By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

DREAMING THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM? As dueling Wisconsin-style rallies descend today on Colorado’s Capitol, Senate President Brandon Shaffer told reporters at his weekly press gaggle that he yearns to make up half of the Hickenlooper-proposed $375M schools cut. Shaffer, D-Longmont, directed the Democratic chairmen of the Senate’s committees to scour the departments they oversee for offset cuts (along the lines of his SB11-001). Meanwhile, Sen. Heath’s proposal to ask voters for a tax increase “is not the push of the Democratic caucus here in the Senate,” Shaffer told scribes. Colorado’s not Wisconsin, but still you have to wonder how tough it’ll be for House GOP and Sen Dems to come up with a budget compromise.

MOMENT OF SILENCE MONDAY marked death Saturday of Sen. Mary Hodge’s son Andrew, a former aide here.

HE’S — OR SHE’S — SO FINE: What Ed Board sees in next commish.

ECONOMIST SAYS proposed education cuts stink.

MONDAY’S NEW BILLS: State Bill rounds ‘em up.

SUBSCRIBERS: Your Virtual Bill Box is here. Your Personal Calendar is here.

WELD, LARIMER EMISSION EXEMPTION BILL passes House. Stiff Senate wind ahead.

BAD NEWS for ag tax-break abusers?

NO CIVIL UNION STORY MONDAY from Colorado Independent. However, Gayzette jumps in with video interviews.

THERE WAS FIERCE HOUSE DEBATE on voter ID.

FROM THE DEAD-BILL BIN: Wildlife-fees-for-water-storage.

HICK NEEDS TO USE HIS BULLY PULPIT, Coloradoan editorializes.

WHAT DO YOU THINK of Obama portrait?

TODAY’S HICKENLOOPER SKED: 6:30 p.m., remarks at the Young Presidents’ Organization 2011 Denver Global Leadership Conference. Location: Colorado Convention Center, Wells Fargo Theatre, 700 14th Ave., Denver.

NO SOCIAL EVENTS TODAY but tomorrow marks day of events for Colorado Municipal League.

HE SAID IT: “Those hip, cool, young people who spend all their time writing code? They love the arts, too.” — John Hickenlooper.

HE SAID IT: “More people become disenfranchised not because of having the proper identification to vote, but because of looking at a system that fails to have adequate safeguards in place to assure that their vote counts.” — Rep. Ken Summers.

SHE SAID IT: “Since 2000, there have been three cases of voter impersonation in this state. In 11 years, three cases. Compare that to those who will show up to vote and who will be turned away. The cost is not worth it.” — Rep. Claire Levy.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS BEGIN TODAY for DougCo’s plan for “options certificates,” aka vouchers.

CARMELO’S GONE. But Doug Bruce is still with us.

IF YOU LIKE ‘UNDER THE GOLD DOME’ you should try out “Legal Lasso,” a new daily e-mail for Colorado’s legal community from our sister news service, Law Week Colorado. Sign up here.

Send tips for this column to editor@circuitmedia.com.