December 04, 2011
Growing Colorado's Economy
Colorado has fared better than the rest of the country with the collapse of the economy following the mortgage crises and speculative derivatives, yet many people remain out of work in Colorado and what's worse is that despite extended unemployment much of the employment has become chronic to the point where people "fall off the rolls" of what is counted. Colorado's unemployment rate is now 8.1% (U.S. = 9%) but 40,000 new jobs were created in Colorado since September 2011.
In walking my district and talking with constituents it is clear that a variety of sectors have been hard hit across a spectrum of education and work levels. So what can we do from a policy perspective? While many of the abuses that led to the crash need to be remedied at the federal level, there are a variety of important roles the state (and you) can play.
(1) Office of Economic Development: The Governor has a variety of new initiatives coming out of this office. This office can offer information, resources, grants and a variety of opportunities to help create and grow Colorado businesses.
(2) Colorado Eco-Tourism: Colorado remains a top tourism destination and our local economy receives a 7-fold return on our investments in this area. You can help by supporting our local natural beauty and encouraging friends and family to come visit us in Colorado! Colorado continues to have some of the most breath-taking beauty in the world.
(3) Local First: While mass layoffs often happen with the largest of corporations, the recovery and growth of the economy is going to be fueled by small, local businesses. Every time you make a purchase from a local business, the benefit to our local economy is three-fold. Coloradans spent $12 Billion last year on holiday shopping. If we shifted even 10% of our spending to the locally owned businesses, it would add $3 Billion to Colorado's economy! For other great ideas on buying and supporting local, please visit: http://coloradolocalfirst.com/.
(4) State Contracting: Of course the state has a very limited budget, but the State of Colorado spends over $3 Billion year in contracting with the private sector. By contracting smart we can not only save taxpayers money, and ensure we provide better services, but we can also have a significant impact on our local economy. The state could give bidding weight to Colorado contractors and employers who are hiring Coloradans, paying a living wage, and not out-sourcing local jobs.
(5) Outsourcing: While it is a businesses prerogative to ship our jobs oversees, it is important to patron and support the companies that don't. We can also take a studies look at ensuring the state (and federal) government is not extending public subsidies or benefits to corporations who ship our jobs overseas.
(6) Colorado's Growth Sectors: I am very proud to have authored SB 09-51 which created the opportunity for solar lease financing in Colorado, which has doubled the amount of residential solar in less than 2 years but has also brought three new companies to Colorado to date! There is no question that Colorado has fared better in part because of our forward thinking on the New Energy Economy. Our health care industries have remained relatively strong as well.
(7) Education is the backbone of a strong economy: In order to ensure our children our well-educated, critical thinkers, and ready for the workforce, we need to provide the quality of education that is necessary so all of our kids in K-12 succeed, have the greatest opportunities and can afford to go to college or vocational schools for work. There are decent-paying jobs that remain unfilled at present because of a need for more engineers and IT specialists. We need to make sure we are filling those jobs.
(8) Tax Credits are a Mixed Bag: The data show that some targeted tax credits can serve as effective incentives but that many others don't have any impact. We need to get past talking points and take a sober look at the data as to what has a measurable impact and what doesn't. Unaccountable distribution of public funds to private corporations who do not create jobs or ship them overseas is simply wasteful spending and corporate welfare. Colorado cannot afford corporate subsidies to the largest actors who do not need the funds and are not using them in a measurable way to create jobs.
Want to add your own ideas? NOW is the time.
June 13, 2011
Some information about Colorado compared to the 50 states:
- Colorado population is 5,029,196 - 22nd most populous
- Colorados Personal Income Per Capita is $42,262 - 15th highest in country
- Colorado's poverty rate is 11.9% - 32nd in the country
- Colorado's homeownership rates are 68.5% - 33rd in the country
- Colorado's maximum corporate income tax rate 4.63%
- Colorado's state and local tax burden as % of income 8.6% - 39th in country
- Colorado's state sales tax is 2.9%
- Colorado's state cigarette tax is $0.84 per pack
- Colorado's state gas tax is $0.22 - 33rd in country
- Colorado's spirit tax is $2.28 galon, wine $0.32 gallon, beer $0.08 gallon
- Colorado is 10th friendliest state for entrepreneurs
- Colorado has the 14th highest rate of patents in the country
- Colorado ranks 34th in how much state share of funding for K12 is
- Colorado ranks 30th in public school funding per pupil
- Colorado ranks 32nd in state support for higher education
- Colorado ranks 24th in state per capita on spending on natural resources, parks & rec
- Colorado ranks 46th in state highway spending per capita
- Colorado ranks 6th in the nation on corrections spending per capita
- Colorado ranks 22nd in the nation for the % of people without health insurance for year
- Colorado ranks 25th in annual Medicaid spending per capita
- Colorado ranks 48th in expenditures on public welfare per capita
SOURCE: Taxpayer Network 2011
This is not a judgment on whether any of these levels are adequate to achieve any given result or public policy but wanted to share this updated information with you. There are a few takeaways: Colorado's tax rates are relatively low. Our investment in education is comparatively low. Our spending on corrections is high. Our poverty support is low.
