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Wednesday, June 14, 2006
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From email from Defend Colorado Now: "Defend Colorado Now will hold a press conference and rally at 10:30 am Thursday, June 15 on the west steps of the State Capitol. We will be calling for the Supreme Court to fairly rehear the case on the initiative. Please join us for this rally. Your attendance will demonstrate a strong grassroots support for the initiative. We know this is on a work day, but we need to schedule it on Thursday. If you can make it, please do join us. Show your support for immigration reform in Colorado."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
7:13:08 AM 
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SoapBlox Colorado: "Bill Owens issued an ultimatum to the judical branch today, threatening to convene a 'Special Session' of the legislature if Colorado's highest court does not reverse its 4-2 decision denying Dick Lamm's 'Do Nothing' Constitution-changing amendment from this November's ballot."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:50:39 AM
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From today's Denver Post, "A Colorado cattle rancher says he plans to run for governor as a Republican write-in candidate this fall. Chuck Sylvester, 68, said he has filed the necessary paperwork with the secretary of state's office. 'It galls me that politics are in the hands of a few people, and I just felt it was time to step up,' he said. 'I'm running to give the citizens of this state a choice. Across America, voters are frustrated with career politicians who merely pay lip service to our shared ideals.' Sylvester, a former general manager of the National Western Stock Show, said he has a 'Contract With Colorado' that addresses education, health care, immigration, agriculture, growth, water and the current budget crisis."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:24:58 AM
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From today's Denver Post, "Backers of a proposal that would allow gay couples to register as domestic partners are asking the Colorado Supreme Court to keep a competing measure off the November ballot. The second measure, which would bar Colorado from recognizing any status similar to marriage, is aimed at blocking the domestic- partnership proposal sent to voters by state lawmakers. As a constitutional amendment, it would trump the legislative measure. In a motion filed Monday with the state's high court, attorney Mark Grueskin argued it's not clear what relationships would be affected by the marriage-ban proposal, a violation of the constitutional requirement for a 'clear' single subject. He said the measure would also bar cohabiting couples from signing contracts with each other, as well as civil unions between both heterosexual and homosexual couples. Republican state Rep. Kevin Lundberg, a co-sponsor of the 'similar to' ban, said Tuesday it was 'absurd' to suggest that it would affect live-in couples and their right to sign contracts with each other. 'That is only one small component of what the overall marriage relationship is. It's when you bundle everything together and what you see is similar to marriage,' Lundberg said"
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:22:24 AM
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Here's an update on Marc Holtzman's attempt to stay on the August primary ballot from the Denver Post. They write, "The state Republican Party contended Tuesday that a court decision in favor of gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman would obliterate its "basic function" in selecting candidates, according to court papers. If Holtzman is permitted to collect only 10,500 signatures from anywhere in the state instead of 1,500 from each of the state's congressional districts as required by current law, it would undermine the party's interest in making sure a candidate for governor has backing from all of the state's 'distinct geopolitical regions,' the GOP argued...
"Lawyers for Bob Beauprez, the GOP's official gubernatorial nominee, and former U.S. Attorney Mike Norton, on behalf of three registered Republican voters, contended that problems with Holtzman's petition circulators violated state law and invalidated a number of signatures. The latest legal filings are just part of a series of events resulting from Secretary of State Gigi Dennis' ruling two weeks ago that Holtzman did not have enough signatures to make the Aug. 8 primary ballot. Holtzman appealed to Denver District Court, alleging that the secretary did not have jurisdiction over his protest. Judge Michael Mullins agreed and ordered the secretary to put Holtzman on the ballot while the signature issue was sorted out. If it is found that Holtzman does not have enough signatures, votes cast in his favor won't count. The court still must hear a number of legal issues before getting to the factual issue of signatures. Holtzman's legal team is arguing that a statewide candidate should not have to collect 1,500 Republican voters' signatures in each of the state's seven congressional districts because voters are allowed to vote anywhere in the state. Therefore, Holtzman should be required only to collect a total of 10,500. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Friday."
The Denver Post fact checks Marc Holtzman's recent TV ad.
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:16:01 AM
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A ballot initiative designed to change bilingual instruction in Colorado survived a court challenge this week, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "The state's highest court - which ruled Monday that a proposal to ban state services to illegal immigrants would not go before voters in November - also gave the green light to another group that has been pushing a measure to accelerate English language instruction for non-English-speaking students. English for Colorado, a group of Weld County citizens that includes Commissioner William Jerke, is promoting proposed ballot issue No. 95, the 'Education of English-Language Learners.' Under the proposal, students who are not proficient in English would get to spend up to one year in English-instruction classes before they are returned to a regular mainstream classroom. During that year of English instruction, students would primarily be taught in English, and they would not participate in other content areas such as math, science or social studies, said Bill Garcia, a lawyer from Weld County who is backing the measure...
"Manolo Gonzales-Estay, campaign manager for English Plus - the group that in 2002 led the defeat of Amendment 31, an English-only ballot initiative, and is now fighting No. 95 - said the proposal takes away choice from school districts. 'We now have multiple choices parents can take,' said Gonzales-Estay, who works for a political consulting firm, Welchert & Britz Inc. 'There's English immersion. There's dual language. Not every child is the same.' English Plus last month challenged the initiative, saying its language did not make clear enough to voters how restrictive it is. But on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that the state's Title Board, which oversees ballot language, acted properly last month when it approved the language. Proponents of No. 95 now have until Aug. 7 to collect 67,829 signatures, said Dana Williams, spokeswoman for the secretary of state's office. Under the proposal, some students - such as those who are 10 or older or have special needs - could apply for waivers to get bilingual instruction. Also, if 20 or more students in the same grade at one school get waivers, the school would have to provide those students with a bilingual-education option, he said. If there are fewer than 20 students, the district could offer its own bilingual program for students but would not be required to. If there is no bilingual program, students could transfer to another school or district - at district expense if the alternative is more than 2 miles away...
"Jane Urschel, associate executive director of the Colorado Association of School Boards, is concerned the proposal interferes with the right of districts to local control. 'It is very restrictive, and kids learn differently, and it's a disservice to kids to say this can be accomplished' in a year. The proposal also would require that the students be tested annually in English."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:08:29 AM
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© Copyright 2006 John Orr.
Last update: 7/1/06; 9:36:20 AM.
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