While Democrats in the state legislature voted against a bill Tuesday that sought to help implement a statewide database of sole-source government contracts, a local Democrat is bucking the trend of his party by calling for more transparency and competition.
COLORADO'S FRONTPAGE
Face the State
Content Index: 2008 Colorado Ballot Questions
Follow this topic by RSSFollowing injunction, Buescher halts Amd. 54 rulemaking
A Face the State Staff Report
August 6, 2009In response to a July court ruling suspending enforcement of Amendment 54's political contribution ban, Secretary of State Bernie Buescher, a Democrat, terminated the rulemaking process aimed at establishing enforcement mechanisms under the measure. The court's injunction comes ahead of a full hearing on the amendment's constitutionality.
7/10: Not so fast on personhood 2.0
Despite taking a drubbing last November, activists are collecting signatures for a constitutional ban on abortion.
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7/2: Amendment 54 worth keeping
Amendment 54 is on life support, but this patient deserves resuscitation.
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Sole-source contract reporting up, but Amendment 54 hangs in limbo
A Face the State Staff Report
June 29, 2009Despite a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the voter-approved Amendment 54, reporting of no-bid government contracts - a requirement under the disputed law - has increased.
5/21: Bill Ritter's about-face on energy taxes
Gov. Bill Ritter still has a surprise or two up his sleeve.
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Former Sen. Jones continues fight for equal treatment
A Face the State Staff Report
April 21, 2009Despite a few recent disappointments, former state Sen. Ed Jones of El Paso County has not given up on his lifelong fight for civil rights.
Aurora City Councilman Beer argues against sole-source contracts
February 4, 2009Democrats vote against transparency
A Face the State Staff Report
February 4, 2009Democrats have once again thumbed their nose at transparency Tuesday as the House State Affairs Committee defeated a bill on a near party line vote that would have aided in the implementation of the voter-approved Amendment 54, which requires the creation of a searchable database listing the recipients of no-bid government contracts over $100,000.
FTS on the Air: Stories from the FTS Reading Room
Sitting in for Amy Oliver on 1310 KFKA, FTS managing editor Brad Jones discusses two recent stories based on government open records. E-mails sent and received by CU law professor Melissa Hart detail her political activities while on the clock at the university, and Gov. Bill Ritter's calendar is completely blacked out the day before the November election.
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Ritter's calendar redactions leave lingering questions
February 3, 2009Through an open records request for Gov. Bill Ritter's 2007 and 2008 calendars, Face the State has received hundreds of pages pointing to Ritter's whereabouts over the past two years. While Ritter's legal counsel complied with the request by providing information about meetings and public appearances, the documents also included various election-related redactions.
CU professor's e-mails chronicle her time on the campaign trail
February 2, 2009Documents obtained under the Colorado Open Records Act show CU law professor Melissa Hart made a habit of using her position at the university to further her work in defeating Amendment 46, a 2008 ballot initiative seeking to end race and gender preferences in Colorado government. The documents are the basis for two FTS reports (found here and here).
Beware of the 'vampires' at the Independence Institute
February 2, 2009
Through a recent open records request, Face the State obtained dozens of e-mails sent and received by tenured CU law professor Melissa Hart. While this proved to be a story in and of itself, one e-mail from a prominent Denver attorney stood out, referencing Hart's opposition as "social vampires" who "will seek to rise from the grave."
This email was sent by James Lyons, a partner at the Denver law firm Rothgerber, Johnson & Lyons.
CU prof used state resources to fight Amendment 46
A Face the State Staff Report
February 2, 2009
According to e-mails obtained by Face the State via an open-records request, tenured CU law professor and co-chair of the "No on 46" campaign Melissa Hart frequently used her CU e-mail account and campus resources to advocate against November's Amendment 46. More than 35 emails sent between August and December 2008 show Hart was using her CU e-mail address to organize campaign events, correspond with campaign attorneys, and advocate against the proposed amendment that sought to eliminate race and gender preferences in the state's affirmative action programs.
