DEMOCRATS BALANCE, PASS BUDGET

DENVER—Today the Senate gave final approval to the state budget for 2008-2009, making critical investments in education, health care and economic development.

Those investments include providing 50,000 more kids with health care, $7.2 million in grant funding for college-bound students, and $13.5 million for economic development projects.

“It takes courage to invest under the threat of economic downturn, but that’s what is needed to minimize the impact of the downturn,” said Senator John Morse (D-Colorado Springs), a member of the powerful Joint Budget Committee. “Some suggest there are torpedoes in the water – we will watch for them. We will take action to avoid them when they are really in the water headed toward us, but we will not avoid the mission out of fear.”

Some Budget Highlights:

Invested in our children by providing thousands more kids with access to the health care they need to grow and learn. Lawmakers also worked to secure an additional $8 million to provide services for disabled persons on a waiting list that far surpasses the number of people receiving aid. Based on recommendations from the 208 Commission, a $43 million increase in provider rates was secured so that more doctors would be willing to treat Medicaid patients.

Invested in Colorado’s education system to ensure that every child can learn in safe, healthy schools and be ready to compete in a global economy. This budget provides 22,000 additional full-day kindergarten slots and adds 70 new school counselors to work with those students through to graduation. In higher education, $63 million was secured to keep college within reach of every Coloradan who wants to attend, as well as $10 million in need-based aid and $53 million to expand the College Opportunity Fund to more than 30,000 students.

Invested in our economy by creating incentives to lure alternative energy companies to Colorado, bringing high-paying jobs and useful technologies to improve the quality of life in our state. Democrats are keeping Colorado competitive in a growing global economy by streamlining and cutting bureaucratic red tape for businesses and investing in new technologies.

“Damn the torpedoes!” said Morse. “They will not keep us from making Colorado the best place it can be to live, to work, to raise a family and to address the hardships in each of our own lives.”

GIBBS SHREDS I-70 TOLLS

Senator Tells Front Range Lawmakers to Legislate in Their Own Backyards

DENVER—Today Senator Dan Gibbs (D-Silverthorne) and Representative Christine Scanlan (D-Dillon) ripped into proposals to toll along the I-70 mountain corridor.

Gibbs and Scanlan held a rally with mountain and Front Range community leaders in advance of hearings by the Senate Transportation Committee to consider two bills—one by Senator Chris Romer (D-Denver) and another by Senator Andy McElhany (R-Colorado Springs)—that would impose tolls on the interstate leading through mountain communities to Colorado’s ski resorts.

Romer’s proposal includes using tolls to encourage carpooling and decrease traffic during peak travel times and to add bus service. McElhany’s would charge a $5 toll each way to raise money to widen the highway.

Legislators that represent the areas that would be affected were outraged at not having been consulted about the proposals by the bills’ sponsors.

“Both of these proposals were rushed through the process without any analysis on the environmental, economic and community impacts that would result from tolling I-70,” Scanlan said. “This is not the right way to serve the people of Colorado.”

“The communities in the mountains and foothills that I represent won’t stand for these toll proposals,” said Gibbs. “Our state and federal tax dollars pay for I-70, and it amounts to double taxation for these Front Range legislators to stick their hands in our pockets too. The senators pushing these tolls want an easier cruise up to the mountains to go skiing on the weekends. The folks that will be hit hardest here are the people that actually live and work along this artery and depend on it to move goods and to go about their daily lives.”

Romer’s bill was killed on a 5-2 committee vote, but McElhany’s was approved 5-2 and now advances to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

HAGEDORN ANNOUNCES CENTENNIAL CARE CHOICES

DENVER—Today Senator Bob Hagedorn (D-Aurora) announced the introduction of Centennial Care Choices, a landmark proposal that would lay the foundation for implementing the recommendations of the Governor’s Health Care Reform Commission.

The measure aims to decrease Colorado’s uninsured population by helping individuals and businesses obtain affordable health insurance through balanced public-private partnerships.

The proposal includes:
A request for health insurers to create a menu of “Value Benefit Plans” (VBPs) that would be evaluated and endorsed by the state and would be made available to all Coloradans.
Assistance to low income individuals and employees of businesses through a state subsidy of a portion of the VBP premium for those who do not qualify for government programs and cannot afford health insurance.
Assurance that this program builds upon the existing employer-based health insurance system, does not encourage businesses currently offering coverage to discontinue it, and promotes administrative efficiencies.

“Centennial Care Choices is about doing what we can right now,” said Hagedorn. “It presents innovative ideas, maintains the assurance model, and offers the health care choices people demand.”

