Mount Virtus

"Happy to come back to Michigan, but I miss the mountains!"

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Mount Virtus?

Every day is seeking to rise to the challenge, 'neath the shadow of the mighty Rockies.

Colorado Ballot Reviews

Sometimes the choices are daunting or confusing, sometimes they're as clear as a Mile High view.

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Cary Kennedy Said What?

With Gov. Bill Ritter's property tax hike still on trial, the Rocky Mountain News reports that state treasurer Cary Kennedy - who thought up the mill levy "freeze" idea - made a remarkable concession on the witness stand:State treasurer Cary Kennedy conceded today on the witness stand that a bill passed last year by the legislature alters the way taxes are calculated with the net result that many property owners pay more. But Kennedy continued to insist the 2007 law, SB 199, does not violate Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. O-k.... … [Read more...]

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Where Will the 2008 Election Leave Us?

In the current 24/7 political news cycle, with its rapid-fire sound bites and he said/she said sensationalism, it's not often enough that bloggers step back and look at the big picture of what's unfolding in the 2008 Presidential election. Hats off to my friend Michael at Best Destiny for some keen (and honest) insights in the wake of last night's Democratic primary results from Indiana and North Carolina:With the Left lurching through its own 60s-esque upheaval, and the GOP tragically unable to get its footing over the last four years, it's very hard to see how this isn't a time of seismic change in the American political world. This is a time for ideals and orators and men of character and greatness. I don't know who those men--or … [Read more...]

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Colorado Republicans Get Head Start on Easy Job of Critiquing Ritter, Dems

From this morning's Rocky Mountain News:As Democrats raced Tuesday to write what were the final chapters of the 2008 legislative session, Republicans passed around a playbook for taking back the House and Senate this fall. Not exactly big news, but a fun story nonetheless. Take for example the response of the Democratic Speaker of the House, who must still be feeling the stinging blow of not finding enough support for his plan to gut TABOR:"I think that's disappointing but not surprising," said House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver. "When you're in the minority, you can either take pot shots at the party in charge or you can actually work together and solve problems." The legislative session is behind us. And maybe, just maybe, the … [Read more...]

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Bill Ritter’s Tax Hike on Trial: Day 1

Yesterday was the first day of the court hearing on the lawsuit by the Independence Institute (where I work) and Colorado taxpayers against Gov. Bill Ritter's unconstitutional property tax increase. Today's Denver Post explains a key issue behind the plaintiffs' argument:They noted that in 1993, the General Assembly amended the School Finance Act to ensure that the property taxes raised for the local share of total program funding for public-school education in each school not violate the revenue cap of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights. But with passage of the 2007 amendment, Ritter used it to freeze mill-levies, the opponents charged. The freeze holds mill levies — the rate at which taxes are charged — in place when they normally … [Read more...]

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Liberal Denver Post Columnist Assails Do-Nothing Democrat Legislature

Liberal Denver Post columnist Susan Greene expresses her frustrations with the Democratically-led state legislature:After citing budget reform as a top priority, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff has tabled the issue without even a vote in committee. Better to let voters decide than force lawmakers to get their hands dirty, especially in an election year. After working to raise severance taxes on oil and gas drilling, the legislature has dropped the effort without explanation. After a blue-ribbon panel met for eight months on transportation funding, lawmakers passed none of its major recommendations. And after promising voting reform before November's election, they rubber-stamped a bill to recertify voting machines that the state … [Read more...]

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Who’s at Samsphere Denver?

I forgot to recap the Samsphere Denver established blogger participants, and now it's small-group discussion time. Here's the whole list of bloggers, with those in my group highlighted in bold:CONFIRMED BLOGGERS Anthony Surace at Rocky Mountain Right Denise Mund at Colorado Charter Schools Brian Schwartz at Wakalix John Martin at The Drunkablog Ray Thomas at The Thoma$ Report Randy Ketner at Night Twister Ben DeGrow at Mount Virtus Michael Sandoval at Slapstick Politics Ross Kaminsky at Rossputin Jon Caldara at The Cauldron Brad Jones at Face the State David Harsanyi at David Harsanyi Jeff Goldstein at Protein Wisdom Patrick Sperry at Conservative Libertarian Outpost Bob Ball at The Daily Blogster Marty Neilson at Colorado … [Read more...]