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Amendment 54:
Campaign Contributions from Certain Government Contractors







Summary

Amendment 54 would prohibit private-sector vendors with government no-bid contracts ($100,000 in a single year) from contributing to politicians during the term of their contract (and two years thereafter). It would also establish a searchable database so Colorado citizens can research how their tax dollars are being spent.

The Colorado Legislative Council estimates that It would initially cost the state $234,000 to develop the database and an additional $85,000 each year for one employee to manage the database.


Position:  Neutral
Provided by: Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly
Amendment 54 proposes amending the Colorado Constitution to:

  • prohibit certain government contractors from contributing to a political party or candidate for the contract's duration and two years thereafter;

  • prohibit contributors to ballot issue campaigns from entering into certain government contracts relating to the ballot issue;

  • apply the prohibitions on campaign contributions and ballot issue contracts to any contractor with a government contract or contracts that does not use a public and competitive bidding process soliciting at least three bids and with a total value greater than $100,000 in a single year; and

  • apply the prohibitions on campaign contributions and ballot issue contracts to a labor organization holding a collective bargaining agreement with a state or local government.
Vote NO on Amendment 54 if:
  • You believe that private-sector vendors with no-bid contracts should continue to be able to give campaign contributions to the government officials they are doing business with.
  • You believe the new database will cost the state too much.

Vote YES on Amendment 54 if:
  • You believe that campaign contributions from business interests, labor and other government no-bid contractors should no longer influence government policy decisions.
  • You believe a database is needed to help hold both public officials and contractors to high ethical standards regarding government contracts.






RMFC position:
VOTE XX
Vote NO
RMFC position:
Neutral