From Face The State today:While Gov. Bill Ritter has eagerly insisted that he will appeal a Friday court ruling establishing that a mill levy freeze amounts to an unconstitutional tax increase under Colorado law, members of the state Board of Education, a defendant in the case, remain undecided about whether they will formally join in support of Ritter's challenge. It appears the District Court ruling may have emboldened the two Republicans on the State Board to change their mind. The Board meets in executive session tomorrow:Vice Chairman Bob Schaffer, R-Fort Collins, introduced in April a motion for the board to take a formal position, by way of public vote, on whether the department would “defend the lawsuit or [agree with] the … [Read more...]
State School Board Should Stop Hiding from Public Vote on Tax Hike
The latest update in the saga of Gov. Bill Ritter's "school" property tax hike ... The State Board of Education, one of two defendants in a lawsuit from taxpayers who say they should have been asked first under the requirements of the state constitution, is hiding from public view:When deciding whether to fight or effectively bow out of a lawsuit challenging a politically volatile property tax freeze, the state's education board opted for secret meetings instead of a public vote, records show. E-mails obtained Monday by The Denver Post reveal internal turmoil between a cadre of Republican members, who argue that the governor-backed freeze is unconstitutional, and the panel's Republican chairwoman, who has blocked attempts at public … [Read more...]
Look at (State) Senate Candidate’s Taxpayer-Funded Expenses
As my colleague noted on the Schaffer v Udall blog, a recent audit of taxpayer-funded expense accounts by the state board of education has shown just how frugal Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer is - as he claimed only $521. Reporters did ask board chair Pamela Jo Suckla about her $25,851, and got an answer:Suckla said her expenses were higher than other members' because she has to commute from her home in Slickrock on the Western Slope, rent cars and stay in hotels, while others live along the Front Range. She said the board held more meetings than usual last year because members were searching for a new education commissioner. Sure, that's worth extra scrutiny, but it at least gives a plausible explanation. But … [Read more...]