Wednesday, August 9, 2006

Xcel franchise approved Denver voters approved the new deal for Xcel by a wide margin, according to the Denver Post. From the article, "Under the new deal, residents will see their electric and gas bills go up 75 cents a month - $9 a year - to help pay the utility bills of low-income residents. City officials negotiated for use of renewable energy - including a $200,000 contribution toward a proposed municipal solar-power plant and an agreement to purchase hydroelectric power from the Denver Water Board. The new plan also has a provision Hickenlooper and others said will increase the benefit to low-income users. The mayor has also touted stricter performance standards. Under Denver's old agreement, franchise fees generated $22 million for the city's general fund. The money came from a 3 percent fee that utility customers pay on their energy bills. As an attempt to help low-income users, the fee did not apply to the first $12.50 on the bill. Administration officials negotiated for what they have said is a more modern benefit. The $12.50 window will go away, but the $2.1 million generated by the extra charges will go to a low-income assistance fund." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 7:11:04 AM

Fall ballot issues The Cortez Journal has a nice roundup of the fall ballot issues. From the article, "Last November, Denver voters approved legalizing the possession of an ounce or less of marijuana. The proponents of that campaign want to repeat their success statewide. 'Despite the political differences in the state, it's quite clear that many citizens are fed up with laws that prohibit the use - for adults - of marijuana while allowing a much more harmful substance - alcohol,' Mason Tvert, campaign director of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, said at a small rally prior to turning in the signatures." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 7:07:00 AM

Ritter or Beauprez for governor? Here's a story about the gubernatorial race from the Rocky Mountain News. From the article, "Bob Beauprez hopes to corral Colorado's governorship by pitching himself as a dairy farmer-turned-banker who can champion both rural folks and the urban business community. In contrast, he wants to brand his Democratic foe, former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, as a man who spent his career as a 'Denver lawyer' and knows little outside the big, liberal city... "Ritter, 49, the Democratic nominee for governor, is running in a state where Republican and independent voters outnumber Democrats. To win, he'll need to reach out to rural voters, sportsmen and business people - groups that have traditionally tended to vote Republican. Ritter's biggest challenge is to introduce himself to Coloradans who know little about him, said political analyst Eric Sondermann." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 6:58:57 AM

Senate 32 Denver Post: "Chris Romer, the son of former Gov. Roy Romer, won the three-way Democratic primary election Tuesday for a state Senate seat representing Denver. Romer defeated community activist Jennifer Mello and Rep. Fran Coleman in a district where the primary victor usually goes on to win the general election in November. Democrats hold a significant edge in registrations in the area - Senate District 32... "Mello said she called Romer to concede late Tuesday evening. 'There's no doubt that name recognition helps a lot,' Mello said. 'I don't want to take anything away from Chris. He ran a good race, and he raised a lot of money.' Mello said she has no immediate plans for another race." The Rocky Mountain News recaps some of the election news from last night. They write, "In Denver, Romer beat Jennifer Mello and Rep. Fran Coleman. 'This feels great,' the younger Romer said. 'You know, in '58, my dad was in the Senate.' Romer now faces Republican David Lewis, but the seat has traditionally been held by a Democrat. The Democratic primary saw little of the nastiness that prevailed in some of the other contested primaries. 'Jennifer Mello did a hell of a job,' Romer said. 'She is a bright star to watch.'" Category: Denver November 2006 Election 6:56:00 AM

© Copyright 2006 John Orr. Last update: 9/1/06; 7:22:27 AM.