State House Republicans today blasted the House Democrat Leadership for blocking efforts to make the Governor's Council for Educator Effectiveness more transparent and open to the public.

“These are important meetings for the future of education in Colorado and it's incredible to me that anyone would want to keep these meetings from being as transparent as possible,” said House Republican Caucus Chair Amy Stephens. “These meetings should be broadcast far and wide so that all stakeholders, parents, teachers and community members can follow these critical conversations.”

Three of the four members of the House Services Committee agreed to allow meetings of the Council to be held at the capitol and broadcast online. However, Rep. Tom Massey, was informed that Democrat leadership in the House intervened to prevent the Council from being granted that ability.

The Council's initial meetings have been held at the offices of the Colorado Education Association in Denver and have not been broadcast. The CEA vocally opposed the bipartisan teacher and principal effectiveness bill that created the Council in state statute, Senate Bill 191, sponsored by Rep. Carole Murray, R-Castle Rock.

“Why would these meetings be held at the offices of a special interest organization that has been openly hostile toward increasing accountability in our schools?" asked Murray. “These meetings shouldn't just be open to people who live in Denver. Our teachers across the state should be able to attend and share their feelings honestly without fear of being intimidated by union bosses.”

House Education Committee Ranking Republican Tom Massey, also a member of the House Services Committee, said he was surprised that leadership intervened in the decision.

"This is a decision that the House Services Committee had purview over and a majority of the members of the Committee saw no problem with allowing these meetings to be broadcast from the capitol,” said Massey. “It will be very disappointing if politics ends up trumping transparency, especially on an issue as important as the education of our children.”

The next Council meeting is scheduled for Friday, August 20.

State Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, today is calling on Colorado’s congressional delegation to reject a dangerous amendment to a bill working its way through Congress that would force state and local governments to participate in collective bargaining with labor unions.


“Particularly with all of the uncertainty currently surrounding the economy, now is not the time to be making radical changes to the balance between labor unions and local governments,” Gardner said. “The amendment that has been attached to this bill will cause further harm to our economy and hinder our economic recovery.”

The amendment added to H.R. 4899 by Rep. David Obey, D-Wisconsin, would force state and local governments into collective bargaining agreements with labor associations representing police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders, among others.

Joining Gardner in signing the letter are 38 Representatives and Senators from across Colorado. Gardner says the strong showing of support for his letter by his colleagues illustrates the growing concern there is for this issue.

“Legislators from across the state signed this letter because they are just as concerned as I am that this overreaching mandate could be on its way from Washington to Colorado,” Gardner said. “I hope our congressional delegation agrees and joins with us in opposition to this amendment.”

Complaint Based on Consumer Privacy Concerns, Loss of Colorado Jobs


State Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument, today applauded the legal challenge filed against Colorado’s new Internet sales tax policy, recently authorized by House Bill 1193.

“We have said from the beginning that this proposal jeopardizes consumer privacy and gives the government a frightening amount of access to information about personal purchases and services,” said Stephens. “The bottom line is, it’s none of the government’s business what someone wants to buy online.”

Stephens helped lead the fight against HB 1193, a Democrat-sponsored budget balancing proposal that mandates sales tax collection for online purchases.

It was announced yesterday that the Direct Marketing Association filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Colorado challenging the new law as unconstitutional. The DMA cited privacy violations because the new law requires companies to turn over confidential purchasing history information to the Colorado Department of Revenue. The DMA also claims the law unfairly discriminates against interstate commerce.

“I wholeheartedly agree with the concerns raised by the legal challenge,” Stephens said. “These are problems even the sponsors of the bill recognized. Unfortunately, the tax proposal was still rushed through the legislature, causing concern for consumers and leading to the immediate loss of Colorado jobs.”

Immediately following passage of the bill, it was announced that Amazon would no longer be working with its 4,200 affiliates in Colorado.

Prior to filing the lawsuit, the DMA, along with several other entities, registered their concerns about HB1193 with the legislature, with the governor, and with the Department of Revenue during its rulemaking process.

Colorado’s latest economic forecast predicts some tough times ahead, and it's not hard to see why.

