent of four anti-business measures pulled from the ballot in exchange for the payment.

Colorado Concern

"We urgently need your financial support to ensure we meet our obligation," writes Janice Sinden, executive director of Colorado Concern. Members of the group, whose invite-only membership list is closely guarded, are asked to donate a minimum of $10,000 to Colorado Businesses for Sensible Solutions.

Amendment 54 would institute a state-wide database of government "no-bid" contracts, awards for public work made to companies that are not subjected to a competitive business process. In addition, the measure would prohibit recipients of such contracts from giving political contributions, which according to proponents, would bring an end to what is known as the "pay-to-play" system in government contracting.

Steve Schuck, chairman of the board of the Schuck Corporation and a member of Colorado Concern, was quick to denounce the redoubled effort to defeat Amendment 54. "It's insane, absolutely insane and unconscionable that business leaders would allow themselves to be extorted, blackmailed, and somehow find themselves opposing three good business initiatives."

CBSS also opposes Amendments 47 and 49, although the group appears to be abandoning any financial commitment it may have once had to defeating those measures, according to the document.

"I'm very unhappy that our business guys did this," Schuck added. "They gave the rope to the enemy with which to hang us. We gave [the unions] $3 million so they don't have to spend their own $3 million fighting what they like and that's $3 million they can spend fighting our candidates."

The fundraising appeal was sent via e-mail, although the recipient list was not shielded under the usual "blind carbon copy," allowing each member to see all the others' e-mail addresses. The letter found its way to Tom Lucero, campaign manager for Clean Government Colorado, the group backing Amendment 54.

In an e-mail to the fundraising letter's recipients, Lucero responded to what he called "half-truths and innuendos" on the part of Colorado Concern's leadership (PDF). "Since CBSS chose to put your email address in the public domain, I wanted to set the record straight on Amendment 54," he wrote. "We respectfully request that you NOT provide any funds for the union’s misguided efforts in opposing Amendment 54."

Lucero told Face The State that he isn't surprised at the intensified campaign to defeat Amendment 54 outlined in the letter. "I think it's great for us, because it confirms what we've believed all along which is, we're winning."
A request to Colorado Concern for an interview went unreturned by press time.

Source URL (retrieved on 10/27/2008 - 12:18pm): http://facethestate.com/articles/11601-memo-business-group-shifts-campaign-toward-defeating-amendment-54