Efforts are underway in Colorado by groups to push back against what they call the “Californication” of their state.
The Colorado-based Freedom to Drive Coalition filed suit earlier this month against Colorado’s adoption of California’s zero-emissions vehicle standards. The group argues that the rules are in violation of state law and will add thousands of dollars to the cost of operating heavier vehicles preferred by drivers who must navigate the state’s snow-covered roads in the winter.
Also, supporters of the Electoral College are lining up to oppose the state’s adoption of the National Popular Vote Compact, which awards all of the state’s electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the popular vote.
Mostly, groups are opposed to the amount of money pouring in from California to support the NPVC and the emissions standards.
Figures compiled by Protect Colorado’s Vote show that more than 98 percent of monetary donations to Yes on National Popular Vote have been from Californians, while Coloradans have contributed 99 percent of the revenue raised to leave the compact.
“Obviously, California is incredibly engaged in getting Colorado’s votes,” said Mesa County Commissioner Rose Pugliese, who heads the referendum campaign.
Conservative Coloradans have groused for years about attempts to “Californicate Colorado” as Californians have left the Golden State for the Rocky Mountain state.
Ironically, however, former Californians are supporting many of the same policies and regulations they fled.
Still, the Democrat takeover of the state legislature in 2016 and its embrace of liberal West Coast regulatory policies and initiatives have intensified the backlash.
“We’re not San Francisco yet, but I think there are a lot of people who want Colorado to become a subsidiary of California,” said Jon Caldara, president of the free-market Independence Institute.
“It’s one thing that the Californians keep moving out here, but you’d think they’d come to get away from California control when in fact, they still want California to control us. They just like the views better here,” he added.