Constitution plan falters

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Mar 1, 2005 | by KYLE HENLEY THE GAZETTE

DENVER - A measure that would make it harder to change the Colorado Constitution probably won't make the ballot.

In fact, it probably won't make it out of the Senate, even though a majority of senators support it.

The Senate gave preliminary approval Monday to Senate Concurrent Resolution 2, which would require that 60 percent of Colorado voters approve constitutional changes instead of 50 percent.

But it lacks the two-thirds majority that constitutional provisions must have.

Sen. Ron Teck, R-Grand Junction, says he will postpone a final vote on his proposal to see if he can change a few minds.

"It is my belief today that our constitution should be a foundational document and shouldn't be easily changed," Teck said. "We've seen problems in the last decade."

Competing provisions of the Colorado Constitution are widely blamed for the state's projected $234 million shortfall for 2005-06 and a $188 million deficit in 2006-07.

The Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, passed in 1992, caps the amount of tax revenue government can keep and spend. Amendment 23, approved in 2000, forces the state to increase spending on education each year by inflation plus 1 percent. Together, the measures force the state to spend more but keep less. Both measures were ballot initiatives proposed by citizens.

"If you look at the U.S. Constitution, it is very, very short and concise, and it governs the whole nation," said Sen. Norma Anderson, R-Lakewood. "We have a constitution that gets thicker every year."

But critics -- enough to keep the measure from moving forward -- say they won't abridge voters' ability to change the state constitution.