Colorado Concern 

August 11, 2014

The Week in Review

 

Last week when Governor John Hickenlooper and U.S. Representative Jared Polis (D-CD2) outlined the components of the agreement that would avert a battle at the statewide ballot over oil and gas development in our state, a piece of that truce was the withdrawal of  That was a measure Colorado Concern and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce - in conjunction with the energy industry - was supporting.  The previous Friday, Initiative 137 proponents Pat Hamill (on behalf of Colorado Concern) and Bob Deibel (on behalf of the Denver Metro Chamber) had submitted 137,000 signatures to the Secretary of State to secure ballot placement.  That said, when a deal that would remove Initiatives 88 and 89 - measures that would ban oil and gas development in Colorado - became possible, and pulling down this measure was required to achieve success, we agreed to do so. 

 

The business community is well aware that citizen-initiated ballot measures in Colorado are a tradition.  In fact, 81 ballot initiatives and legislatively supported referendums have gone before voters between 2000 and 2013.  Realizing this process is part of the fabric of our state, Initiative 137 was an attempt at additional transparency by requiring that all initiated ballot measures include a fiscal impact statement on the petition circulated for signatures, the step required to place a measure before voters each November.  In the simplest of terms, by informing voters earlier in the process about the fiscal components of a proposal, Coloradans can begin to contemplate the cost-benefit of an initiative.  Of the 21 states that permit citizen-initiated changes to state statutes, six states - Alaska, California, Maine, Missouri, Montana and Utah - have similar laws. 

If this concept sounds familiar you are correct; it was included in a piece of draft legislation we worked on with Speaker Mark Ferrandino (D-Denver) and Rep. Lois Court (D-Denver) last session.  When Initiative 137 began to move forward, we chose to set aside our legislative approach.  I expect we and other interested parties will work with elected leaders from both parties to dust off the proposal we crafted last year and consider its introduction in 2015.

If you have questions about Initiative 137 or the proposed legislative approach, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].

 

Warmly,

Tamra  

Tamra

Colorado Concern Upcoming Events

 

Below is information on upcoming Colorado Concern events. 

Click here for more information or to register to attend events.
 
Thursday, August 14: Membership Lunch with U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) 
Noon to 1:30, RubinBrown, 1900 16th Street, 3rd Floor
 
Wednesday, August 20: Membership Networking Lunch Co-Hosted by Tim Gill and Barry Hirschfeld
11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Colorado Concern, 140 East 19th Avenue, Suite 400

Friday, September 5: Membership Breakfast with U.S. Senator Michael Bennet
8:00 to 9:30 a.m., Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, 410 17th Street, 21st Floor
 
Thursday, September 25: Membership Networking Breakfast Co-Hosted by John Ikard and Blair Richardson
7:30 to 9:00 a.m., Colorado Concern, 140 East 19th Avenue, Suite 400
Members in the News 

 

Denver Business Journal: August 5

Features Brad Holly

 

 

Colorado zoos named to TripAdvisor's top 10 in the country

Denver Business Journal: August 5

Features Shannon Block

 

Kim Day  

Denver Business Journal: August 8

Features Kim Day

 

Denver International Airport serves almost 26 million passengers for first six months of 2014

Denver Business Journal: August 8

Features Kim Day


Colorado Concern News Clips

 

Colorado Concern in the News

Denver Post: August 5

 

Hickenlooper hopes oil and gas legislation will avoid 2016 Colorado ballot fight

Denver Business Journal: August 7

 

Development/Real Estate/Housing

Denver Post: August 4

 

Denver Post: August 6

 

Price hikes slowing, but Denver housing's on the verge of unaffordable

Denver Post: August 7

 

Opinion: What can Denver do when a hot housing market hurts?