Democrats in charge of Colorado are failing the public with their harmful economic policies, including tax increases on businesses and consumers and onerous restrictions that discourage economic activity.

Quotes from the forecast on predictions for Colorado’s job market, economic performance, and energy sector make it easy to see that Democrats are falling short of the mark.

“The Democrats' management of the economy is making a bad situation that much worse,” said House Republican Leader Mike May, R-Parker. “Higher taxes, increased regulation, and a hostile attitude toward business have hampered Colorado’s recovery. Colorado Democrats are just not making the grade when it comes to managing the economy.”

State Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, today released the following statement in reaction to the governor’s veto of his House Bill 1287 that would have restricted state employees from using state-owned vehicles for commuting purposes:


“The intent of HB-1287 was to control the waste and abuse of government vehicles being used for commuting by state employees. That waste has been demonstrated by at least three state audits, and one of the governor’s own studies. Governor Ritter has had years to fix these problems, but has shown no leadership to do so. Nothing in the bill would have prohibited authorized emergency workers from commuting using state vehicles, but would have charged most employees the fair cost to the state for their non-official travel to and from work. Marked State Patrol vehicles were specifically exempted from reimbursement.”

“This bill was just a common sense way to save $3 million per year, and became enormously popular. The Joint Budget Committee, with four Democrats and two Republicans, unanimously sponsored the bill due to the clear waste and lack of oversight in the current system. The bill passed the House 59-2, and the Senate 35-0. Similar bills have been passed in nine other states in the past 18 months.

“It is disappointing that the governor chose to side against both the legislature and the taxpayers by vetoing House Bill 1287. Taxpayer-owned vehicles should be used only in the essential performance of state business, not for a free ride to work. As more Colorado workers lose their jobs, and taxpayers and businesses have to pay higher taxes during a continuing economic crisis with record unemployment, and Colorado families are paying higher vehicle registration fees, it is blatantly unfair for state workers to get a free ride to and from their offices. Unfortunately, this veto is part of a pattern with this governor of protecting wasteful special perks for the government while overcharging already desperate taxpayers. Whatever happened to ‘shared sacrifice’?”

Assistant House Republican Leader David Balmer, R-Centennial, today made the case for the General Assembly to support Attorney General John Suthers in his constitutional challenge of the federal health care legislation.

Majority Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee defeated the resolution on a party-line vote citing their support for the Obama-backed government run health care plan.

“There are real constitutional problems with the recently adopted government health care takeover,” Balmer said. “I think Attorney General Suthers deserves the support of the General Assembly in protecting Colorado from an extremely questionable law. Unfortunately, Democrats are unwilling to ask these important constitutional questions.”

Balmer says that House Joint Resolution 1008 raises important constitutional questions about the health care act. Balmer pointed out that the 2010 federal health care law unconstitutionally requires individuals to contract with private corporations.

“As legislators, we took an oath to uphold the federal and state constitutions,” Balmer said. “This new federal law clearly violates the U.S. Constitution, so we have a duty to challenge this unconstitutional law.”

Attorney Generals from across the United States have signed onto the lawsuit challenging the federal health care act. The lawsuit charges that the individual mandate implemented by the act exceeds Congress’ legislative authority and violates the constitutional rights of Americans.

“I think the Democrats who are willing to follow the will of Congress without question are going to find themselves on the wrong side of history,” Balmer said. “Even though my resolution failed, I personally support the AG in this lawsuit and I know many of my colleagues and constituents do as well.”

HJR 1008 was defeated on a 6-4 party-line vote.

State Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton, today took time out of a busy legislative schedule to ask the General Assembly to join him in a moment of silence to honor the 11th anniversary of the Columbine High School tragedy.

“Today marks the 11th Anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings,” Kerr said. “It is a day to acknowledge the many innocent victims who died that day. We want to let the families know that they are not alone and that our thoughts and prayers go out to them.”

Kerr remarked that Colorado should never forget the tragedy at Columbine High School in Littleton Colorado, which left 12 students and one teacher dead and 23 other people wounded.

