| |
|
Thursday, July 20, 2006
|
|
From email from City Councilwoman Marcia Johnson: "District 5 Councilwoman Marcia Johnson - working in conjunction with Mayor John Hickenlooper and Council President Rosemary Rodriguez - has convened an eight-person panel and public discussion series to evaluate best practices for Election Commission governance and structure, which may result in a November ballot initiative. 'We've begun the hard work of evaluating the current structure and its level of effectiveness in governing elections,' said Councilwoman Marcia Johnson, who previously served two terms as an elected Denver Election Commissioner. 'It is possible that a better model exists to more effectively serve Denver voters, and this panel will thoroughly examine and evaluate alternatives, working toward a possible ballot proposal for this November's election. Public discussions with the task force will be held on the following dates: July 21, 2006, 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., District 2 Police Station, 3921 N. Holly St; July 28, 2006, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m, Savio Community Center, 320 Lowell St; July 29, 2006,10 a.m. - 2 p.m., National Jewish Molly Blank Center, 1400, Jackson St. The panel welcomes and encourages public input throughout this process. Community representatives are invited to make presentations to the panel. Please contact Councilwoman Johnson at (303) 355-4615 or Marcia.Johnson@ci.denver.co.us for more information on meeting times and locations or to schedule presentations."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
7:06:22 PM 
|
|
Here are two articles about Referred Question 1A from Jerry Kopel. He writes, "The '20 years' in this franchise agreement is the ceiling, and not the floor. The mayor, according to one newspaper article, wanted a 10-year period, but didn't get it. The 20 year franchise bolsters the company's credibility in dealing with suppliers and investors. If the August vote loses, another franchise election will be held in November. If the November vote fails, a separate bill passed will allow an election to be held again before April Ist, 2007. In my opinion, ten words on the minds of voters will defeat the franchise at the August election: Xcel...power loss...rate hike...executive pay...monopoly...20 years. Perhaps voters by venting their anger in August will allow a renegotiated franchise bill to pass in November."
Mr. Kopel's assessment includes, "What choice will Denver voters have? There are no companies presently around to replace XCel. It would be enormously costly for Denver to have what is available in about 20 other cities, a utility actually owned by the city. Most of those started when the towns were incorporated or shortly afterwards. We could have an early election such as when the state wide primary elections occur, vote 'no' and continue to negotiate for better terms with a second election in November."
This election is on August 8th, the same day as the primaries for the fall election.
Category: August 8th Ballot
5:51:19 PM
|
|
From today's Denver Post: "Colorado's gubernatorial candidates released platform statements Wednesday on supporting military veterans. In the morning, Democrat Bill Ritter's campaign announced that the candidate planned to address Colorado Veterans for America, a group that endorsed Ritter earlier this year. Ritter said he would work to improve state-delivered services to veterans and their families. By afternoon, Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez issued his statement, touting his support of federal funding of the new Veterans Affairs hospital at the Fitzsim ons campus in Aurora. Neither candidate served in the military. Ritter, 49, was too young to be considered for the draft during the Vietnam War. Beauprez, 57, was granted a military deferment because of a bleeding ulcer when he was 16, said campaign spokesman John Marshall."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:21:50 AM
|
|
Denver Post: "The Colorado secretary of state has issued emergency rules requiring nonprofits and some other organizations to reveal who is funding their political efforts. That means groups that buy ads for and against issues on November's ballot won't be able to hide behind their nonprofit status, as some tried to do during last year's Referendum C and D campaigns. 'This is a big issue now that we're in campaign season,' said Deputy Secretary of State Bill Hobbs. 'We want everyone to know about the rules right now.' Still, it appears that groups that want to keep their donor lists secret have at least one loophole. The new rules apply only to groups that are perceived as issue committees, and the definition of 'issue' is unclear, some lawyers say."
Category: Denver November 2006 Election
6:10:36 AM
|
|
|
© Copyright 2006 John Orr.
Last update: 7/30/06; 7:52:31 AM.
|
|
|