Denver Post: August 8

 

Education

Denver Post: August 4

 

Denver Post: August 4

 

Editorial: Failing to report school violence in Colorado

Denver Post: August 7

 

Elections/Politics

Steve King should resign from Colorado Senate

The Denver Post: August 4

 

Denver Post: August 5

 

8 Colorado ballot initiatives you should know about

Colorado Public Radio: August 5

 

Colorado politics

The Economist: August 6

 

CACI endorses 49 legislative candidates

The Colorado Statesman: August 8

 

With Congress deadlocked, NCSL says eyes are on state legislatures

Denver Post: August 8

 

Colorado governor candidate Bob Beauprez unveils economic plan

Denver Business Journal: August 8

 

Colorado governor fights to stave off GOP election challenge

Yahoo News: August 10

 

Energy

Report calls for more intensive research on fracking

Denver Business Journal: August 4

 

Denver Post: August 4

 

Alert: State fracking deal looks to pull ballot measures, Longmont lawsuit

Longmont Daily Times-Call: August 4

 

Energy Pipeline: Not all Colorado ballot initiatives are built to fight the oil and gas industry

Greeley Tribune: August 4

 

Editorial: Oil and gas deal is a break for Colorado

Denver Post: August 5

 

Colorado's fracking debate calms; both sides agree to Hickenlooper deal

Denver Business Journal: August 5

 

Colorado deal could kill fracking ballot measures What to watch in today's primaries

Politico: August 5

 

All four Colorado oil, gas ballot measures withdrawn as promised

The Denver Post: August 5

 

Boulder voters to weigh short-term sales tax, broadband authority, executive sessions

The Daily Camera: August 5

 

Denver Business Journal: August 6

 

Colorado commission votes to pull lawsuit over Longmont oil, gas rule

The Denver Post: August 6

 

Denver Post: August 6

 

Success of Hickenlooper oil, gas panel hinges on offering legislation

Denver Post: August 7

 

Judge strikes down another Colorado town's ban on fracking

Denver Business Journal: August 8

 

Colorado oil and gas commission to withdraw suit against Longmont

Denver Business Journal: August 8

 

Boulder, Xcel turn up voltage on dispute

Northern Colorado Business Report: August 8

 

Health Care

Colorado sees 5th biggest drop in uninsured rate under Obamacare

Denver Business Journal: August 6

 

Colo. health providers grapple with surge in new patients

CPR: August 6

 

Denver Post: August 8

 

10 Of The Healthiest Places To Live In America

Huffington Post: August 8

 

General Business

Boulder-area startup summer camp meshes innovation with tradition

Denver Business Journal: August 4

 

Paint fee, new plumbing requirements among new Colorado laws

The Republic: August 5

 

New laws aiding small businesses now in effect in Colorado

Denver Business Journal: August 7

 

Russia already has cut off chief Colorado food export

Denver Post: August 7

 

CPR: August 7

 

Immigration

Denver applies for funds to house unaccompanied Central American kids

Denver Post: August 6

 

Denver Post: August 6

 

Marijuana

Green gold rush creating gray marijuana market

USA Today: August 4

 

The Cannabist: August 5

 

Denver Post: August 6

 

Telecommunications

CenturyLink to turn Denver into a Gig City with 1 gigabit per second

Denver Post: August 5

 

Transportation

Denver Post: August 4

 

Colorado transit projects fueling jobs and growth, Bennet told

Denver Post: August 5

 

Denver Post: August 6

 

Denver Post: August 7

 

Opinion: Paying for I-70 improvements

Denver Post: August 7

 

Water

Western water suppliers reach Colorado River conservation agreement

Summit Daily: August 4

 

Front Range eyes more Colorado River diversions

Sky Hi Daily News: August 5

In This Issue
Article Headline
Upcoming Events

Members in the News

News Clips



Colorado Concern Board member Tim Gill is providing Colorado Concern members an opportunity to attend an important luncheon with U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) August 14 at noon.
Click here for details and to register.
___________
Colorado Concern Board of Directors

 

Pat Hamill

(Chairman)

Tamra Ward

(President and CEO)

Ted Brown

Steve Farber

Tim Gill

A. Barry Hirschfeld 

Bill Hybl

John Ikard

Walter Isenberg

David McReynolds

Larry A. Mizel 

Blair Richardson

Dan Ritchie 

Rick Sapkin
Sylvia Young