In The Denver Gazette, columnist Vince Bzdek asks a blunt question: why do out-of-state donors have more power than in-state voters? He points to a wave of outside money shaping Colorado races and ballot measures, featuring eye-popping checks from national figures.
Bzdek cites Michael Bloomberg as exhibit A. Bloomberg has poured millions into Colorado contests, including $2.7 million on Denver’s flavored tobacco ban and other seven-figure plays. The column lays out how Colorado’s rules let big outside spenders dominate ballot fights while ordinary voters face tight contribution caps.
The Bullet Point Brief
- Bloomberg’s cash keeps splashing: $2.7 million into Denver’s Referendum 301 and other hefty gifts over the years. Receipts, not rumors.
- Colorado caps you at hundreds per race while PACs and ballot committees take unlimited checks. That is a rigged see-saw.
- Result: a New York wallet can outweigh thousands of Colorado voices. Bzdek calls out the democratic “weird quirk.”
- Courts have slapped down most residency limits. Hawaii is a partial exception with a 30 percent cap. So reform here must be clever.
- Possible fixes: real-time donor disclosure, sunlight on dark money, and triggered scrutiny for out-of-state funds. Make them show their face.
My Bottom Line
As always, Vince Bzdek has the smart take. I am right there with him. Voters in Weld County and across Colorado need eyes wide open. Big money is trying to change your mind with glossy mailers and wall-to-wall ads. We have seen out-of-state influence poured into local fights, including the anti-Cascadia noise machine. Be alert. Ask who paid for the pitch and why they care so much about your backyard.
Here is the standard you deserve: if a committee wants your vote, it should show you the checkbook in real time and the addresses attached to it. Sunlight is not partisan. It is basic respect for voters. Until Colorado fixes the incentives, the megaphones will belong to people who do not live here, while your voice gets capped and politely escorted to the cheap seats. Weld County folks are hard to hustle. Stay sharp, follow the money, and do not sell your vote for a 30-second ad with sentimental music.
Source: The Denver Gazette
