DENVER – A proponent of a proposed ballot initiative that would eliminate time changes and keep Colorado on Mountain Daylight Time says the clock is ticking, and he won’t likely gather the signatures needed.
Lakewood resident Sean Johnson, a lead proponent of the initiative, said the best-case scenario for proponents is they collect around 20,000 signatures. It would require 98,492 valid signatures to place the initiative on the ballot. Those in favor of the change have until Aug. 26 to submit signatures.
“We always hope for the best, but at this point, I can’t really say whether or not we can actually get it passed,” Johnson said. “I was hoping that there was enough support.”
The idea behind the initiative is to eliminate the old adage, “spring forward, fall back.” Johnson, without many resources, launched a website, www.savethedaylight.co, which includes information about the initiative.
Those in favor of the initiative said eliminating time changes would improve our overall well-being.
“It would have been a lot better for overall pedestrian accidents, fatalities from accidents. It would have been better for the economy. It would have been better for commerce. It would have been better for the environment,” said Johnson, a trainer and nutritionist. “Pretty much at every level, it would have been better.”
Colorado Mountain Daylight Time begins the second Sunday in March and ends the first Sunday in November, when clocks are moved back an hour. Clocks move forward again in March.
The Legislature tackled the issue in 2011, though that effort did not get very far.
Meanwhile, the ski industry has its own concerns, pointing out that the change would affect avalanche control, chairlift maintenance and other early-morning operational activities.
“With permanent daylight saving time, they would have to be doing these operations in the dark or delaying their opening times,” said Patrick Byrne, public-affairs manager for Colorado Ski Country USA, which represents many ski resorts in Colorado.
