Early career Douglas Bruce

1 career

1.1 move colorado , rental properties
1.2 taxpayer s bill of rights
1.3 state senate campaigns
1.4 el paso county commissioner

1.4.1 2004 election
1.4.2 policy positions
1.4.3 conflicts county staff , commissioners


1.5 activism in colorado springs

early career

born in los angeles, california, bruce graduated hollywood high school, @ age of 16 , pomona college double major in history , government. completed law degree university of southern california s gould school of law in 1973, , worked los angeles county deputy district attorney 1973 1979, resigning amid frustration court system.

in 1980, bruce ran largely self-financed campaign california state assembly, running in democratic primary 38th assembly district, which, @ time, centered on pacific palisades , malibu. running campaign slogan specifics, not safe generalities, bruce ran local newspaper described of anomaly—a law , order primary campaign democrat. bruce lost 5 percentage points in high-turnout primary; opponent, steven afriat, narrowly lost general election republican marian la follette.

move colorado , rental properties

during late 1970s, bruce acquired number of rental properties in los angeles area, managed full-time after leaving district attorney s office. during late 1970s , 1980s, bruce embroiled in several protracted tax disputes internal revenue service. in 1986, bruce acquired several properties in colorado springs , moved colorado permanently. shortly before moving colorado, bruce changed political party affiliation democrat republican.

in addition colorado springs properties, bruce acquired rental properties in denver , pueblo, colorado. has been cited repeatedly law , code enforcement officials regarding upkeep of properties, although of dozens of citations brought against him have been overturned. in connection charge of operating unsafe building, bruce spent 8 days in jail in 1995 on contempt of court citation. in response numerous complaints filed against him, bruce has questioned constitutionality of city code provisions, , accused city officials of selective prosecution , carrying out vendetta against him personally.

in 2003, bruce announced intended sell rental properties in order devote more time political activism, cited colorado springs keeping dilapidated properties 2007. in 2008, bruce cited colorado springs 2 properties considered dilapidated, in part because of windows boarded under orders city, charges dropped when bruce sold buildings. shortly before august 2008 legislative primary, colorado springs declared four-plex owned bruce dilapidated; bruce responded had put money repairing building , readying sale. in 2010, colorado springs told bruce charge him $40,000 restart water service @ 7 of rental properties, charge bruce said amounted political retaliation, city staff justified noting of properties had been abandoned.

taxpayer s bill of rights

although similar tax-limitation measures had been rejected voters on previous decades, in 1988, bruce authored , led campaign successful in enacting tabor, taxpayer bill of rights, in colorado. among other provisions, tabor mandated voter approval of tax increases , constrained state government spending grow @ rate no greater rates of population growth , inflation. although tabor did not pass in 1988, garnering 42% of vote in statewide reference, bruce revised measure , placed on ballot again in 1990, when received 49% support. third attempt in 1992 successful, , tabor passed 54% of vote , became part of colorado s constitution. in 1997, tabor s restrictions on state spending triggered first time, resulting in refunds taxpayers.

during these campaigns, bruce primary spokesperson tabor, trading barbs tabor opponent , colorado governor roy romer. in 1 frequently-cited incident, romer likened tabor proposal economic terrorism; in response, bruce printed personal business cards reading douglas bruce: terrorist. passage of tabor bruce s prominent political accomplishment; years later, bruce s personalized license plate read mrtabor. bruce wrote , passed similar spending limitation measure in colorado springs in 1991. statewide , local effects of tabor on government finances led colorado college political science professor bob loevy, in 2009, call bruce influential colorado politician of time.

since passage of tabor in 1992, hundreds of local jurisdictions in colorado have sought voter approval temporarily or permanently exceed spending limitations of tabor, measures became known de-brucing, in reference tabor s author. 2007, on half of colorado s school district , counties had de-bruced, had many municipalities. tabor s budget restrictions cited officials in bruce s native el paso county resulting in deficiencies in health, law enforcement, , administrative services, , on state level, creating financial difficulties higher education.

in 2005, after several years of tight budgets brought recession, spending limitations of tabor, , other budgetary obligations, colorado general assembly referred referendum c, statewide de-brucing measure, colorado voters. bruce vocal opponent of referendum c, facing off against supporters including gov. bill owens, had supported original passage of tabor. referendum c, passed voters, authorized five-year time-out of tabor s spending restrictions. although bruce threatened lawsuit against state of colorado if referendum passed, measure enacted law, raising state revenue several billion dollars.

in 2008, following term in state legislature, bruce argued against measure reverse of spending restrictions of taxpayer s bill of rights. initiative, known savings account education, divert refunds given taxpayers under tabor special fund k-12 education. bruce opposed measure in legislative hearings , filed legal challenge once house speaker andrew romanoff, primary proponent, sought place measure on colorado ballot citizen initiative. measure placed on november 2008 statewide ballot amendment 59, , bruce launched website opposing it.

state senate campaigns

bruce s first attempt seek elected office in colorado came in 1996, when bruce challenged incumbent republican state senator ray powers in republican party primary. bruce lost powers, went on become colorado state senate president. because of negativity of bruce s campaign against powers, bruce person banned powers ranch, frequent site colorado springs republican fundraisers.

