| Click on the audio files below to hear the complete public meeting with Rep. Don Marostica |
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Loveland - March 14, 2009
State House District 51 Rep. Don Marostica held a public meeting in Loveland's City Hall on Saturday. The purpose behind the
meeting appears to have been an explanation by Marostica regarding his recent actions to challenge his own party in Denver.
Marostica is the lone Republican supporter and now State House sponsor of Senate Bill 228 which seeks to repeal a 1992
budget provision referred to as Arveschoug-Bird (AB). AB requires all revenues collected by the state over a 6 percent annual
increase to go towards transportation and capital construction instead of the state’s discretionary General Fund. Many credit AB
with preventing the kind of runaway deficit spending (like in California) that has bankrupted other states and crippled their ability
to fund even basic services like public safety.
Republicans in the State Senate unanimously opposed SB 228 and staged a filibuster while Marostica was closely working with
his Democratic colleagues to introduce the same measure in Colorado's State House and serve as its primary advocate and
sponsor.
If the purpose of Saturday's "town hall" meeting was to mend fences within his own party, it failed miserably when the Republican
legislator Marostica told those assembled "Now, I know Republicans -- really get nervous about that because they have been
telling that lie for a long time.” Marostica was referring to the concern that a repeal of AB would lead to higher taxes to cover the
extra spending since the state is unable to carry a budget deficit the way the federal government does.
Marostica lectured the audience that Democrats are not runaway taxers and spenders like many in his party believe but instead
mostly responsible people who want a balanced budget. He than accused "at least 15%" of his own colleagues in the legislature
of not really being Republicans but instead Libertarians who don't want the government to collect or spend even a single dollar.
Many of his comments lent credibility to the rumor Marostica is preparing to change political parties before the next election.
Marostica drew pie charts about the state's budget, passed out papers to educate his constituents, but in the end the audience
appeared as hostile as they were at the beginning when Marostica began his explanation by accusing Republicans of telling "lies"
when stating their reasons for opposing SB 228.
One Republican in the audience who had publicly endorsed Marostica when he first ran for the legislature told LovelandPolitics,
"A few of Don's quotes left me speechless, though they probably contributed to some of his supporters calling him brave for
taking on his party, or bipartisan for crossing the aisle...it was a stunning display of hubris when he repeatedly blamed Republicans
for the state's financial troubles."
The Loveland City Council Chamber where the meeting took place was full without an empty chair in the room. Among the
audience were some longtime local supporters of Marostica, supporters of Foothills Gateway (a recipient of state funds for mental
health) who support lifting the spending limit, local Democrats mostly from Ft. Collins who clapped in support of Marostica and
about 50 local Republicans who had supported Marostica in past elections.
Democrat activist and former Thompson School Board President Beck Jay was among the partisans who clapped loudly when
Marostica began scolding those from his own party for not understanding the needs of the Colorado State Government.
One member of the audience and longtime Republican activist, Tom Buchanan, defended Arveschoug-Bird by telling Marostica
that limits were put in place because people don't trust their government to do the right thing when increasing spending. Marostica
assured Buchanan and the others that as long as he continues to serve on the legislature's joint budget committee he will not let the
removal of spending limits translate into higher taxes down the road. This frustrated some as this explanation only implied
Marostica supports an unbalanced state budget.
Marostica emphatically told the audience a number of times that SB 228 will not increase taxes in Colorado by "even one dime."
Some in the audience complained that he should instead be attacking Amendment 23 which mandates spending increases instead
of attacking overall limits on spending increases. Marostica, frequently referring back to a pie chart showing TABOR revenue
restrictions, told the audience the state is in for "big trouble" if the restrictions of TABOR are not also soon addressed. He also
told the crowd that many fellow Republicans in the legislature really secretly support his actions but have confided to him their fear
of the "special interest" people in their districts that compels them to follow their party's leadership.
At times a fiscal conservatives in the audience would openly scold Marostica for failing to keep his campaign promises while telling
him they simply don't want to pay anymore taxes. In return, Marostica scolded the audience about their lack of knowledge of the
process and for being "short-sighted" when it comes to understanding the problems facing the state. Marostica regularly referred
to additional state spending as "investments" in the state's future and implied the state had already tightened its belt enough to
warrant a repeal of Arveschoug-Bird.
Loveland resident and Republican activist Greg Snyder also took Marostica to task for supporting the repeal of Arveschoug-Bird
by telling him that wasn't what he campaigned for when running for office. Snyder joked that he somehow found his way on to a
"progressive" mailing list that alerted him to the meeting to support Marostica. LovelandPolitics learned that Foothills Gateway
supporters were notified of the meeting and encouraged to attend in support of Marostica's efforts to increase state spending.
Former Marostica Republican primary opponent from 2006, Kevan McNaught, told Marostica that as his family's bread winner
Mcnaught couldn't tell his wife one day they would begin spending more but not to worry since their income will remain the same.
Marostica joked to McNaught that his wife is different and would tell Marostica to "get another job" to pay for the extra spending.
A number of audience members found this response and antidote curious as it contradicts Marostica's contention that increased
spending doesn't necessarily translate into higher taxes. In the end neither appeared to convince the other but a number
Republicans left the meeting even more convinced that Marostica may soon announce his departure from the GOP.
Note: Please notify us of any potential errors in the story including the spelling of names, dates or other facts.
FYI - All quotes by Marostica were taken verbatim from LovelandPolitics' recording of the meeting.
State House District 51 Rep. Don Marostica held a public meeting in Loveland's City Hall on Saturday. The purpose behind the
meeting appears to have been an explanation by Marostica regarding his recent actions to challenge his own party in Denver.
