Rain, or snow? Yes! It’s time to Get More Smarter with Colorado Pols. If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (here’s a good example).
TOP OF MIND TODAY…
► Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is taking a big step forward in urging the legislature to do more to deal with Colorado’s fiscal/TABOR woes. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle seem a bit confused at the timing of Hickenlooper’s “Fiscal Thicket” plan, given that only four weeks remain in the current legislative session.
► The U.S. Senate will hold a field hearing on the status of the VA Hospital project in Aurora next Friday. As Mark Matthews writes for the Denver Post:
A day after the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs ripped into the VA for its role in building a new Colorado hospital now expected to cost $1.73 billion — more than five times its original estimate — the Senate veterans’ affairs committee announced plans to hold a field hearing on the issue April 24 in Aurora.
Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner had urged their colleagues to visit the state to investigate the troubled project, which has been beset by delays, cost overruns, and legal battles.
Do we really need the Senate Committee on Veteran’s Affairs to come to Aurora to understand that the hospital project is a complete mess?
Get even more smarter after the jump…
SHOULD YOU FIND YOURSELF STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…
► The State Senate Education Committee has approved a proposal to increase funding for K-12 public schools in Colorado.
► Legislation that would allow Coloradans to collect rainwater in barrels has stalled in the State Senate.
► The State House is pushing several new bills aimed at workforce development and lowering unemployment in Colorado. From Peter Marcus of the Durango Herald:
The measures serve as the Legislature’s centerpiece jobs effort, working to address unemployment by connecting Coloradans to jobs. Lawmakers touted the package during a news conference last month.
Five bills were backed by the House on Thursday, including House Bill 1230, which would create an internship and apprenticeship program for engineering and research-development careers.
The five bills now move on to the Senate for consideration.
► Republican Rep. Ken Buck thinks the problem with immigration enforcement is that there is low morale in the Department of Homeland Security. Of course, Buck is the same guy who thinks ISIS is operating a training camp just outside El Paso, Texas, so you can take his opinion with more than a few grains of salt.
► Monday is April 20, or “4/20” for you marijuana enthusiasts out there. In anticipation of a day when people are going to smoke a lot of weed, the Colorado Department of Transportation is promoting its “Drive High, Get a DUI” campaign. The Colorado Springs Independent finds this whole thing a little weird.
OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK
► Skip Noe, he won’t go! Not for now, anyway.
► Glenwood Springs has itself a new mayor.
► Colorado needs another oil & gas task force, says Bernie Buescher.
► The longer we go into this legislative session, the weirder things get in the State Senate.
ICYMI
► Dudley Brown of the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners thought he had purchased a Senate Majority for his organization.
► Republican Presidential hopeful and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has a “market-based” health insurance plan that will cover all of 80 people. Guess he’s not positioning himself as the “big ideas” candidate for 2016.
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We need them here to give Senators Bennet & Gardner a bunch of positive free press.
Trade deal heats up with ABC (Always Buy Colorado ) in the balance or “buy made in USA”
Senators Shill & Lackey expected to embrace.. the fast track (just bipartisanship at it’s best this week !!)abdication of constitutional authority to regulate trade , set tariffs. Maximum Leader ready to sign what ever team Rasputin puts in front of him. One brave woman stands in the way (perhaps Liz Warren as well) No, not H- Rod, silly) Lori Wallach of Public Citizen
Welfare for the 1%:
Boehner’s latest proposal: $269 in “tax relief”, i.e., eliminating the estate tax, is called the “Death Tax Repeal Act”.
From Steve Benen’s 4/16 Maddowblog
It has passed the House, may pass the Senate. The President will probably veto it.
How’s that class warfare coming?
Thankee gawd and huzzah for John the Orange!!! Now, maybe you (and I, too) can finally look forward to an untaxed death?!?
It’s not even for the one percent. Top .2% means that 99.8% don’t qualify. Don’t tell that to Fox viewers. They think this is a big deal for lots of people. This is actually more generous than many of the breaks that only benefit the top .1% or the top .01%, many of whom are in that “taker” 47% who pay no income taxes after all of their breaks and goodies. And let’s not forget the corporations that actually have a negative tax burden. They get money rather than paying money. But it’s OK because they create jobs and stimulate the economy. Oh wait. They cut and export jobs and leave their money off shore. But they’re doing a great job of growing the back to the future gilded age level wealth gap so…