STATE BILL COLORADO

House Minority Leader Sal Pace, D-Denver, today unveiled budget-committee assignments for 2011.

One notable new assignment is John Soper, D-Thornton, as ranking member of the business committee. When the Democrats were in the majority, the chair was held by Joe Rice and the vice chair held by Sara Gagliardi, but both lost in tight elections in November.

A press release follows.

COLORADO
HOUSE DEMOCRATS
STATE CAPITOL

Minority Leader Pace Announces House Democrats’ Committee Assignments

DENVER— House Minority Leader Sal Pace today announced the Democratic committee assignments for the coming legislative session that opens on January 12, 2011.  Democrats hold 32 seats in the House while Republicans hold 33.

Included in the announcement were appointments for the Democrats’ nine newly-elected (and appointed) members, Representatives-elect Crisanta Duran (Denver), Rhonda Fields (Aurora), Deb Gardner (Boulder), Millie Hamner (Summit County), Matt Jones (Louisville), Pete Lee (Colorado Springs), Dan Pabon (Denver), Angela Williams (Denver), and Roger Wilson (Garfield County).

Pace praised the newest members of the House, calling them “extraordinarily promising lawmakers.”  Rep.-elect Roger Wilson, who was appointed to the Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee, said “I’m excited to be on a committee that is a key economic component to the district I serve.”

Rep.-elect Angela Williams, a small-business owner, said she would use her assignment to the Economic and Business Development Committee, “to focus on creating jobs, fixing the economy and creating small business opportunities for entrepreneurs.”

Newly appointed Rep.-elect Millie Hamner was selected to be on the Education Committee and on the Transportation Committee, where she has vowed to, “work on behalf of our local economy by fighting for scarce transportation dollars and keeping the Western Slope a beautiful place that continues to attract visitors from all over the globe.”

Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources
Ranking Member: Rep. Randy Fischer, Fort Collins
Rep. Wes McKinley, Baca County
Rep. Su Ryden, Aurora
Rep. Ed Vigil, Alamosa
Rep.-elect Matt Jones, Louisville
Rep.-elect Roger Wilson, Glenwood Springs

Appropriations
Ranking Member: Rep. Mark Ferrandino, Denver
Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, Gunbarrel
Rep. Andy Kerr, Lakewood
Rep. Jim Riesberg, Greeley
Rep. Judy Solano, Adams County
Rep.-elect Dan Pabon, Denver

Economic and Business Development
Ranking Member: Rep. John Soper, Adams County
Rep. Joe Miklosi, Denver
Rep. Max Tyler, Golden
Rep.-elect Deb Gardner, Boulder
Rep.-elect Angela Williams, Denver
Rep.-elect Roger Wilson, Glenwood Springs

Education Committee
Ranking Member: Rep. Judy Solano, Adams County
Rep. Andy Kerr, Lakewood
Rep. Cherylin Peniston, Westminster
Rep. Sue Schafer, Wheat Ridge
Rep. Nancy Todd, Aurora
Rep.-elect Millie Hamner, Summit County

Finance Committee
Ranking Member: Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, Gunbarrel
Rep. Daniel Kagan, Arapahoe County
Rep. John Kefalas, Fort Collins
Rep. Jeanne Labuda, Denver
Rep.-elect Crisanta Duran, Denver
Rep.-elect Dan Pabon, Denver

Health and Environment
Ranking member: Rep. Jim Riesberg, Greeley
Rep. John Kefalas, Fort Collins
Rep-elect Rhonda Fields, Aurora
Rep. Beth McCann, Denver

Rep. Cherylin Peniston, Westminster

Rep. Sue Schafer, Wheat Ridge

Judiciary Committee
Ranking Member: Rep. Claire Levy, Boulder
Rep. Daniel Kagan, Arapahoe County
Rep. Su Ryden, Aurora
Rep.-elect Crisanta Duran, Denver
Rep.-elect Pete Lee, Colorado Springs

Local Government
Ranking Member: Rep. Ed Casso, Adams County
Rep. Beth McCann, Denver
Rep. John Soper, Adams County
Rep.-elect Rhonda Fields, Aurora
Rep.-elect Pete Lee, Colorado Springs

State, Veterans, and Military Affairs
Ranking Member: Rep. Nancy Todd, Aurora
Rep. Lois Court, Denver
Rep. Claire Levy, Boulder
Rep. Joe Miklosi, Denver

Transportation Committee
Ranking Member: Rep. Max Tyler, Golden
Rep. Randy Fischer, Fort Collins
Rep. Matt Jones, Louisville
Rep.-elect Deb Gardner, Boulder
Rep.-elect Millie Hamner, Summit County
Rep.-elect Angela Williams, Denver

Capitol Development Committee:
Rep. Ed Vigil, Alamosa

Audit Committee:
Rep. Joe Miklosi, Denver
Rep.-elect Deb Gardner, Boulder

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By Debi Brazzale, COLORADO NEWS AGENCY

The state’s Civil Rights Division “may be in jeopardy” due to funding woes, a top official told a legislative panel Wednesday. In a hearing at the Capitol before the Joint Budget Committee, Barbara Kelley, head of the state’s Department of Regulatory Agencies, pointed to the same strapped state budget that has bedeviled other state agencies of late, but she also noted the division–which investigates discrimination claims in housing and the workplace–is particularly vulnerable.

