RECAP: The current political and legislative environment in Colorado  

Twenty years ago Democrats and Republications were observed to work together as they sought legislative solutions to Colorado’s needs and problems. Today the level of rigidity and entrenchment of both parties make success much more difficult. (“If you are not at the table, you are on the menu”).  There seems to be a dearth of what we used to call “statesmen/stateswomen”).

 

The democrats in Colorado have a super majority with elected members in both houses and the governor’s mansion. Colorado went from a red state to a blue state in the last 20 years. Our government functions best when there are checks and balances, not when a supermajority thinks it has a mandate to govern. When this is the case bad things can happen. With 69 Democratic-held seats, technically this is a veto-proof legislature. Nonetheless, Bill believes there will be no attempt to override important bills currently in the process like one providing for “rent stabilization.”

 

Bill Becker’s job is often to make bills less bad, less impactful. His primary employers are the Chambers in Larimer and Weld Counties (via Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance) and thus he focuses on bills that affect the business communities. He identifies the sponsors of bills and meets with them to describe their concerns.  Of particular concern is that we are now at the end of the legislative session (40 days remain). The introduction of “late bills” is a strategy because limited time will have the desired effect of limiting scrutiny.

 

Nowadays in lieu of discourse and compromise we may see antics – like fist raising during the Pledge of Allegiance to emphasize a particular phrase. Politicians now tend to follow the narrative instead of the facts. It has been said that “Democrats shoot themselves in the foot” while “Republicans eat their young”. Dave Williams, an unqualified election-denier was just appointed the head of the Colorado Republican Party. This may increase division in Colorado Republican Party.

 

One success of Bill’s group (NCLA) we have read about and experienced is the northern Colorado I25 road improvement. When this project was presented, CDOT proposed a completion date of 2075 based on their expectations of the usual sources of funding. The NCLA was able to bring together city, county and federal funding that now ensures completion of the Berthoud-Prospect segment by this years’ end at a reduced cost of $965million. The current focus is not to add lanes except what is commonly called a “toll lane”. This can be better described as a “managed lane”. The toll changes with traffic volume providing a way to keep traffic flowing when volumes increase.

 

Bill mentioned other bills successfully improved by his group’s input.Current bills under scrutiny and study involve affordable housing, “magic mushrooms” and an attempt to decrease (and ultimately eliminate the state income tax).

 

Other legislative highlights – redistricting to change voting patterns, addressing drought in northern Colorado (remember Thornton vs Ft Collins allocation of Poudre River water), housing bills to prevent gentrification in Denver and attempts to buy land occupied by trailer parks.

 

Also of concern are the serious labor shortages in Colorado – nurses are one important example. Bill has learned the importance (for women especially) of affordable day care. Another factor affecting labor supply is the lack of affordable housing in our area.

 

A short Q & A followed.