bruce ran unsuccessfully colorado state senate in 2000, losing hotly contested republican party primary ron may in solidly republican district. running slogan ron may, bruce will, bruce faced institutional opposition statewide republican leaders, including governor bill owens, had once supported bruce s tabor initiatives. may won 112 votes.

el paso county commissioner
2004 election

bruce sought election el paso county, colorado, county commission in 2004, winning republican party nomination defeating colorado springs councilwoman maraget radford in party primary. in general election, bruce defeated democrat stanley hildahl , 2 republicans ran write-in candidates backing of party leaders. bruce won general election 58% of vote. bruce self-funded campaign, refusing accept outside donations.

policy positions

while serving on el paso county commission, bruce opposition measures supported other 4 county commissioners. cast vote against implementing mail ballot elections, against county interference in proposed incorporation of falcon, colorado (although opposed incorporation), against package of road improvement projects recommended colorado department of transportation, against appointment of county administrator jeff greene, against stricter building codes mobile homes, , against awarding county grant anti-poverty agency, calling handouts deadbeats.

he unsuccessful in attempting reduce number of paid holidays taken county employees, instrumental in lowering property tax rates , in negotiating expansion of gravel pit operation. spoke in favor of turning on management of county fair volunteer organization , called number of volunteer boards , commissions reduced. bruce outspoken in support of deportation illegal immigrants, , went against normal practice of refusing support ceremonial resolutions support resolution in favor of creation of immigration , customs enforcement office in el paso county.

conflicts county staff , commissioners

when bruce joined commission, sought have salary of on $60,000 per year directed charity, per campaign promise. designating active citizens together, educational non-profit helped found, recipient, bruce sought have county not withhold income tax checks, money go directly charity , receive no direct personal benefit. after ten months of disputing arrangements county staff, bruce agreed accept checks taxes , deductions withheld. in 2007, bruce attempted use non-profit group donate copies of u.s. constitution local school districts distribute graduating seniors; several districts refused donation on logistical grounds or policies forbidding distribution of external material. nonprofit group has purchased tens of thousands of copies of constitution, goal of giving 1 every graduating high school senior in colorado.

because of opposition methods used finance construction, douglas bruce, county commissioner in 2005, objected placement of name on plaque marking county support of el paso county terry r. harris judicial complex. (pictured)

he refused accept vip pass colorado springs airport, characterizing bribe; objected introduction of public prayer during county commission meetings. bruce objected inclusion of name (alongside other county commissioners) on plaque marking county support of new courthouse expansion, threatening physically remove name plaque; opposition financing methods courthouse had been driving factor behind 2004 county commission campaign.

bruce s debating , speaking style during county commission meetings led occasional conflicts county staff , other commissioners. during first year, escalating series of disputes commissioner sallie clark led ruling, @ meeting chaired, bruce not allowed discuss colorado springs city politics. in 2006, bruce accused of intervening in county bidding process copying contract in favor of campaign supporter.

in 2006, el paso county attorney bill louis denounced bruce narcissist, sociopath , crackpot enabler supporting colorado s amendment 38, referendum designed ease rules petitioning measures onto election ballots. bruce , louis verbally tangled after louis called bruce s tactics guerrilla , louis announced: plan in limited power make sure [bruce s tenure in elected office] comes end @ point not of community of colorado , nation.

tensions rose during bruce s final weeks on county commission, sought vacancy committee s appointment state legislature. bruce criticized county staff being unresponsive inquiries, , sheriff terry maketa responded accusing bruce of harming morale of county staff, , told bruce supported bid legislature in order put in environment match ineffectiveness, statement applauded other county staff. during final commission meetings, bruce repeatedly cut off other commissioners during comments; other members of commission described behavior increase in grandstanding prior vacancy committee s meeting.

activism in colorado springs

in june 2000, bruce called appear potential juror sexual assault trial in colorado springs. during jury selection process, bruce distributed leaflets written informed jury association in support of jury nullification. after defense attorneys objected bruce s actions, presiding judge dismissed bruce , 50 other potential jurors had received fliers, resulting in two-week delay trial.

bruce authored 2 measures, issues 200 , 201, appeared on november 2006 colorado springs election ballot, , have reduced city s sales tax rate, eliminated property tax, , restricted city s ability borrow money. legality of measures challenged city officials; dispute rose colorado court of appeals, ruled in favor of measures placement on ballot. bruce unsuccessfully contested both editing of statements of support measures in ballot summaries mailed voters, , claimed deceptive wording in other taxation measures election.

bruce subject of several criminal citations — first in may 2006, stemming charges campaigned against tax increase falcon fire protection district @ polling place closer legal 100-foot (30 m) limit, , in august 2009, when , man charged trespassing after being asked police stop soliciting signatures outside costco second time in year. bruce alleged city of colorado springs attempted bully him , violate first amendment rights, charge city officials denied. trial held after paperwork errors, tainted jury pool, , claims bruce of selective prosecution; after three-day trial, both acquitted. bruce later filed unsuccessful complaint alleging professional misconduct case s prosecutor , judge.