June 11, 2011
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As some of you may know I have been appointed by the Senate President to serve on the reapportionment commission. I wanted to share some information about the reapportionment process and how you can be involved.
Redistricting is the process for redrawing US Congressional lines. (That is in the Colorado Courts and will likely be heard in October).
Reapportionment is the process for redrawing Colorado legislative districts. This is in process right now through the Colorado Reapportionment Commission. This is a bipartisan commission with 5 Dems, 5 GOP, 1 Unaffiliated. The other Commissioners are: Arnold Salazar, former Rep. Rob Witwer, Prof. Bob Loevy, Dolores Atencio, Rep. Matt Jones, former Rep. Gail Berry, former Rep. Steve Tool, Mario Nicholais, former Mayor Wellington Webb, Mario Carrera (Chair).
Colorado has grown approximately 17% since the last U.S. Census, over 700,000 people. The number of House districts (65) and the number of Senate districts (35) stay the same but we need to reallocate population to achieve population equality (within 5% highest population to lowest population deviation).
The criteria we are directed to follow:
- Achieve equal population
- Comply with the Voting Rights Act to protect against dilution of minority voting rights
- Avoid breaking county lines, where possible (unless needed for population)
- Avoid breaking city lines, where possible (unless needed for population)
- Seek compact and contiguous districts
- Respect communities of interest
- Give due consideration for competitive districts or other factors that may improve representation
Reapportionment Website
http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/CGA-ReDistrict/CBON/1251581558204
You can find agendas, schedule, testimony, data, maps, legal criteria, contact information, whether your district or county will need to shrink or grow, etc. on this website.
Reapportionment Email
reapp2011@state.co.us
Ways to Participate
- Testify, Attend Hearing(s)
- Send Input to Email Address Above
- Listen to Proceedings Online
What kind of information is helpful to us?
- your knowledge of local communities of interest (historical, cultural, transportation, economic etc)
- local history
- which communities should or should not be paired together and why
- any suggestions you have for how lines should be drawn or changed
Have a great weekend!
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May 23, 2011
For those of you who couldn't attend our recent townhall on Aurora Health Access and the Colorado Health Insurance Exchange, I wanted to share a few key updates with you.
SB 200 (Boyd - Stephens) was the bill that created the foundation for the Colorado Health Exchange which will be up and running by the end of 2013. A few facts about the exchange:
- If you already have insurance through your employer you would continue with what you have.
- The exchange will essentially be a shopping / market place for health insurance to make it easier to identify apples-to-apples comparisons between price, coverage and quality of plans.
- All insurance carriers who offer the minimum benefits packages can sell in the health insurance exchange.
- Colorado has about 800,000 uninsured people, Aurora has about 75,000 uninsured people.
- There will be a quasi-governmental oversight structure with specialist and citizen appointees including provisions about open records, open meetings, audits and conflict of interest provisions.
- Customer satisfaction data will be tracked and made available.
Children with pre-existing conditions can no longer denied insurance coverage as of 2011. For adults that provisions takes effect in 2014.
There will be small business tax credits to help businesses afford health coverage for its employees and for individuals who cannot afford the individual mandate there will be federal subsidies available to help pay through the mechanism of your annual tax filing.
Under the current system it is estimated 3 - 9% of your insurance premium is cost-shifting paying for the current cost of the uninsured in the system. In 2010 alone one of our local hospitals wrote off more than $275 million in uncompensated care. By most accounts the current non-system is actually the most expensive form of paying for the uninsured.
Special thanks to:
Jeff Thompson with the University of Colorado Hospital
Rich McClean with Aurora Health Access and St. Therese Church
Joan Henneberry, Director of the Colorado Health Insurance Exchange
Dr. Barry Martin, VP for MCPN (Metro Community Provider Network)
Dr. Dennis Waite, CMO, Medical Center of Aurora
March 06, 2011
TOWNHALL UPDATE
REMINDER: Please join us tomorrow for our monthly coffee Mon. Mar. 7, 2011 at 7:15 AM at Mimi's Cafe in Aurora, 205 S. Abilene Street, Aurora. This is hosted by myself, Rep.Ryden and Rep. Fields which allows up to provide you with the latest updates from both the House and the Senate. This is an open topic forum where all can bring their ideas, input and suggestions for us.
