McInnis would hunt illegal immigrants, support TABOR
By DAN BARKER
Posted: 06/06/2010 10:21:20 AM MDT


Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis talked about the importance of rural issues and cutting taxes as he swung through Fort Morgan on a campaign trip, stopping at Frankie s Coffee House on Friday morning. (Dan Barker/Fort Morgan Times)If Republican candidate Scott McInnis is elected Colorado governor — and has his way — he would do exactly what Arizona did about illegal immigration, repeal state agency unions, veto anything which would water down TABOR and work to repeal recent fee increases.

He also said he is 100 percent pro-gun and pro-life as he spoke to a small crowd of about 25 people at Frankie’s Coffee House in Fort Morgan on Friday morning.

His opponents, including Democrat Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, do not understand the issues that affect people outside the Denver metro area, McInnis told the group.

That is a problem because virtually all of the leadership in the legislature, cabinet members and administrators are from the big city, he said.

McInnis said he is the only candidate who is not from the metro area.

McInnis was born and raised in Glenwood Springs as part of a pioneer family which moved to the state in the 1800s, he said. He understands the issues of agriculture and water that other candidates do not.

Economic problems are the biggest issue today, McInnis said, and the biggest economic problem is the need to broaden the job base.

However, that is exactly the opposite of what Democrats have been doing in the state, he said.

They’ve raised taxes and eliminated tax exemptions on products like cars, candy and soda, while also hurting the steel and brick industries, McInnis said.

By requiring Amazon.com to collect state taxes, the Democrats pushed the company to move out of state.

At the same time, they increased regulations on the oil and natural gas industry, which may have convinced companies to drill elsewhere, McInnis said.

Thousands of oil company jobs have been lost in the past couple of years, he said.

About 29,000 Denver jobs are tied to the energy industry, but Mayor Hickenlooper did not object when new regulations went into effect, and he also did not object when fees and taxes were raised, McInnis said.

If he can find a majority of the legislature to back him, McIniis said, he would repeal the oil drilling regulations.

It is a good idea to use best practices in oil fields, but those require reasonable standards, not punitive regulations, McInnis said.

Colorado needs to reverse its attitude toward oil and gas, he said.

In his own backyard in Grand Junction, many people had jobs on oil rigs and their wages were spent to support the area’s economy, but he believes the new drilling regulations ended those jobs by making
Colorado the toughest place to drill, McInnis said.

Oil jobs make up only one of what McInnis calls his “growth engines,â€