"Our agenda is ambitious: to build the best public schools in America, to become the renewable energy capital of the world, and to bring health care to all Coloradans. That's what the Colorado Promise is all about." —House Speaker Andrew Romanoff
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"It's my understanding that whole housing units have gone
unstaffed for eight hours or longer, including the terrorist unit,"
McFadyen said. "I'm calling on President Bush and the Congress to
personally take note of what's happening at Supermax."
Read the post that includes this quote.
--posted by Staff
Would you be willing to spend an extra two and a half pennies on every $10 purchase to eliminate the waiting list for services for people with developmental disabilities? How about if you knew that over 8000 people may have to wait 15 years for services like child care, medical supplies and transportation? From today's Denver Post:
"There are people that are waiting 10 to 15 years to get services," said Rep. Michael Garcia, an Aurora Democrat who presented his sales-tax proposal to a legislative committee Wednesday. "We're going to have to have the moral courage to bring more money into the system."
[...]
"Nothing significant has been done to address the fact that there are thousands of people on the waiting list," said Marijo Rymer, executive director of the advocacy group Arc of Colorado. "We will stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves."
Read the entire article in the Denver Post.
--posted by Staff
Want to expand your leadership and political skills? Live in northern Colorado? Then you can take advantage of Rep. Jim Riesberg's leadership program. From today's Greeley Tribune:
Northern Coloradans who want to know more about government or about effective leadership can take classes this fall from someone with firsthand knowledge.
State Rep. Jim Riesberg, D-Greeley, wants to share what he has learned in 44 years of public life, so he is hosting his first Leadership Development Program.
The program will focus on how to be effective in public pursuits, and is intended for people interested in learning practical leadership and political skills. Riesberg and a series of guest experts will lead various sessions during the next few months.
For details about class dates, times and location, take a look at the article in The Tribune.
--posted by Staff
When you're housing some of the nation's most dangerous prisoners, you want to make sure they're adequately supervised. In today's Pueblo Chieftain:
Pueblo Democratic Rep. Buffie McFadyen and union officials Tuesday called on the federal government to fully staff the Supermax prison in Florence, saying employee levels are dangerously low.
[...]
Units that house some of the nation's most notorious terrorists go unsupervised for up to 24 hours in some cases, said McFadyen and Mike Schnobrich, president of the prison council with the American Federation of Government Employees."It's my understanding that whole housing units have gone unstaffed for eight hours or longer, including the terrorist unit," McFadyen said. "I'm calling on President Bush and the Congress to personally take note what's happening at Supermax."
Here's hoping the Feds respond to the call.
--posted by Staff
[10/9/07 edited to add: Check out this Colorado Confidential post for a detailed look at the staffing situation.]
Golden Leaders Say NW Parkway Helps Outside Interests, Not Locals
“Billion Dollar Boondoggle; Vanity Beltway”
DENVER – State Representative Gwyn Green (D-Lakewood/Golden) and Golden Mayor Pro Tem Jacob Smith expressed their concern about a proposed toll road deal between the Broomfield City Council and a Portuguese firm. The proposal includes a $43 million inducement to construct a superhighway across open space in the Northwest metro area.
“This highway is a billion dollar boondoggle that hurts consumers, but helps developers and foreign companies,” said Rep. Green. “It’s nothing more than a vanity beltway that will destroy lovely parks and towns in the process of padding developers’ pockets.”
The proposal would extend the Northwest Parkway toll road from Broomfield through Jefferson County to Interstate 70.
“It’s insulting to expect Coloradans to subsidize this company with our tax dollars for an unneeded transportation project,” continued Rep. Green. “Only a small amount of the beltway would actually be paid by tolls while taxpayers foot the rest of the bill. Coupled with increased air pollution and a risk of losing open space along Highway 93, it’s a misguided mistake all around.”
“We have limited transportation dollars,” Smith said. “Colorado can’t even afford to even repair our crumbling bridges and roads. We should spend our precious transportation budget on projects that solve transportation problems and ease congestion.”
“This is a legacy of Gov. Bill Owens and Tom Norton,” concluded Smith. “Owens was determined to build this, even though it is totally unneeded and a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars.”
REP. McKINLEY EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR GUEST WORKER PROPOSAL
“I’d like to see a system that makes it legal to do honest work.”
WALSH, CO – State Representative Wes McKinley (D-Walsh) expressed support today for a “guest worker” proposal put forward by fellow Southern Colorado legislators Rep. Marsha Looper (R-Calhan) and Senator Abel Tapia (D-Pueblo).
Sen. Tapia and Rep. Looper want to work out a deal with Mexico to streamline the process for obtaining agricultural worker visas using an existing federal guest worker program called H-2A. The proposal could be introduced in the next legislative session beginning in January 2008.
Rep. McKinley said, “I’d like to see a system that makes it legal to do honest work. If we can get more legal workers to this country, and we know they are playing by the rules, I think the farmers of Southern Colorado would appreciate that."
"We sure need to cut through all this red-tape and delay," Rep. McKinley continued. “We’ve just got to help our farmers who can’t find enough laborers to work their fields and harvest their crops.”
The HJR07- 1050 Behavioral Health Task Force will have its first meeting on Tuesday, August 28, 2007 from 9 am to 3 pm. The meeting will be held in the Legislative Audit Room, in the Legislative Services Building. I've been looking forward to getting started ever since Governor Ritter signed my resolution to create the task force.
The draft agenda for the meeting is as follows:
Behavioral Health Task Force--HJR07-1050
Representative Anne McGihon, Chair
August 28, 2007
9:00 AM-3:00 PM
Legislative Audit Hearing Room-Legislative Services Building
200 East 14th Avenue
Denver, Colorado 80203
9:00 AM Introduction
9:30 AM Discussion-Goals and Vision for Task Force
10:30 AM Create Selection Committee-
This Committee will make selection of consultant team to support the work of the Task Force
10:45 AM Break
11:00 AM Create two subcommittees-
Through these two subcommittees, the Task Force can consult with, and ask for participation from interested community partners
1) Funding Subcommittee
2) Coordinate and Streamline Services Subcommittee
11:30 AM Set dates for future Task Force meetings
12:00 PM Break for Lunch (provided by Colorado Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health)
1:30 PM Presentations and Updates on Current State Agency
· Update from Office of Behavioral Health and Housing-Dr. Charlie Smith
· Update from the Institutes--TBD
· Presentation about Prevention Leadership Council--TBD
· Presentation about Meth Task Force--TBD
· Update from HCPF-Laurel Karabatsos
3:00 PM Adjourn
--posted on behalf of Representative Anne McGihon
“We need to hold our schools accountable for how far they move our
children forward, not just where they happen to find them,” said State Representative Mike Merrifield (D-El Paso), who sponsored [HB 1048].
Read the press release that includes this quote.
--posted by Staff
“We're giving 5,500 more Colorado kids the opportunity to go to preschool in the next two years," said State Representative Jack Pommer (D-Boulder), who sponsored SB 199, the School Finance Act. "Early education lays the groundwork for future success.”
Read the press release that includes this quote.
--posted by Staff
“We paved a road of opportunity for our kids to go to college by
allowing them to get a high school diploma and an associate degree in
five years," said State Representative Edward Casso (D-Thornton). "This path will help kids stay in school and make college a reality, not just a dream."
Read the press release that includes this quote.
--posted by Staff
