Transcript Golden
November 8, 2012
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourgoldennews.com
Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 146, Issue 49
Voters approve school funding Ballot questions 3A, 3B pass By Cassie Monroe
cmonroe@ourcoloradonews.com
U.S. House District 7 Democrat Ed Perlmutter claps as he sees an update on a giant screen TV at Joe Palooka’s Sports & Spirits in Thornton on Election Day. Photo by Andy Carpenean
Perlmutter makes it four Incumbent fends off a neighborhood challenge By Glenn Wallace
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 7
109,447
gwallace@ourcoloradonews.com Voters in Jefferson and Adams counties granted the 7th Congressional District incumbent, Democrat Ed Perlmutter, a fourth term in congress Tuesday, by a 13-point margin over Republican rival Joe Coors. “We did just about everything we could to get our message out in mail and TV,” Perlmutter said Tuesday. “When you run against someone as well known as Coors, with his kind of resources, it makes it a formidable race.” The Coors campaign manager Michelle Yi reported that Coors gave his concession speech shortly before 10 p.m., and called Perlmutter to congratulate him. “We ran a spirited campaign. Joe thanked everyone for their support and voting with their hearts,” Yi said. Coors is the great-grandson of brewery founder Adolph Coors. His first political ads of the season introduced himself to voters by saying that he was not a beer. He is the former CEO of CoorTek, an international ceramic manufacturing company. As the Republican Party candidate, he ran on a business-friendly platform, criticizing Perlmutter about his support of the 2008 stimulus package and the Affordable Care Act. His brother Pete Coors made an unsuccessful run for senate in 2004. Yi said Coors would take things “one day at a time,” when asked what his future plans might be. POSTAL ADDRESS
JOE COORS
REPUblICan
Coors
139,720 ED PERLMUTTER DEMOCRAT
Perlmutter
6,284
BUCK BAILEY lIbERTaRIan
Bailey
* Unofficial results
Perlmutter, 59, is a lawyer by trade. He had previously served two four-year terms representing Jefferson County in the State Senate. Perlmutter said his major goals after re-election included seeing the Aurora VA Hospital completed, and extending the wind energy tax credit. “The main thing is that I continue to work with Democrats and Republicans to move this country forward.” American Constitution candidate
Douglas “Dayhorse” Campbell and Libertarian candidate Buck Bailey both earned around 3 percent of the vote. Bailey said he was disappointed that third party candidates were not invited to candidate debates, like they were two years ago, when he also ran. “Well, I don’t know about (running) next time around. It really comes down to the big money, and not having to work for a living while you campaign,” Bailey said. Combined, the top two candidates spent more than $6.8 million. Much of the money in this race has gone toward a flurry of TV ads from both sides. Perlmutter’s campaign received high marks from ad watchers for an ad featuring a retired Navy SEAL and his wife. The Perlmutter camp also inadvertently provided the footage for the Coors campaign’s funniest ad. Outtakes from a Perlmutter ad were posted to YouTube, allowing Coors staffers to add a sarcastic voiceover and captions. Coors began the televised portion of his campaign early with his “Not a beer” ad campaign. One attack ad by Coors, which criticized Perlmutter for his ex-wife’s participation in lobbying for Solyndra, was named one of the five worst political ads of campaign season by USA Today. The Coors and Perlmutter families have a long history as neighbors in the Applewood neighborhood of Congressional District 7. Coors and Perlmutter’s father were nextdoor neighbors for years. Perlmutter hired one of Coors daughters to his law firm. When asked if the mudslinging in the campaign may have done permanent damage to the relationship, Perlmutter said he didn’t think so. “Come tomorrow we’ll each shake it off. We’ll still be neighbors. I waved at Joe driving down his street the other day, and he waved back.”
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ELECTION COVERAGE online at ourgoldennews.com
Shouts of joy echoed through Chad’s Grill in Lakewood on Tuesday night at the Jeffco schools watch party as 3A and 3B supporters celebrated their victory. ”I’m trying to keep from crying,” Superintendent Cindy Stevenson said. “I am just ecstatic.” All those who had campaigned since March on behalf of Citizens for Jeffco Schools, a group working to get residents to vote yes on ballot issues 3A and 3B, sighed with relief when the numbers came showing the measures had passed. The property tax increase will help supplement budget cuts of $45 million for the 2013-14 school year. Results Tuesday night indicated Question 3A passed 151,829 to 110,189, and Question 3B passed 141,562 to 119,298. “We’ll be able to sustain our traditions of excellence, and support our teachers,” Stevenson said. The bond and mill levy will help make up for the decrease in state education funding per student which dropped from $7,070 in 2009-10 to $6,309 in 2012-13. The $39 million mill levy override, known as 3A, will be used for day-to-day operations, educational programs, maintenance, salaries and supplies. The $99 million bond package, 3B, will support capital projects, such as buildings, repairs and renovations. In order to fund the increases, the average homeowner in the county would pay about $14.76 per year per $100,000 in assessed value. For the average Jeffco homeowner, this would be about $3.06 per month. According to Board of Education President Lesley Dahlkemper, those at the watch party were celebrating keeping instrumental music, outdoor lab education and several
other programs on Tuesday night. “Voters said, ‘We support our schools and our kids in Jeffco,’” Dahlkemper said. The majority of Jefferson County Board of Education members have been in support of the tax increases, and only board member Laura Boggs was opposed. Citizens for Jeffco Schools co-director, Kelly Johnson, said the group was in support of the bond and mill levy because they will strengthen the district by providing an educated workforce, attracting business and maintaining property values. Johnson said when she saw 3A and 3B had passed she was so excited and proud of Jeffco residents for the decision they made. “I have been on pins and needles wondering what kind of Jeffco we’re going to have,” Johnson said. She said the ballot measures will help maintain 600 jobs in the schools, the district will not have to use furlough days and critical repairs needed in the schools will be made. “It’s been really, really hard, but what I will say is that Jeffco has people in every neighborhood and every school that are willing to sacrifice to make something like this happen,” Johnson said. The opposing side, represented by Jeffco Students First, says schools do not need extra funding to operate. Representatives of the group of stated it is unfair for the district to ask for increased funding from taxpayers, and they should use the funds they already have more efficiently. The last time voters passed a bond and mill levy was in 2004. Jeffco residents approved a $38.5 million mill levy increase and a $324 million bond issue, but said no to another request in 2008 for a $32 million mill levy increase and a $350 million bond.