Governor Hickenlooper must be getting an earful from his tax hike loving base. In an interview with CBS4 the Guv tried to placate left wingers by hinting that he personally believes in raising taxes through Prop 103, but that he can't come out and say it because he promised not to during last year's election. Trying to have his cake and eat it too, Hickenlooper said he was "sympathetic to people" who want to raise taxes.

From CBS4:

While political adversaries of Gov. John Hickenlooper are calling him out for not taking an official position on Proposition 103, the governor made it clear this week where his sympathies lie.

…“I made a commitment when running for governor that I would for the first year not support any new tax increase, and to me I was saying that I would stay out,” Hickenlooper said at one point during the interview.

But then he said: “I made a commitment that I wouldn’t support any tax initiatives in our first year but that doesn’t mean I’m not very sympathetic to the people. Look at level of cuts we’ve made in education,” he said. “You are sympathetic to people that want to find some way of getting new resources into those classrooms.” [Peak emphasis]

While refusing to take a position on the only statewide ballot initiative issue in 2011, Hickenlooper has no problem weighing in on the paid sick day initiative in Denver, where he has starred in the anti-300 direct mail campaign.

Which is a bit odd, considering he is the Governor now, and no longer the Mayor of Denver. Speaker Frank McNulty found it odd too, telling CBS4:

“I do find it odd that the governor would choose to take a position on a ballot initiative in the City and County of Denver but yet is unwilling to take position on ballot initiative in front of state of Colorado,” McNulty said. “He is governor of the state of Colorado.”

McNulty, along with the rest of the legislative Republicans, has hammered Hickenlooper for refusing to take a position on Prop 103.

It seems Hickenlooper will only go so far as to dog whistle to his liberal base that he supports their work, even if he doesn't have the guts to actually take a position. 

Governor Hickenlooper — there is no spot for "sympathetic" on the November 1 ballot. There is yes or no. Which box will you mark?