CONGRATULATIONS TO RHONDA FIELDS
Rep. Rhonda Fields has received the award for Rising Star of the Colorado Democratic Party. The award is well-deserved. If you haven't met Rhonda yet, you should. Hers is a story of an incredibly dedicated mother and social reformer that led her to run for the legislature -- and win. She has wasted no time, seeking improvements for Colorado. Congratulations Rhonda!
REDISTRICTING UPDATE
Senate President Brandon Shaffer has made history by creating a Bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Redistrcting with Speaker Frank McNulty. I am honored to have been appointed to serve on this committee. There are 10 members and we will be meeting around the state to get public testimony and input about how we re-draw Colorado's 7 Congressional Districts with the updated US Census information. The Committee is being co-chaired by Sen. Rollie Health (D-Boulder) and Rep. David Balmer (R-Aurora).
Our new maps must achieve population equality (US Constitution) and comply with the non-race-dilution requirements of the Voting Rights Act. The other traditional redistricting factors include preserving city and county lines where possible, ompactiness, contiguity and preserving communities of interest. The new population size for each district will be 718,546. That means:
CD 1 needs to gain 56,781 people;
CD 2 needs to lose 15,348 people;
CD 3 needs to gain 12,271 people;
CD 4 needs to lose 6,584 people;
CD 5 needs to lose 7,445 people;
CD 6 needs to lose 79,356 people; and
CD 7 needs to gain 40,647 people.
You can find more information about the schedule of public hearings and other information about redistricting by visiting http://www.colorado.gov/Redistricting. Also, if you can not attend any of the scheduling hearings, you can send your thoughts and comments to CongRedist2011@state.co.us and it will reach all 10 of us.
GIRLS WITH GOALS DAY
We were fortunate with the incredible work of our Senate staff to have participated in the first annual "Girls with Goals Day" on Friday. One girl was selected from each of the 35 Senate Districts to join us at the capitol, be sworn in as "honorary members of the Senate", and participate in floor work and mock legislative hearings. I was lucky to be joined by the young Senator, Odalis Alvarenga from Peoria Elementary School in Aurora.
HICKELOOPER'S FIRST BILLS
This past week Hickelooer signed his first 7 bills into law since being sworn in as Colorado's Governor. I was honored to have HB 1023 (Ferrandino - Carr0ll) extending the Colorado Foreclosure Deferral program be the first bill he signed. Also, in this first package was HB 1037 (Ryden, Fields - Carroll) reauthorizing and extending the Military Family Relief Fund, a tax checkoff providing financial assistance to military families experiencing deployment-related financial hardships.
STATUS OF MY BILLS
ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE & CONSUMER PROTECTION
SB 2 Low Income Telephone Users Fund (M. Carroll – J. Kerr) – This is an audit bill that fixes implementation so low income people who qualify for help can get it, and others who may not qualify won’t. INTRODUCED. PASSED Senate Third Reading 34-0. PENDING House Transportation Committee.
SB 68 Consumer Protection Act 2011 (M. Carroll - Solano) – Add enforcement language to Colorado’s Unfair Deceptive Trade Practices Act, presuming public harm, when consumers defrauded. There is an added barrier created by Colorado Courts which has left Colorado consumers without remedies. INTRODUCED. PASSED Senate 3rd Reading. PENDING House State Affairs Committee.
SB 175 Uniform Trust Insurable Interest (Carroll) - This bill would implement a Uniform Law around Insurable Interests in Trusts to make sure that any party taking out an insurance policy on another person has a legitimate insurable interest and not betting against the life of another. INTRODUCED. PASSED Senate Judiciary 9 - 0. PENDING Senate 2nd Reading Consent calendar.
HB 1127 Fair Use of Credit Scores (Kagan – M. Carroll) – With record people out of work, credit scores have taken a plunge. Credit scores have been used in hiring, apartment rental and to increase insurance premiums. Bill limits use of credit scores to areas only where there is a real and relevant reason to do so to remove unnecessary barriers to employment, housing and cost of insurance. INTRODUCED. DEFEATED House Local House State, Veteran & Military Affairs Committee.
HB 1023 Foreclosure Deferral Extension (Ferrandino – M. Carroll): The bill continues the foreclosure assistance and deferral we created in the state a few years ago. Unfortunately, the need is still there and it is set to expire. INTRODUCED. PASSED House 64-0, PASSED Senate 34-0. SIGNED by Governor.
