How can Colorado become a Free State?

There are many paths, including building community, creating businesses, raising children, and developing technology to counter the State.

While there are many paths to Liberty, the path of Political Activism can be a useful tool, and has achieved serious victories in recent history.

From TABOR, to Amendment 64, activists have made an impact in Colorado.

Political Activism can be a viable path for individuals who wish to reverse some of the State’s authoritarian attempts to restrict human liberty.

Even though we won’t be able to make Colorado a Free State overnight, there are victories on the margins that can be achieved.

Thousands of Liberty Activists want to make Colorado a freer place to live, and with proper organization, they can have a huge impact.

This is the first in a series of posts centered around specific goals for the Liberty Movement of Colorado.

Please share, and leave a comment with your thoughts!

The History of Attempts to Ban Red Light Cameras in Colorado

Efforts to Ban Red Light Cameras have been successful in the Colorado Legislature, only failing due to a veto from Governor John Hickenlooper.

In 2015, the State Legislature passed HB15-1098 and SB15-276 which would have banned Red Light Cameras in Colorado.

Even though the bills passed with bipartisan support, Governor Hickenlooper vetoed the bills.

In 2016, a Ban on Red Light Cameras passed again in the State Legislature with HB16-1231, but Hickenlooper also vetoed the bill.

One of the Prime Sponsors of the 2016 bill was Democratic Senator Morgan Carroll.

Colorado Democratic Congressman Ed Perlmutter is also in favor of a Red Light Camera Ban, introducing legislation at the national level to ban these revenue devices.

In 2018, Aurora voters banned Red Light Cameras in the city.

Engaging Legislators for the 2022 Colorado Legislative Session

Efforts to reintroduce a Ban on Red Light Cameras in the 2022 Legislative Session should focus on the legislators who supported the previous efforts.

Morgan Carroll is now the Chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, and with her support, many of Colorado’s Democrats would join the effort.

Not to mention the Democrats who supported earlier efforts and are currently still serving, such as Jovan Melton.

Joseph Salazar supported the bill while in office, and he remains a force in the Colorado Democratic Party.

And Republicans who would sponsor the effort such as Patrick Neville, Kevin Van Winkle, and Dave Williams need to be supported.

Right now is the perfect time to support the Ban on Red Light Cameras, because it can be tied into the nationwide push for criminal justice reform.

Building Grassroots Support

Months prior to the 2022 Legislative Session, it is imperative that Grassroots Liberty Leaders begin:

– Spreading the Goal of Banning Red Light Cameras (email newsletters, letters to the editor, interviews on podcasts, etc)

– Begin Collecting Petitions in Support of Banning Red Light Cameras (identifying volunteers)

– Developing lobbying campaigns such as phone banks, email blasts, and letter writing for when this issue comes up in the 2022 Legislative Session.

As we get closer to the 2021 Legislative Session, Free State Colorado will be working with other liberty leaders in Colorado to push this campaign forward.

Banning Red Light Cameras is a winning issue, and can happen within the next legislative session if Liberty Activists mobilize now.

MORE BACKGROUND:

Jim Bovard: Bashing Red Light Cameras on the Rich Zeoli Radio Show MP3 on the Philadelphia conservative dynamo Rich Zeoli had me back on his 1210 WPHT talk show yesterday to thrash red light cameras. As I mentioned during the show, “the people who are hit worst by this racket are black folks in the low-income areas of Washington, DC – they are 8 to 10 times more likely to get hit by red light cameras and speed tickets.” Rich asked about the due process issue regarding red light and speed cameras; unfortunately, most judges stopped caring about due process long ago. Rich’s fervor on this issue as a refreshing tonic compared to the bootlicking atmosphere in Washington, DC. The interview was spurred by my piece on “Governing as Looting” that I wrote for AIER.

Matt Agorist at the Free Thought Project (Colorado Springs Story): Government Furious After Red Light Cameras Across City Covered in Paint

Matt Agorist at the Free Thought Project: VICTORY! Court Finds Red Light Camera Fines ‘Unconstitutional’—Forces City to Refund ALL Tickets

Reason: Oregon Tried To Silence This Engineer’s Red Light Camera Research. Now Experts Say He Was Right All Along.

Denver Pest: Do you have to pay a Denver red-light camera or photo-radar speeding ticket?

FindLaw: Traffic and Red Light Camera Laws by State