County governments will most likely have to bear the cost for Colorado’s upcoming state legislative recalls.
Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder Gilbert Ortiz sent letters to three state offices – including the Joint Budget Committee and Secretary of State Scott Gessler - asking for help to cover the estimated $200,000 cost for the recall election of Democratic state Sen. Angela Giron.
Gessler spokesman Rich Coolidge told Colorado Public Radio that’s not an option.
"Unfortunately we don’t have the authority to offset his election costs using the business filing fees," Coolidge said. "Or if he wants the state general fund to pay for it… that certainly isn’t an avenue in state law."
Joint Budget Committee chairman Pat Steadman told the Pueblo Chieftain that funds won’t likely come from his office either.
"Even if it was legally possible to help Pueblo County, (a funding request) can’t start from the county," Steadman said. "But if you have a group of voters in their county that want to throw a temper tantrum and have an election, it will cost."
El Paso County, where Senate President John Morse also faces a recall, didn’t ask the state for money for its election.
Activists unhappy over new gun control legislation petitioned for the recalls, which are the first in state history.