Hagedorn's proposal is supported by Representative Anne McGihon (D-Denver), Senator Steve Johnson (R-Ft Collins), Representative Tom Massey (R-Poncha Springs) and Representative Ellen Roberts (R-Durango).

BILL TO REBUILD AND REPAIR COLORADO’S CRUMBLING SCHOOLS CLEARS COMMITTEE

DENVER—Today the Senate Education Committee unanimously passed HB08-1335, which would address health and safety issues by providing funds to rebuild, repair or replace our most dangerous and most needy K-12 facilities.

Sponsored by Senate President Peter Groff (D-Denver) and Senator Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass), the bill calls for a statewide needs assessment for the selection of schools and projects, and leverages as much as $1 billion in funds while keeping within our balanced budget.

“It’s time the state steps up to address the condition of our schools, especially those in our rural districts,” Schwartz said. “We included measures in this bill to give schools a fighting chance to teach their children in safe environments.”

Colorado's public school buildings across the state are aging. Hazards include failing roofs, structural problems, inadequate fire safety, faulty and dangerous boilers, asbestos and carbon monoxide contamination.

“By investing in school safety we are also investing in the overall education of Colorado students,” Groff said. “This bill not only offers a solution to crumbling schools, but it does it in way that is fiscally reasonable.”

The plan will leverage $30-40 million of revenue annually from the School Trust Lands to raise up to $500 million in capital. Local matching could raise another $400-500 million, bringing the total to nearly one billion dollars, enough to repair hundreds of existing schools or to build scores of new ones.
The School Trust Lands are property the federal government granted to the state in 1876 for the benefit of Colorado’s schoolchildren.

HB08-1335 next heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.

MORSE STANDS UP FOR SENIORS, GOP SITS DOWN

Funding for Seniors’
Fund Clears Committee

DENVER—Today the Senate Finance Committee approved HB08-1108, which would provide vital assistance to some of Colorado’s most vulnerable citizens.

Sponsored by Senator John Morse (D-Colorado Springs), the bill increases funding to the Older
Coloradans Cash Fund from receipts collected from the state sales and use tax.

“This bill is so important not only because it makes fiscal sense, but also because it is just the right thing to do—keeping seniors in their own homes make the most sense for the seniors, their families and the taxpayers,” said Morse. “I was speechless at the votes against funding this measure, and apparently so were the Republican members of the committee. I didn’t hear a single argument from them as to why our senior citizens aren’t worth the funding in this bill.”
The Older Coloradans Cash Fund was established in 2000 and is administered by 16 statewide Area Agencies on Aging. Program services include personal care, assisted transportation, congregate meals, home-delivered meals, homemaker services, adult day care, transportation, and legal assistance.

HB08-1108 next heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.

GIBBS GIVES BARK BEETLES THE FLICK

Senator Warns of Critical Wildfire
Risk in Colorado’s High Country

DENVER—Today the Senate Finance Committee approved HB08-1269, which would help reduce the threat of devastating wildfires in Colorado’s forests by providing incentives for products that use timber killed by the bark beetle infestation.

Sponsored by Senator Dan Gibbs (D-Silverthorne), the bill would provide an exemption from sales and use tax for sales, storage, and use of wood products, such as lumber, furniture, or wood chips that use wood from salvaged trees killed in Colorado by bark beetles. The bill would also provide cities and counties the option of exempting such sales from taxation.

“Colorado’s forests and watersheds are among our most critical resources and we must do all we can to protect them,” said Gibbs. “It’s heartbreaking to see the extent of the devastation in our mountain forests. With passage of this bill we’re tackling this crisis head-on; removing all that dead timber will greatly reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires and will help protect our forests, our water, and our way of life.”

Gibbs is a Type II Wildland Firefighter and last year crafted and passed the 2007 Colorado Forest Restoration Act, which also dealt with the bark beetle epidemic in Colorado’s high country.

The bill next heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.

WILLIAMS KEEPING PEACE IN COLORADO COMMUNITIES

DENVER—Today the full Senate gave final approval to SB08-192, which would create guidelines for residential picketing.

Sponsored by Sen. Suzanne Williams (D-Aurora), the bill would prohibit targeted residential picketing, establish restrictions on the size and number of signs that picketers can carry and specify the distance from a residence that picketers must remain.

“This bill is about peace and privacy for Colorado families,” said Williams. “The parameters created in this bill support and guide law enforcement in their efforts to keep our communities safe.”

Williams introduced a similar measure in 2001 that was killed by the Republican-controlled House. SB08-192 differs from the 2001 measure by providing additional clarification for law enforcement officers keeping the peace in residential areas. Violators could be charged with an unclassified misdemeanor and be subject to up to $5,000 in court fees.

The bill next heads to the House for consideration.