Coyote Gulch

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Hart on Iraq
Mike Littwin profiles Gary Hart's recent call to arms for Democrats in his column in today's Rocky Mountain News [August 25, 2005, "Littwin: Hart calls out Democratic fence-sitters"]. According to Littwin, "Do not let it be said - as you often hear - that the Democrats have no comprehensive strategy on Iraq. It goes this way: Watch, with silent glee, as someone like Cindy Sheehan calls out the president; Watch, with barely restrained glee, as George W. Bush's poll numbers plummet; Watch, with quiet dismay, as the Iraqis work to draft a constitution that - according to many secular Iraqis - could put Shiite clerics in control and limit women's rights; Watch, in dumbfounded amazement, as Bush insists the draft proposals 'honor' women's rights. And when it comes time to finally do something, you do this: Rush to the microphone to second the president on Iraq. You say, with no hint of irony, that, although you would handle things much differently, we must 'stay the course,' even as the course gets rougher and the options grow fewer and the blame assigned to Bush becomes increasingly loud."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
7:21:47 AM

Hickenlooper for Governor?
Susan Barnes-Gelt is encouraging my boss, Mayor Hickenlooper, to run for governor next year [August 25, 2005, "Why Hickenlooper should run for guv"]. She writes, "As to Democrat candidates, former district attorney Bill Ritter is the last man standing - so far. But he faces challenges: He's anti-choice in a party where female voters outnumber men; he was consistently pro-police during his stint as DA; and fundraising will be difficult for this thoughtful introvert. Enter Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, whose skills are particularly well-suited to successfully run and serve as governor."
Here's the link to Draft Hick(enlooper).
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:57:53 AM

Referendums C and D
The Denver Post editorial staff is encouraged that University of Colorado President Hank Brown has endorsed Referendums C and D [August 25, 2005, "Brown deserves an 'A' on C, D"]. They write, "Opponents are trying mightily to brand the referendums as liberal tax-and-spend measures. They know better, of course. With Brown joining Gov. Bill Owens and prominent Republican lawmakers and business leaders on the C and D team, the demagogues opposing them will find it hard to cast these sensible measures as some crazy Democratic conspiracy."
Colorado Common Cause and the League of Women Voters have joined the chorus asking where opponents of Referendums C and D are getting their dough, according to the Rocky Mountain News [August 25, 2005, "More question radio ad funding"]. From the article, "They were referring to $391,000 of radio ads bought by the Independence Institute, a conservative think tank. Independence Institute President Jon Caldara said he doesn't have to reveal the donors because the ads are educational and don't explicitly ask listeners to vote no on Refs C and D."
Here's a short article about support for Referendums C and D from the Rocky Mountain News [August 25, 2005, "3 of state's top officials back Refs C, D"]. From the article, "Gov. Bill Owens, Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. Mark Udall said Wednesday that the measures are critical to addressing Colorado's transportation needs."
Here's a background piece on the Denver Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative from the Rocky Mountain News [August 25, 2005, "Pot law makes ballot"]. From the article, "The ballot measure would make it legal for adults 21 years and older to possess less than 1 once of marijuana. But state law prohibits the possession of marijuana...The measure's backers, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, collected more than the 12,000 signatures needed to force the matter onto the ballot...Supporters of Denver's ballot measure argue that smoking marijuana should be regulated and taxed much like alcohol. They also contend that personal use of marijuana causes less harm and law enforcement problems than alcohol."
Category: Denver November 2005 Election
6:53:04 AM

Denver Water Rates to Increase Again?
Denver Water plans public hearings before raising rates 7 to 10%, according to the Denver Post [August 25, 2005, "Water rates set to take a spurt up"]. From the article, "About 85 percent of Denver Water's customers pay a two- month meter charge of $8.51. Under the proposed increase, that would rise to $9.15, which is a 7.5 percent increase. To calculate the consumption charge, the utility divides users into city and suburban customers and then charges them based on water use. To calculate that charge, the utility splits customers into three 'blocks' that assign rates based on how much water they use: 0 to 22,000 gallons; 23,000 to 60,000 gallons; and more than 60,000 gallons. The staff's preference is to add a fourth block for high-end users and adjust rates so high-volume consumers pay more. For example, under the existing structure, a person who lives in the city and uses 18,000 gallons of water every two months pays $1.71 per thousand gallons - or $30.78 in consumption charges on their bill. Under the proposal, that same customer would be charged $1.81 per thousand gallons for the first 16,000 gallons and $2.17 for each of the next two thousand gallons. The bill would be $33.30. A city household that uses more than 80,000 gallons in a two-month period would pay a rate of $3.53 per thousand gallons, almost double the lower-use home."
Meanwhile Jefferson County is wrestling with regulations to ensure adequate water supplies in the rural western part of the county, according to the Denver Post [August 25, 2005, "Jeffco to resume work on proposed water rules for foothills"]. They write, "Jefferson County officials plan another stab at creating regulations to require people building in the foothills to prove there is sufficient water and that their use won't affect their neighbors' supply. Workshops and community meetings will review criteria for the regulations, which county planning director Tim Carl said Wednesday should take about a year."
Category: Colorado Water
6:44:41 AM

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