Colorado AFL-CIO urges NO vote on Amendments 60, 61 and Prop 101The Colorado AFL-CIO is urging its members and voters around the state to reject Amendments 60, 61 and Proposition 101. They are joining a chorus of sensible Coloradans, who know that these proposals would deal a crushing blow to Colorado's economy, kill thousands of jobs and hurt working families.
"These measures would decimate funding for schools, cripple the ability of state and local governments to maintain infrastructure and would eliminate a quarter of the state's revenue," said Mike Cerbo, Colorado AFL-CIO executive director. "Given the already limited state budget, Colorado cannot afford such a drastic reduction in state services. Working families across Colorado are hurting already and this would make the economic climate even worse."
The Colorado AFL-CIO is particularly concerned about how these proposals would impact small businesses. Coloradans for Responsible Reform estimates that 70,000 jobs will be lost if these measures pass. Amendment 60 would quickly eliminate 8,000 teachers and have a damaging impact on the whole education system. Colorado would not be able to compete in a twenty-first century economy if these pass. Businesses would not want to locate or stay here if the schools are sub-par and the roads are crumbling.
The AFL-CIO is worried about the impact Proposition 101 would have on state government and the reduction of the state sales tax. Road budgets would be cut by hundreds of millions of dollars. Not only would that mean more potholes and crumbling bridges, but those jobs to repair them would be lost.
"It is rare that we can stand shoulder-to shoulder with the chambers of commerce, but on these measures we are united. They will severely damage the economy of Colorado and they must be defeated," Cerbo said.
