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Whew! The November election is over! Let’s recap the issues and candidates your local Aurora Government Affairs Committee took a stand on and see how we did.
House District 36 –
Endorsed Morgan Carroll – WIN!
House District 39 –
Endorsed David Balmer – WIN!
House District 40 –
Endorsed Debbie Stafford – WIN!
House District 41 –
Endorsed Nancy Todd – WIN!
Arapahoe County Commissioner –
Endorsed Lynn Myers – Loss
Amendment 38 – Petitions –
We were opposed – WIN!
Amendment 39 & Referendum J – School District Expenditures –
We opposed both – WIN!
Amendment 40 – Judicial Term Limits –
We opposed – WIN!
Amendment 41 – Ethics –
We opposed – Loss
Amendment 42 – Minimum Wage –
We opposed – Loss
Referendum E – Property Tax Deduction –
Supported – WIN!
Overall, REALTOR®-friendly candidates and issues won the day. Now let’s look ahead. We fully expect some more significant changes and legislation during the next session.
Battles may rage over “SuperSlab” – the proposed highway from Fort Collins which would pass through the Watkins area, between Elizabeth and Kiowa, and eventually reach Pueblo. The battle will be waged through a number of eminent domain bills; the outcome will affect not just the SuperSlab project, but also the proposed widening of I-70, expansion of the Fort Carson training range along the Purgatoire river, and several municipal actions for the development of “blighted” areas.
We might also see the meth lab bill which will go into effect this next year. As we work through the process of compliance, I expect the legislature will need to make a few changes to the meth lab law since there are more questions than answers concerning the deadlines and qualifications for testing.
Most importantly, let’s not forget the single biggest issue facing us today – the role of banking in real estate. In this column in September 2005, Perry McGill wrote an article entitled “Quiet Threats” which I found insightful. If we do not actively oppose banks in real estate as one united REALTOR® voice, we will lose our ability to practice our business. Please think about that for just one moment…and then pick up your checkbook and write your Political Survival Fund (PSF) check early this year!
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