This morning, good news comes from the Colorado State Capitol: the state house approved House Bill 1288 (PDF), the Colorado Taxpayer Transparency Act, by the overwhelming margin of 61-4. This legislation will create a detailed online searchable database of state government revenues and expenditures.
The bad news? Among the four (all Democrats) voting against open government are my own representative Sara Gagliardi and Gwyn Green, also from Jefferson County. Rest assured, I will do my part to make it known their No votes will not be forgotten. And I will be watching how the senate votes, as well.
In other bad news, Senate Bill 180 (PDF) squeaked past the finish line in the state senate, 18-17. This union-backed bill is bad for a host of reasons. It also is proof that elections have consequences: 81 votes in Senate District 26 were the difference between this costly, intrusive measure passing or failing in the senate.
The good news? If there is any, it’s that three Democrats in the state senate – Joyce Foster, Jim Isgar, and (my own senator) Moe Keller – had the good sense to vote against it. The other good news is that the bill still has to go through the house before it reaches Governor Bill Ritter’s desk for signature. In other words, there’s still time to kill SB 180.
I prefer to end on a positive note.
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