The Civil Rights Division is unique in Kelley’s department in that it receives both state tax revenue and federal funds rather than revenue from user fees, which fund much of the rest of her agency. The division, says Kelley, has done its part to help the administration of Gov. Bill Ritter balance the state’s budget for the last three years; the resulting cuts have affected its ability to qualify for federal money. She said the latest round of cuts in state funding to the Civil Rights Division “has reached a point of jeopardizing federal funds the division receives.”

Kelley told the panel that federal funds are based on the quantity of timely, successful investigations into cases of housing and employment discrimination. With fewer investigations completed due to declining state funding, she said, “we don’t have the ability to increase our portion of federal funds.”

Kelley noted that the fee-generated cash funds that make up over 96 percent of her department’s $70.9 million budget are collected through the department’s wide-ranging regulatory activities and only can be used to cover the costs of those functions–not to help sustain the Civil Rights Division.

Nonetheless, lawmakers and the Ritter administration have relied heavily on cash funds from various programs in recent years to fill in funding gaps in the the state’s operating budget. Cash funds are made up of money collected as fees and assessments for specific purposes such as a licensing fee paid by regulated industries.

“The fee-payer dollars that support DORA appropriations are every bit as precious as tax dollars, and fee impacts create very real consequences for the professionals and businesses we regulate,” said Kelley. “We fully understand and remain committed to our obligation for the wise and efficient use of fee-payer resources.”

Kelley lobbied the committee to keep the Civil Rights Division afloat despite the fact that it is the only part of her department receiving tax revenue out of the operating budget–and despite assurances by Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, that the division was not under consideration for elimination.

“You could eliminate every program (within DORA) across the board and you would not impact the state’s budget by one dime, except, with respect to the allocation to the Division of Civil Rights,” said Kelley. “If you’re asking me if I as the executive director of DORA would recommend to you that we disband the Civil Rights Division to save $1.5 million, my response is, absolutely not.”

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LAW WEEK COLORADO

Colorado House Speaker-designee Frank McNulty has quietly assembled his office team, which includes Bill Skewes, a former deputy budget director and current lobbyist, as chief of staff.

Other appointments include:

* Randy Hildreth, communications director, to the same position
* Melissa Baumgart, current minority chief of staff, to majority deputy chief
* Julie Hermann as caucus director. Hermann owns an events-planning firm.

Along with those changes, Wes Skiles, the minortiy legislative director, is joining Kaiser Permanente in a lobbying role. Jerry Wheeler, administrative aide, also has left.

Skiles’ successor is to be named shortly. McNulty announced the news in an e-mail to the Republican caucus, Hildreth said.

By winning a slender majority, the House GOP will enjoy a bigger staff budget and larger offices on the west side of the Capitol. Those offices are currently occupied by the House Democrats. An office switch is to take place Dec. 15, Hildreth said.

The appointment of Skewes, currently with CLS Public Affairs, was reported previously by The Denver Post.

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STATE BILL COLORADO

State Rep. Paul Weissmann only thought he was out of the frying pan.

The outgoing Colorado House majority leader, who is term-limited, will return to the legislature in 2011 as a staff member. He’ll be chief of staff to the House Minority Leader-designee, Rep. Sal Pace, D-Pueblo.

The news was made public this morning. The full press release follows.

COLORADO
HOUSE DEMOCRATS
STATE CAPITOL

House Democrats Announce New Chief of Staff

DENVER – Minority Leader-elect Sal Pace of Pueblo announced this morning that Paul Weissmann of Louisville will be joining the House Democrats as their Chief of Staff.

Yes, that Paul Weissmann: former Senator, former Representative, and current Majority Leader serving with Speaker Terrance Carroll.

“I feel like we snagged the big one!” said Minority Leader Pace. “Few folks have the breadth of experience that Paul has. He will bring to our team his wisdom gleaned from years serving in both the House and the Senate, in both the minority and majority caucuses, and the most recent redistricting year.”

“Paul has managed the Blue Parrot restaurant in Lousiville for years, and he understands how to run government like a business, with an eye on the bottom line and balancing the budget. He is widely respected in the Capitol and among stakeholders for his commitment to bi-partisanship. His deep understanding of the issues and of legislative process, and his integrity and ethics make him a natural fit. It doesn’t hurt that like all good bartenders, he has a great sense of humor and an ability to listen to others. I’m so pleased he he’ll be on our team.”

# # #

In other coverage:

The Denver Post: With Democrats now in the minority in the state House, they could probably use a stiff drink or three. Problem solved.

Longmont Times-Call: State Rep. Paul Weissmann, a Louisville Democrat, is leaving the Legislature, but not the statehouse. Weissmann, who was barred by term limits from seeking re-election to his eastern Boulder County House seat, has been named the House Democrats’ chief of staff.

