FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Steve Fenberg
720.244.2062 (cell)

OIL LOBBY DISMISSES STUDENTS AS 'SPECIAL INTERESTS,' SCHOLARSHIPS AS 'BEER MONEY'

Denver, CO - New Era Colorado and a coalition of students and education advocates have called on the oil lobby to pull ads disparaging Colorado students as 'special interests' after an oil lobbyist dismissed scholarships families depend on as 'weekend beer money.'

"The idea of Big Oil calling anyone a 'special interest' is ridiculous on its face," said New Era Colorado Executive Director, Steve Fenberg. "But to spend millions insulting Colorado families and students is really over the top."

New Era Colorado called on students to reject the insulting comments - paid for with $10 million from companies like Exxon and Chevron - and vote YES on Amendment 58. New Era Colorado has officially endorsed Amendment 58 due to the amendment's impact on access to affordable higher education in Colorado. Amendment 58 would mean as much as $6,000 to help a student pay for college in Colorado.

The oil and gas industry's chief lobbyist, Rick Reiter, told a newspaper that a $6,000 scholarship is just "weekend beer money." Reiter has made more than $400,000 this summer helping oil companies keep their $300 million subsidy. His campaign has taken $10 million from oil companies to fight college students and their families.

"Six thousand dollars may be a weekend worth of beer for an oil lobbyist," said Shad Murib, a student at the University of Colorado, "but for me and other students around Colorado it's the difference between going to college or not."

The comments show just how out of touch oil companies are with families in Colorado.

"I don't make $400,000 over a summer like an oil lobbyist," Fenberg said. "The young people I know work night jobs, their parents take out second mortgages, and they live for years paying off school debt for their college education."

Colorado is the only state that gives Big Oil a $300 million subsidy every year. Meanwhile, just six oil companies made over $50 billion last quarter-the richest profits in history.

Instead of wasting taxpayer dollars subsidizing oil companies, Amendment 58 would repeal the subsidy.

If we vote YES and stop handing Big Oil $300 million every year, it will mean more than $150 million a year to help families with the cost of college tuition. New Era Colorado is urging students and young voters across Colorado to do just that this November.

New Era Colorado is a non-profit organization reinventing politics for a new generation through innovative social and political action.

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Click here for more information about the college scholarship ballot measure.