ASTROTURF ALL THE WAY DOWN (COLORADO EDITION): Over $620K spent on signatures for Initiative 195 tax hike effort.

What has been billed as a “grassroots” movement to implement a progressive income tax in Colorado has proven one thing: the effort behind the signatures turned in to put Initiative 195 on the November ballot was definitely green. Greenbacks, that is.

A paid circulator report obtained by Complete Colorado from the secretary of state’s office shows that organizers behind the proposed ballot measure, who at first appeared to be leaning heavily on a volunteer effort, actually paid petition circulators more than $620,000 to help gather the over 150,000 signatures turned in just as the deadline was closing.

About 150 circulators came from as far away as California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Illinois and North Carolina.

They had to bring in more Californians?