Having already won Colorado Governor Bill Ritter's November 2007 executive order allowing exclusive union representation in state government, the table is set for organized labor to push for full-fledged and permanent bargaining legislation by next year. Many of those who would be purported to benefit from such legislation might have a different idea, however. On an iVoices podcast, I talk with state employee Dave Ohmart about his developing plan to provide representation for state employees without the costly union middleman services of Colorado WINS: Dave says he's open to input to refine and improve his plan. You can contact him by leaving a comment at the Colorado LOSES website. … [Read more...]
Random Monday Morning Musings
Monday morning -- The world of Colorado politics is quiet ... too quiet. About 9 days left in the legislative session, and some version of Senate Bill 228 is still lurking out there. Will Democrats really rush ahead with this taxpayer-unfriendly idea? In other random news, Ken Buck is in the U.S. Senate fray. Immigration almost certainly figures to be a hot-button issue in the primary, if not the general election itself. But what does it all mean, with incumbent appointee Michael Bennet's apparent weakness among Hispanic voters? In other words, it's simply too quiet out here. … [Read more...]
Dress Down: Bill Ritter’s Big Idea
Let it never be said that Governor Bill Ritter is not a man of big ideas:In a recent letter to state employees in the state publication Stateline, Ritter talks about the hard economic times and thanks employees for their hard work. He then applauds a stress-reducing move by the Department for Health Care Policy and Financing to extend “‘dress down Fridays’ to every day of the week.†Senator Ted Harvey wondered whether it might be an April Fools Day joke. I'm wondering if it was an idea hatched as the result of his executive order authorizing collective bargaining -- er, employee partnerships. Whatever it is, somehow methinks this wasn't the dressing down being cited by our governor. Five days a week of that would make most … [Read more...]
Is Barack Obama for Transparency, Except As It Might Apply to Labor?
For all the serious disagreements I have with President Barack Obama over policy and philosophy, I have been pleased to hear him promote the idea of greater government transparency. That's something all citizens can rally behind, regardless of partisan affiliation. Only a few days into office, Obama sent out a memo to department heads about the Freedom of Information Act:A democracy requires accountability, and accountability requires transparency. As Justice Louis Brandeis wrote, "sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants."... All agencies should adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure, in order to renew their commitment to the principles embodied in FOIA, and to usher in a new era of open Government. The presumption of … [Read more...]
Colorado Watchdogs, Face The State Launches Investigative Reporting Award
Face The State is looking for aspiring journalists and assorted government watchdogs to ply their skills for the chance to win some cool cash:From the governor’s office to the local waste water office, government must be held accountable. And why not win a cash prize while doing it? That’s why Face The State is excited to announce its monthly Investigative Reporting Award. Here’s how it works. If you spy government misdeeds that should to be exposed, roll up your sleeves, do your homework, and write it up. You could just win our monthly $400 grand prize. There will also be cash prizes for finalists. Your report should abide by basic journalistic principles relating to sourcing, verification, and libel. As we’ve learned, truth … [Read more...]