“We will always remember the Columbine victims and their families,” Kerr said. “This tragedy has changed the way we address school safety and other emergency responses so that similar events can be prevented. In fact, the lessons we learned from Columbine prepared the teachers and students of Deer Creek Middle School to recently avert a greater tragedy.”

Rep. Kerr represents Colorado State House District 28, home to Columbine High School.

Republicans on the House Education Committee today are gearing up for what is expected to by yet another showdown over the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights.

At issue is House Concurrent Resolution 1002 by Rep. Debbie Benefield, D-Arvada, that would ask voters to allow the legislature the ability to impose tax increases for any education-related purpose without voter approval.

Rep. Tom Massey, Ranking Republican on the House Education Committee, says that the proposal violates the spirit of TABOR by allowing the legislature to impose tax increases without a vote of the people.

“Colorado voters approved TABOR in 1992 and now during a recession is not the time to push for a tax increase,” said Massey, R-Poncha Springs. “Their latest proposal would cripple TABOR and allow for massive tax increases merely to avoid cuts to education in lean economic times. Especially when every other state department is facing the same cuts as education is. That is just not good economic policy.”

Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, is concerned that is adopted, HCR 1002 would allow for unchecked government growth.

“Raising taxes and increasing government spending is not going to help put Colorado families back to work,” McNulty said. “Colorado families and businesses are looking for new solutions that respect their tax dollars and get our economy moving again. This proposal is just more of the same from the party in power.”

The House Education Committee will take up HCR 1002 today, April 19, at 1:30 pm in the Old Supreme Court Chamber. Members of the media and public can listen in to the proceedings live by clicking here and selecting the audio link for the Old Supreme Court Chambers.

May: State Ship Must be Righted

As the state House of Representatives readies to take up the state budget, House Republican Leader Mike May, R-Parker, today says that leading on government reform will be the House GOP’s top priority this year.

“House Republicans are interested in tackling some of the big picture problems in state government,” May said. “With the recession comes the opportunity to rethink, reshape, and retool areas of government that are simply not working and improve on aspects that are. House Republicans are ready to step up and provide the leadership necessary.”

May says that Republicans are working with Democrats to push for reforming the way that state government funds Colorado’s system of higher education, the state transportation system, and correctional facilities.

“Year after year we continue to see the same problems in the same areas yet we have not taken the opportunity to address these issues,” May said. “We can’t continue to push these problems off to be dealt with by future lawmakers. We can’t continue to govern by crisis.”

Specifically, May says that Republicans will push for an evaluation of the Department of Corrections to determine how Colorado can better utilize assets and increase efficiency. Another effort will focus on reforming Colorado’s higher education system to eliminate duplication between schools and increase efficiency. May says Republicans are also working on a proposal to re-evaluate our transportation system so that the state can fulfill obligations and eliminate roadblocks that prevent local communities from investing in their own roads.

The House is set to take up House Bill 1376, the state budget bill, later this week. May says that Republicans will offer constructive amendments to the state budget but most of the proposals he is backing will be introduced as separate bills in the coming days.

House GOP and Dems Team Up to Stop Investment Gamble on Retirement Accounts

The state House of Representatives today stopped a Senate Joint Resolution that House Republicans said encouraged risky investments for Coloradans’ individual retirement accounts.

At issue was Senate Joint Resolution 15, by Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton, which would have granted the state House of Representatives’ encouragement and stamp of approval for Colorado businesses to add a renewable energy fund to every 401(k) and other defined contribution plans in the state. The resolution was defeated when Representatives on both sides of the aisle saw how risky this investment strategy is.

“The House is not going to encourage people to gamble with their retirement funds,” said House Republican Leader Mike May. “I don’t believe that the state House should set the precedent of trying to pick winners and losers in the stock market. Especially not for Rice’s special interest cronies.”

As an example, May, R-Parker, pointed to a much-hyped foreign corporation that could be included in such an investment that has seen their stock drop nearly 70 percent in the last 20 months.

“We all support and encourage renewable energy,” May said. “But that doesn’t mean that Coloradans should be led to believe that the state House says they are a sound investment for your retirement.”

After a spirited debate, the House defeated the SJR 15 on a vote of 42-21.