What Exactly is Ask First?

Ask First is a policy that already has been approved by seven Colorado counties and one Colorado city.

The Ask First policy prohibits government personnel and payroll systems from serving as a middleman between unions or other organizations (including political groups) and employees' paychecks. Ask First is designed to promote clean government and workers' rights.

Under Ask First, a government payroll system MAY NOT deduct:

• Union or other membership organization dues and fees
• Campaign contributions or other money used for political activities

Under Ask First, a government payroll system MAY deduct:

• All federal, state, and local tax withholdings
• All employee retirement and health benefits
• All court-ordered obligations for garnishments and domestic support
• Charitable contributions to 501(c)(3) organizations - some Ask First policies require employees to give an annual authorization
• Any other deductions required by federal law (including Social Security and Medicare)

Colorado Local Governments and Ask First
In 2007, voters in Centennial approved an Ask First policy for their city employees. Seven Colorado counties also have approved an Ask First policy for their county employees:

• Arapahoe County
• Douglas County
• El Paso County
• Jefferson County
• Mesa County
• Teller County
• Weld County

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Coloradans, What do You Think about Ask First?

Whether you are a government worker or a concerned citizen, please send us your comments, questions, or stories through our feedback form, or by contacting us at:

Independence Institute
13952 Denver West Parkway, Suite 400
Golden, CO 80401
feedback@i2i.org

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© 2007 Independence Institute

The information on these pages is published for educational purposes only, and not to advocate for the passage or defeat of any ballot measure.