Developing story... Last night the board of the Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA)( (Colorado's largest local teachers union and an affiliate of the Colorado Education Association) voted to declare an impasse in negotiations over renewing the collective bargaining contract with Jeffco Public Schools for the 2009-10 school year. This morning JCEA notified the school district of its decision. According to the school district, the core of the dispute revolves around a proposed compensation agreement to address relative funding shortages during the current economic downturn. Under this plan, teachers would continue to receive their automatic steps and levels for acquiring seniority and credit hours. The plan rejected by JCEA … [Read more...]
Is Democrat Jack Pommer Just Screwing Up a Lot of Paperwork Again?
Face The State has the details about the Boulder Democrat:On the April 16 report, [state representative Jack] Pommer lists campaign contributions from registered lobbyists and special interest groups made on February 5. The date is significant, as it falls exactly a month into the legislative session. Under Colorado campaign finance law, it is illegal for lobbyists or special interest groups that lobby to give or solicit money for the campaigns of state office-holders while the legislature is in session. "The way the law reads, it says lobbyists shall not give," said Rich Coolidge, spokesman for the Secretary of State. "The burden falls on the lobbyist." Lobbyist contributions came from Jane Urschel of the Colorado Association of … [Read more...]
Face The State: Bill Ritter Dissed Emails from Ken Gordon for SOS Fan Club
This morning's must-read for Colorado political junkies ... Face The State digs beneath the public relations stunt that was Gov. Bill Ritter's public feedback email address to help him determine who should be the next Secretary of State:The responses were overwhelmingly in support of [former state senator Ken] Gordon, who received 1,815 votes on a ProgressNow informal online poll. [Former House Speaker Andrew] Romanoff came in second with 632 votes,while [now-Secretary of State Bernie] Buescher trailed with 173 votes. Of the nearly 100 e-mails made public by Ritter's administration (constituents must specifically waive their right to confidential communication), nearly 90 percent favored Gordon. Not that popularity is the best … [Read more...]
Susan Greene: Conservatives Need Not Apply for CSU Chancellor
Susan Greene at the Denver Post scoffs at the idea of retiring U.S. Senator Wayne Allard serving as president of Colorado State University:The National Education Association has graded him with an "F." And the American Association of University Women has rated his work with a "zero." "Sen. Allard is a kind and humble man. But his voting record on educational issues has not received passing grades," says former at-large University of Colorado Regent Jim Martin. "To appoint him would not be in the best interest of the institution or the state." Allard's environmental record — most notably, his doubts about humankind's part in climate change — also would besmirch the university. In other words, Greene is hanging a sign on the door … [Read more...]