1/30: Warning! Tax hikers are on the march
Here we go again. Just months after being shellacked at the ballot box, Colorado's tax hikers are gunning for your wallets.
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State records: Only 5 contractors have reported under Amendment 54
A Face the State Staff Report
January 29, 2009In the face of a new lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Amendment 54, state Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colo. Springs, is moving forward with House Bill 1165, legislation that would enable the implementation of parts of the statewide transparency measure. Holders of sole-source government contracts are responsible for reporting contract information to the state, but to date, only 5 vendors have done so.
Lawmakers: Bill's defeat leads to 'Blagojevich-ization' of Colorado politics
A Face the State Staff Report
January 28, 2009
The House State Affairs Committee killed a bill Tuesday that would have made it illegal to remove a ballot initiative in exchange for compensation of any kind.
Controversial Amendment 54 implementation now underway
A Face the State Staff Report
January 23, 2009The House State Affairs Committee will consider a bill next week that would establish funding for a state database of sole-source government contracts, as required through November's voter-approved Amendment 54.
Rep. Judd: 'How could anyone even notice' an energy tax hike?
A Face the State Staff Report
December 18, 2008
State Rep. Joel Judd wants to give his constituents a peek into the life of a Colorado lawmaker. Subscribers to his e-mail list recently received a detailed retelling of the Denver Democrat's attendance at a seminar sponsored by the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, after which he questioned the economic model of Colorado's largest industry.
12/10: Amendment 51 backers press on
Remember Amendment 51, the proposal to raise the sales tax to pay for developmental disabilities? Despite being trounced at the ballot box, its proponents are pressing on.
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Colorado's business leaders seek a bailout of their own
December 9, 2008
A group of business leaders that joined forces with organized labor during the campaign season is now hosting a fundraiser to retire $225,000 of campaign debt.
12/4: New gambling taxes
Voters will soon decide whether to allow expanded gambling in Colorado’s mountain casinos. But who really stands to benefit?
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Education establishment stalled after defeat of 59 and Ref O
A Face the State Staff Report
November 24, 2008
Following the defeat of two measures on the statewide ballot, a joint effort by Colorado's three largest education lobbying groups to alter the state's tax system has been left in a lurch.
11/19: Grueskin, the sore loser
What to do when you lose at the ballot box? Sue the victor, of course!
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Oil & gas lobby digs in for battle over rules
November 17, 2008
Despite widespread Democrat victories this November, election night was bittersweet for Gov. Bill Ritter as he was forced to watch voters soundly reject Amendment 58, his proposal to impose $321 million in new taxes on Colorado's energy producers.
Legislators proclaim transportation top priority for 2009
A Face the State Staff Report
November 12, 2008After the 2008 legislative session failed to yield a solid strategy for addressing Colorado's crumbling roads and highways, a number of legislators are offering their own solutions for the state's transportation woes.
Political Cartoon for 11/10: Ritter's political casualties
Face The State Humor
November 10, 2008
Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter had a rough election day. With a key legislative ally losing his re-election bid and his energy tax increase proposal overwhelmingly rejected by voters, is Ritter becoming politically toxic?
Segment 2 - Jessica Corry on Amendment 46
Jessica Corry, executive director of the Colorado Civil Rights Initiative, talks about the proposal's narrow loss at the ballot box and the continuing fight for gender and race equality.
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11/7: The citizen's initiative at work
There were ten citizen-initiated questions on the ballot, yet only two passed. What lessons did we learn about Colorado voters?
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7:05 update: Awaiting results, Amendment 46
Polls closed at 7, although anyone in line to vote at that time is guaranteed the opportunity to exercise his or her franchise. FTS visits with Amendment 46 spokeswoman Kate Melvin about the interplay of the initiative and Barack Obama's appeal with youth voters.
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Ritter's budget leaves transportation out to dry
A Face the State Staff Report
November 4, 2008In his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year, Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, provided no extra cushion for a significant dip in federal transportation funding. Republicans questioned the move as uncertainty lingers about whether voters will approve today a proposed constitutional amendment that could dramatically increase funding for Colorado's roads.