DENVER -- Colorado voters will head to the polls on Nov. 4 to make some major decisions. One of the hot issues on this year's ballot is Referendum A, which will create $2 billion in bonding authority or loans for water storage projects in the state.

Those who benefit from the projects pay back the debt with a maximum limit of $4 billion.

On Wednesday, at the Fritzler Corn Maze in Weld County, Gov. Bill Owens teamed up with farmers and ranchers for a rally to support Referendum A.

"Our proposal, which wouldn't increase taxes, wouldn't put any taxpayer dollars at risk, is to provide lower cost capital through tax-exempt state bonds for water projects. We already do it for hospitals, and nursing homes and schools. We'd like to add water projects to that list so we can get more of Colorado's water for Colorado's use," Owens said.

However, one ardent opponent said local voters are not getting the whole story. Taxpayer advocate Douglas Bruce said the full text of the measure has not been published, as required by Colorado law.

"They promise one thing and then they do something else at the last minute, because they don't want the voters to know just how bad Referendum A is," said Bruce.

Bruce said he will sue if Referendum A passes.

The director of the legislative council, Charlie Brown, said the full text of Referendum A has been published.

"We are following the law and the Colorado constitution," Brown said.

The loan program would finance yet-unspecified water projects. Water districts, communities and companies could apply for bond money for new projects, such as building reservoirs, or to repair or expand existing dams.

The Colorado Water Conservation Board would be the bonding authority and would recommend projects, which would need the governor's approval.

"We're voting on a $4 billion blank check, and they won't even allow us to see that it is a blank check, that we don't know who's going to get the money for what project, how much the interest is going to be or any other fact," Bruce said.

Bruce is the author of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, passed by voters in 1992 to limit taxes and the amount of revenue governments can collect.

"What we're doing is setting up a process exactly as we already do under the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority where worthy projects have to go to Wall Street to see if the revenues are sufficient to bond and if they are they then come to the state to get the state bond designation," Owens said.

Cinamon Watson, spokeswoman for the pro-referendum Save Colorado's Water, said she was unfazed by Bruce's threat of a lawsuit to overturn the measure if it passes.

"Doug Bruce and the opponents of Referendum A have clearly lost the debate on the merits of the measure, and are trying to lie their way to victory," Watson said.

Supporters say the referendum can help Colorado avoid the kind of drought that devastated the state last year by storing Colorado river water the state is entitled to but doesn't use.

Owens said the state has the right to 9 million acre feet of water coming off of Colorado mountains but the state only has the storage capacity for 6 million acre feet of water.

Opponents, including more than 120 politicians and organizations, argue more water likely will be diverted from the Western slope and that it's risky for the state to take on such debt.

Many cities and counties are conducting a mail-only election this fall, which means voters need to keep an eye out for a ballot that will be mailed out in the next few weeks, and return that ballot by Election Day.