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Friday, August 11, 2006
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From today's Rocky Mountain News: "Fresh off their primary wins, Republican Bob Beauprez, Democrat Bill Ritter and the third-party candidates for governor meet today for their first debate: 9 p.m., Channel 12; Sponsored by [the] Rocky Mountain News, CBS 4 and KBDI-Channel 12."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:54:22 AM 
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Term limits for judges will be on the November ballot, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "The Colorado Secretary of State's Office has given the green light to a November ballot initiative that would limit the terms of certain state judges. The initiative campaign, led by John Andrews, former state Senate president, and three Republican state lawmakers, will launch today with a press conference announcing endorsements from three lawyers and a prosecutor. They face stiff opposition from a coalition including Attorney General John Suthers, the Colorado Bar Association, the Colorado Judicial Institute, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Denver District Attorney Mitchell Morrissey. Andrews said he expects each side to spend about $1 million to publicize their arguments...
"The measure would limit how many terms state Supreme Court and state appeals court judges could serve. After each four-year term, those judges would stand for retention in elections. Judges could not serve more than three terms. Currently, state law allows Supreme Court judges to keep office for 10 years and appeals court judges eight years before facing retention. They can serve unlimited additional terms until retirement age. Andrews said the measure, which will appear on the November ballot as Amendment 40, is necessary to address 'widespread concern among Coloradans that our courts are out of control.'"
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:52:37 AM
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The Bell Policy Center is opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment mandating the 65% solution, according to the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "The Bell Policy Center voiced opposition Thursday to a proposed state constitutional amendment requiring school districts to spend 65 percent of their money on classroom instruction. Amendment 39 would force spending shifts in 166 of the state's 178 school districts, according to the liberal think tank in Denver. The amendment, which is backed mostly by Republicans, including Gov. Bill Owens, is intended to cut administrative overhead in schools, forcing more money into the classroom. The amendment is sponsored by the group First Class Education Colorado. Michele Austin, the group's treasurer, said research shows a 'strong correlation' between test scores and classroom spending. The research was based on tests conducted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, not the Colorado achievement tests.
"But Bell senior policy analyst Frank Watrous said some of Colorado's most successful school districts, as measured by achievement tests, spend less than 65 percent of their revenue on direct classroom instruction. Watrous also took issue with what would count as an instructional expenditure under Amendment 39. Included as instructional costs would be both traditional teachers and teachers of the handicapped, as well as tutors, aides, librarians, books, computers and classroom supplies. Also included would be the cost of field trips, music, art and athletics. But administrators down to the principal level would be excluded, as would nurses, counselors, psychologists, social workers and speech therapists. The cost of teacher training is not included...
"The Bell center is also opposing Referendum J, a measure put on the ballot by the legislature in an effort to head off Amendment 39. Referendum J requires districts to spend 65 percent of their funds on instruction, but includes most of the expenditures rejected under Amendment 39."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:49:28 AM
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Jim Spencer writes about U.S. Representative Bob Beauprez in today's Denver Post. From the opinion piece, "Here's a definition of political irony: Congressman Bob Beauprez wants to be Colorado governor so he can lobby his former colleagues and his successor to fix immigration. Beauprez says that if elected, he'll lead a coalition of Western governors to pressure Congress for pragmatic and politically acceptable immigration reform. This, of course, begs the question of why Beauprez believes he can do from Denver what he couldn't do in Washington the past four years. 'I really do think governors have more clout than anyone other than the president,' the Republican candidate said in an interview Thursday...
"To his credit, Beauprez sounds more like President Bush than Tom Tancredo these days. He knows that could cost him votes among the party's conservative, anti-illegal-immigrant base. Beauprez wants secure borders and as close to a foolproof ID system as 21st century technology allows. He wants a law that requires employers to use the Homeland Security Department's Basic Pilot program to match workers' Social Security numbers with their names...
"He [Beauprez] favors a program that would make undocumented workers leave the country but let them return in a matter of weeks with work visas if they pass a criminal background check, health exam, pay back taxes and have a sponsoring employer. 'Could that be a quick process?' he asked. 'In my mind, yes.' Not only in his mind, but in the minds of Republican Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, both of whom have made similar proposals in Congress. Colorado's current governor, Bill Owens, also backs such a leave-and-return policy."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:31:13 AM
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© Copyright 2006 John Orr.
Last update: 9/1/06; 7:22:34 AM.
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