Todd Engdahl at Ed News Colorado reported Friday on two educational tax credit bills (HB 1295 and HB 1296) being introduced in the legislature, and closed with this comment:While the proposals could make for interesting debate, they’re expected to fail for three reasons: 1) Democrats control the legislature, 2) the education lobby, and 3) most lawmakers don’t want to fiddle with school finance or tax credits when the state budget is in the tank. [emphasis added] The first two reasons are rather straightforward. Of course, Democrats don't want to devolve power from the education establishment. And of course, the iron triangle of CEA, CASE and CASB would oppose the slightest effort to grant authentic private school choice to taxpaying … [Read more...]
Colorado 2010 State House Races: GOP Close but Not Quite to Majority
About 7 weeks ago I first laid the groundwork for the coming 2010 elections for the Colorado state house. Democrats hold a 37-27-1 edge (though essentially 38-27, since newly unaffiliated Rep. Kathleen Curry still sides more with the majority Democrats), which means Republicans need to switch six seats to capture control of the chamber. I have weighed each race according to the voter registration makeup, whether it's an incumbent or open seat, reported fundraising and cash on hand as of the end of 2009, and other intangible candidate strengths. Below I have ranked the races according to the likelihood that the seat will switch party control come November. With the caveat that a lot can change in the next few months based on new … [Read more...]
Craig Becker Confirmation Vote: Michael Bennet Not Off Hook on Card Check
Last night on my guest co-hosting gig for Backbone Radio, we discussed not only the growing trend of government workers beginning to dominate the union movement. But the subject also came up about the Obama administration's efforts to backdoor the so-called Employee Free Choice Act (aka card check) through the appointment of SEIU lackey Craig Becker. One advantage of this approach? Fellow Democrats in Congress like the indecisive appointed junior U.S. Senator Michael Bennet wouldn't have to take an obvious position that either offends the Obama administration or the overwhelming number of Coloradans (and a majority of Colorado union members) opposed to this destructive proposal to re-write labor laws. It would just add to the … [Read more...]
Tax Foundation on “Dirty Dozen” Tax Bills: Seven Are Bad and Two Are Good
Update, 2/2: It seems that HB 1198 in particular was too good -- so good, Colorado's legislative Democrats had to kill it. As Government Underground skillfully reports, the Democrats accidentally had a bill drafted that would repeal not only the AMT credit but the AMT itself, and thus are "not even competent enough to raise our taxes as they would like." If it weren't our tax dollars at stake, it would be downright hilarious. I have tried to make the point before -- if inartfully -- that some of the "dirty dozen" tax hikes are worse policy than others. The fact they are being rammed through so quickly with so little deference to the concerns of large numbers of citizens showing up in protest has earned them all the "dirty" … [Read more...]
Listen to Face The State Weekend Edition: Political Survey Results
Update, 1/25: If you missed me on the air this weekend, you can listen to a recording of the discussion on the Face The State website. In most places across Colorado, you can tune in and listen this Saturday or Sunday to the Face The State Weekend Edition -- locally, here in Denver on AM 710 KNUS on Saturday at 5 AM or Sunday at noon. During part of the show I will be discussing with host Brad Jones the latest results from the survey of Colorado's political temperature -- an independent project co-sponsored by People's Press Collective managing editor Michael Sandoval and yours truly. … [Read more...]
Vulnerable Colo. House Democrats Push Through “Dirty Dozen” Tax Hikes
Update, 2/2: Americans for Tax Reform links back here. They have taken a real interest in "educating all those voting in the districts represented by the aforementioned lawmakers as to how they voted on this tax package during the 2010 campaign season." ATR's help is much appreciated. Saturday I highlighted the Democratic House seats in the Colorado state legislature most vulnerable in the upcoming election. Today the House voted (with a 37-27-1 Democratic majority) to approve eight of the "dirty dozen" tax hike bills on: Direct mail (1189); Candy and soft drinks (1191); Software downloads (1192); Online sales (1193); "Non-essential" food containers (1194); Insecticides, pesticides and bull semen (1195); Alternative fuel vehicles (1196); … [Read more...]
Colorado 7th CD Candidates Sound Off Saturday at Aurora Republican Forum
Do you live in Colorado's 7th Congressional District, but are undecided about whom to support? Interested in hearing more from the candidates directly? Well, a forum is scheduled for tomorrow that might appeal to you -- details below the fold:Aurora Republican Forum 7th Congressional Candidates Forum Saturday, January 23 at 8:30 a.m. Aurora Association of Realtors 14201 E. Evans Drive Aurora CO 80014 $5.00 donation suggested for Coffee & Donuts $20.00 annual dues – membership is optional … [Read more...]
Colorado 2010 State Senate Showdown: First Quarter Look at Hot Races
Sometime late in the last decade, the good old Aughts, I set up the state of play as Colorado Republicans (currently 21-14 in the minority) seek to take back the state senate. Following the release of fourth quarter reports on the Secretary of State's campaign finance site, I have ranked in order an updated list of the eight seats -- out of 19 up for grabs -- most likely to change party hands: … [Read more...]
Could Republicans Really Gain Eight U.S. Senate Seats this November?
Take a careful look at Friday's detailed analysis by liberal Nate Silver. Then add in news that Democrat Beau Biden won't run in Delaware and new data from Rasmussen showing conservative Mike Pence beating incumbent Evan Bayh in Indiana, and it sure looks like an eight-seat pickup is well within reach. Of course, politics remains a fluid and fickle game. All could change. And if you really want to believe that former governors George Pataki and Tommy Thompson would run in New York and Wisconsin, respectively, then perhaps one can also imagine the GOP taking over the Senate. A pipe dream? Likely, and not one to get terribly excited about anyway. But just to be able to see such a potential result as anything but crazy has got to be … [Read more...]
Colorado Legislators Advance Modest School Spending Transparency Bill
Last Thursday afternoon I testified before the House Education Committee at the State Capitol on House Bill 1036 and what effective public school financial transparency should look like. The best coverage came from the Colorado News Agency:HB 1036, called the Public School Financial Transparency Act, contains many of the same provisions as last year’s all-GOP effort by Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Colorado Springs, and Sen. Ted Harvey, R- Highlands Ranch. That bill died on a party-line vote in the same committee. Stephens, who also is a co-sponsor on the new bill, and Harvey have reintroduced their bill again this year as Senate Bill 91, which they say would provide an easier way for people to search for and use data in a more meaningful way while … [Read more...]
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