HB 1232 Probate Registry of Fiduciaries (Court - M. Carroll): This bill creates a registry of court-appointed guardians, conservators and trustees, increases reporting to protected persons from annually to quarterly and requires responses to requests for information by protected persons within 30 days. INTRODUCED. DEFEATED House Judiciary Committee.
SB 182 Insurable Interest (M. Carroll - Liston): This bill ensures that there is an insurable interest before taking out a life insurance policy. This is a standard requirement across most states, however, has never been codified in Colorado. It prevents taking a life insurance policy out on a stranger and profiting from their death. INTRODUCED. PENDING Senate Business, Labor & Technology.
GOOD GOVERNMENT
SB 25 Taxpayer Empowerment Act (M. Carroll – Ferrandino) – Adds transparency on privatization of government functions by reforming government contracting to include standard clause about transparency of records relating to cost and performance measures of government contracts. INTRODUCED. PASSED Senate 3rd Reading. PENDING House Finance Committee.
SB 115 Government Accountability Act (M. Carroll) – ensures jurisdiction to state auditor for all state governmental and quasi-governmental entities to oversee taxpayer accountability and maximize government efficiency in performance. Closes auditing loopholes for good government. INTRODUCED. PASSED Senate 3rd Reading 35 - 0. PENDING House Finance Committee.
HB 1035 Campaign Finance Blue Book Clarification (Court – M. Carroll) – A bill to add blue book descriptions about who has drafted and funded different issues on the ballot. INTRODUCED. PASSED House 54-10, PASSED Senate 35 - 0. House concurred. PENDING action by Governor.
HB 1108 Coroner Commission (Fields, Ryden – M. Carroll) – The bill creates a commission to look at recommendations for qualifications for state coroner. (Currently no medical background is required and it is a partisan race.) INTRODUCED, DEFEATED House Local Government Committee 6:5 party-line vote.
HB 1118 Audit Authority Toll Authorities (J. Kerr - M. Carroll) - This is an audit bill that gives audit jurisdiction to the State Auditor for public highway (toll) authorities. INTRODUCED, PASSED House 3rd Reading 64 - 1. PENDING Senate Committee Transportation.
HB 1229 Issue Committee Disclosures (Court - M. Carroll) - This bill ensures issue committee disclosures following the Sampson case ruling strike down existing limits (as applied). INTRODUCED. PENDING House State Affairs Committee.
HB 1124 Conflicts of Interest HOAs, Special Districts (A. Williams - M. Carroll) - This bill requires HOAs and special districts to devise conflicts of interest policies around disclosure, recusal and disclose if serving on multiple related Boards prior to a vote. INTRODUCED, PASSED House 55-9-1. PENDING Senate Committee assignment.
JOB PROTECTION
SB 72 Civil Rights Act 2011 (M. Carroll – Levy) – Gives Title VII job protection and remedies to Colorado workers from discrimination (race, gender, sexual orientation) when work for an employer of 15 or less. (More than 15 already covered). INTRODUCED. PASSED Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Appropriations Committee. PENDING Senate 2nd Reading.
SB 179 Worker Alternative Use of ID (M. Carroll) - This bill allows workers to present work-issued ID at a job site to reduce risk of identity theft or loss of state issued ID on the job. INTRODUCED. PENDING Senate Judiciary Committee.
HEALTH CARE
SB 88: Direct Entry Midwives (M. Carroll / Lundberg – Acree): Continues ability for midwives trained for home births to continue to practice in Colorado, updates their practice act, and gives ability to administer minor treatments to mom or baby that are within their training and scope of practice. INTRODUCED. PASSED Senate Health & Human Services Committee 8 - 1, Senate Appropriations 11 - 0. PENDING Senate 2nd Reading.
VETERAN SUPPORT
HB 1037 Military Family Relief Fund (Ryden – M. Carroll)– Reauthorizes Military Family Relief Fund on Income Tax Check off to support military families experiencing hardship as a result of deployment. INTRODUCED. PASSED House 65-0, PASSED Senate 34 - 1, SIGNED by Governor.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
SB 176 Appropriate Use of Solitary Confinement (M. Carroll - Levy): This bill creates due process protections for inmates with severe mental illness or developmental disabilities with respect to solitary confinement and gives allows inmates with good record to get earned time. It directs the cost-savings from the bill into mental health treatment. INTRODUCED. PENDING Senate Judiciary.
Hope you are well and thanks for your interest in your state!
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