Marostica is the lone Republican supporter and now State House sponsor of Senate Bill 228 which seeks to repeal a 1992
budget provision referred to as Arveschoug-Bird (AB). AB requires all revenues collected by the state over a 6 percent annual
increase to go towards transportation and capital construction instead of the state’s discretionary General Fund. Many credit AB
with preventing the kind of runaway deficit spending (like in California) that has bankrupted other states and crippled their ability
to fund even basic services like public safety.
Republicans in the State Senate unanimously opposed SB 228 and staged a filibuster while Marostica was closely working with
his Democratic colleagues to introduce the same measure in Colorado's State House and serve as its primary advocate and
sponsor.
If the purpose of Saturday's "town hall" meeting was to mend fences within his own party, it failed miserably when the Republican
legislator Marostica told those assembled "Now, I know Republicans -- really get nervous about that because they have been
telling that lie for a long time.” Marostica was referring to the concern that a repeal of AB would lead to higher taxes to cover the
extra spending since the state is unable to carry a budget deficit the way the federal government does.
Marostica lectured the audience that Democrats are not runaway taxers and spenders like many in his party believe but instead
mostly responsible people who want a balanced budget. He than accused "at least 15%" of his own colleagues in the legislature
of not really being Republicans but instead Libertarians who don't want the government to collect or spend even a single dollar.
Many of his comments lent credibility to the rumor Marostica is preparing to change political parties before the next election.
Marostica drew pie charts about the state's budget, passed out papers to educate his constituents, but in the end the audience
appeared as hostile as they were at the beginning when Marostica began his explanation by accusing Republicans of telling "lies"
when stating their reasons for opposing SB 228.
One Republican in the audience who had publicly endorsed Marostica when he first ran for the legislature told LovelandPolitics,
"A few of Don's quotes left me speechless, though they probably contributed to some of his supporters calling him brave for
taking on his party, or bipartisan for crossing the aisle...it was a stunning display of hubris when he repeatedly blamed Republicans
for the state's financial troubles."
The Loveland City Council Chamber where the meeting took place was full without an empty chair in the room. Among the
audience were some longtime local supporters of Marostica, supporters of Foothills Gateway (a recipient of state funds for mental
health) who support lifting the spending limit, local Democrats mostly from Ft. Collins who clapped in support of Marostica and
about 50 local Republicans who had supported Marostica in past elections.
Democrat activist and former Thompson School Board President Beck Jay was among the partisans who clapped loudly when
Marostica began scolding those from his own party for not understanding the needs of the Colorado State Government.
One member of the audience and longtime Republican activist, Tom Buchanan, defended Arveschoug-Bird by telling Marostica
that limits were put in place because people don't trust their government to do the right thing when increasing spending. Marostica
assured Buchanan and the others that as long as he continues to serve on the legislature's joint budget committee he will not let the
removal of spending limits translate into higher taxes down the road. This frustrated some as this explanation only implied
Marostica supports an unbalanced state budget.
Marostica emphatically told the audience a number of times that SB 228 will not increase taxes in Colorado by "even one dime."
Some in the audience complained that he should instead be attacking Amendment 23 which mandates spending increases instead
of attacking overall limits on spending increases. Marostica, frequently referring back to a pie chart showing TABOR revenue
restrictions, told the audience the state is in for "big trouble" if the restrictions of TABOR are not also soon addressed. He also
told the crowd that many fellow Republicans in the legislature really secretly support his actions but have confided to him their fear
of the "special interest" people in their districts that compels them to follow their party's leadership.
At times a fiscal conservatives in the audience would openly scold Marostica for failing to keep his campaign promises while telling
him they simply don't want to pay anymore taxes. In return, Marostica scolded the audience about their lack of knowledge of the
process and for being "short-sighted" when it comes to understanding the problems facing the state. Marostica regularly referred
to additional state spending as "investments" in the state's future and implied the state had already tightened its belt enough to
warrant a repeal of Arveschoug-Bird.
Loveland resident and Republican activist Greg Snyder also took Marostica to task for supporting the repeal of Arveschoug-Bird
by telling him that wasn't what he campaigned for when running for office. Snyder joked that he somehow found his way on to a
"progressive" mailing list that alerted him to the meeting to support Marostica. LovelandPolitics learned that Foothills Gateway
supporters were notified of the meeting and encouraged to attend in support of Marostica's efforts to increase state spending.
Former Marostica Republican primary opponent from 2006, Kevan McNaught, told Marostica that as his family's bread winner
Mcnaught couldn't tell his wife one day they would begin spending more but not to worry since their income will remain the same.
Marostica joked to McNaught that his wife is different and would tell Marostica to "get another job" to pay for the extra spending.
A number of audience members found this response and antidote curious as it contradicts Marostica's contention that increased
spending doesn't necessarily translate into higher taxes. In the end neither appeared to convince the other but a number
Republicans left the meeting even more convinced that Marostica may soon announce his departure from the GOP.
Note: Please notify us of any potential errors in the story including the spelling of names, dates or other facts.
FYI - All quotes by Marostica were taken verbatim from LovelandPolitics' recording of the meeting.
| Rep. Marostica Explains His Actions While Attacking Fellow Republicans In Legislature Is he preparing to switch political parties? |
| Republican State House Representative Don Marostica addresses angry constituents during a public meeting in Loveland |
| Section 1 (3:36) Starts with Marostica calling Republicans liars |
| Section 2 (28 minutes) Marostica says Republicans are afraid to act responsibly and will allow a "train wreck" |