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Oct 17, 6:34 PM EDT

Referenda C and D supporters decry critics' campaign tactic

DENVER (AP) -- One of the more vocal opponents of a ballot proposal asking voters to give up state tax refunds for five years is defending a campaign tactic involving phone calls telling voters the state would spend taxpayers' money for services for illegal immigrants.

Supporters said the already nasty campaign hit a new low with the calls, which are being made to voters who requested absentee ballots in Larimer, Weld and El Paso counties.

The recorded calls, paid for by Vote No, It's Your Dough, say Referendum C would "take away your tax refunds and allow the state to use them on programs such as services for illegal aliens."

Katy Atkinson, spokeswoman for the Vote Yes on C and D campaign, said the calls smacked of racism.

"Quite frankly, I think this is one that is going to backfire on them," she said.

The messages' focus on services for immigrants brought up a legitimate angle the campaign has not yet addressed, said Jon Caldara, president of the Golden-based Independence Institute think tank and chairman of the political committee that paid for them.

"C and D will increase government revenues," he said. "Part of that tax increase inevitably would go to services ... for illegal immigrants."

Referendum C would suspend state spending limits for five years and allow the Legislature to spend about $3.7 billion that otherwise would have to be refunded to taxpayers. Referendum D would let the state borrow up to $2.1 billion to build road and school projects. The measures are on the Nov. 1 ballot.

The only state money that goes to illegal immigrants is the funds required when immigrants receive certain Medicaid services such as emergency procedures or birth, said Dan Hopkins, spokesman for Gov. Bill Owens, who supports the measures.

"Once again Jon Caldara is using misleading rhetoric to draw attention away from the real issues," Hopkins said. "He's played loose with the facts throughout this entire campaign."

Colorado State University political science professor John Straayer, who supports the measures, said the messages could confuse voters, making them think they could lose out on federal income tax refunds.

"This is another chapter in the downward spiral of the civic quality of this campaign," Straayer said.

Caldara argued that it was unnecessary to make the distinction because it is widely known that the referenda deal only with state tax refunds.