Cliff Willmeng, Boulder County fractivist, gives Colorado businesses the middle finger

Despite the clamor that fractivists who are pushing local control initiatives have made about the ills of fracking, The Denver Post ed board rightly identifies the larger issue with the local control initiatives – they don’t just apply to fracking, but to all businesses in the jurisdiction. Here’s what the Post wrote:

“Of all the initiatives aimed at reining in fracking, Initiative 75 appears perhaps the least likely to pass precisely because it is so radical. If Colorado voters were to approve it, they’d basically be indicating they want to hang a sign on the state saying, ‘Hostile to business; stay away.'”

While The Post limited its criticism to Amendment 75, many of the local control initiatives have similar issues.  The Post also correctly identified that there are property rights issues with Amendment 75.

“In addition, the measure seems to have little regard for either property rights or the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. And language regarding eliminating a business’ “rights” is actually somewhat chilling.”

All in all, these initiatives are a bad idea for Colorado.