Council declines vote on Amendment 74 resolution

    Holyoke City Council shot down a resolution that would have opposed Amendment 74 at its Oct. 2 meeting, following a discussion Sept. 18 over the potential impact of the ballot measure.
    The resolution would not have changed city policy, but would have formally expressed the council’s opposition to Amendment 74. The ballot measure expands residents’ rights to sue the government for reducing the market value of a property.
    Mayor Orville Tonsing was the only council member who voiced support for the resolution, which he suggested at the previous meeting. City Attorney Al Wall had also presented information from the Colorado Municipal League that was critical of the measure.
    Kevin Scott said he thought passing the resolution was a slippery slope.
    “If we have to do one, we might as well do all,” Scott said. “I don’t think we should do any of them.”
    Scott and Gene Bittner also questioned the resolution and pointed out that it would have no effect on policy.
    “It’s not up to us. And it’s not going to change anything if we do this, except get people mad at us,” Scott added.

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