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By Peter Marcus, DENVER DAILY NEWS

State Sen. Chris Romer today is expected to announce that he will vacate his Senate seat to run for mayor of Denver.

Democrats are already scrambling to put together an estimated 150-person vacancy committee consisting of Democratic leadership to replace Romer. Those who have expressed an interest in taking over Romer’s seat in Senate District 32 are:

• State Rep. Beth McCann, D-Denver;

• Owen Perkins, secretary of the Democratic Party of Denver;

• Irene Aguilar, a local physician;

• Jeff Hart, a local activist with the Democratic party, and;

• Matt Royster, a local environmentalist.

Romer will join Denver City Councilman Michael Hancock, as well as at-large Denver City Councilman Doug Linkhart, who have also announced that they are seeking Gov.-elect John Hickenlooper’s job.

Hickenlooper will hold his position until his Jan. 11 inauguration when Deputy Mayor Bill Vidal will then become acting mayor until the municipal election in May 2011.

Councilwoman Carol Boigon has also said that she expects to run for mayor.

Former Denver fire chief Rich Gonzales, who now serves as the executive director of the Colorado Department of Personnel and Administration, has also said that he is considering a run for mayor, but has not made any final decisions.

Others who have filed paperwork to explore a run for mayor are James Mejia, chief executive of the Denver Preschool Program, and Danny Lopez, a city employee who lost to Hickenlooper in the 2007 mayoral race. Other lesser known candidates who have filed are Dwight Henson, Michael Forrester, Kenneth Simpson and Gerald Styron.

Other figures considering a run for mayor, but have not filed paperwork, are hotel developer Walter Isenberg and businessman Buzz Geller.

A spokesman for Romer’s campaign yesterday would not release any details of the announcement other than to say that it will take place this morning at 10 a.m. at the offices of AllonHill, a risk management and mortgage due diligence firm.

“After conversations with Senate leadership, constituents and family, Romer will make his candidacy official following a roundtable discussion with Denver employers and business leaders,” read a statement from the Romer campaign.

Democratic leaders are required to hold a vacancy committee meeting within 30 days of the official resignation date, say party leaders. Ten days notice of the meeting must also be made.

Pat Waak, chairwoman of the Colorado Democratic Party, pointed out that a “domino effect” could take place if Rep. McCann officially vacates her seat in House District 8 to pursue Romer’s seat. Another vacancy committee would need to be put together to replace McCann.

Waak is confident that there is a competent pool of candidates to replace Romer.

“Most of the people that we know of that might be interested in serving … are good solid Democrats, and I think the vacancy committee is made up of good solid Democrats …” said Waak. “It’s hard to walk in off the street and get a nomination like this.”

A simple majority vote is needed from the vacancy committee for the nomination to be made. If the vacancy committee is unable to act within 30 days, then the governor will make the appointment. But Edgar Neel, the Democratic chairman of SD 32, said his party is ready to go with a vacancy committee once the formal resignation date is set.

“It’s kind of a significant responsibility,” he said of the vacancy committee.

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By Debi Brazzale, COLORADO NEWS AGENCY

With the elections behind them, freshman lawmakers have now embarked on an equally challenging endeavor—learning the ropes of the legislative process. In new-member training sessions scheduled this month and next, incoming lawmakers are getting a crash course on everything from sponsoring bills to wielding parliamentary procedure–i.e., the stuff that rarely make news but that consumes most of the legislature’s time every session.

On hand in the House of Representatives at one of the orientation sessions last week was the outgoing Democratic majority leader, Paul Weismann, of Louisville, who led the freshman class in a scripted dress-rehearsal of procedure on the House floor. The lesson involved some pretty basic, but essential, advice.

“When you vote, push your button, look up at the board to make sure it’s the color that you want, and that you actually vote,” said Weismann. “Don’t hold your button down –or it wipes it out.”

Rep.-elect Janek Joshi, a Colorado Springs a Republican, said the procedure on the House floor is not unlike meetings among physicians and that a certain analogy is applicable to both physicians and lawmakers.

“As physicians we are independent-minded, so when we have meetings, we say it’s like herding cats. I’ve heard that same expression today,” said Joshi.

Joshi said the hardest part for him may not be the labyrinth of procedural rules but getting to know the staff.

“The biggest thing is trying to learn all the different staff members, who does what, and that’s a little bit overwhelming,” said Joshi.

Fellow freshman Roger Wilson, a Glenwood Springs Democratic representative-elect, who overtook the incumbent unaffiliated Rep. Kathleen Curry, said that he is so far very impressed with the pros who run the legislature day-to-day.

“All of Colorado citizens should be very proud of legislative staff,” said Wilson.

Wilson is an engineer by trade, but he was on the debate team in high school and dabbled in theater as a one-time major in college. Asked whether his theater training will become evident on the House floor, Wilson joked that he’d prefer to confine it to, “the privacy of my own home, but we’ll see.”

Freshmen in the House will be spending the next few weeks acclimating to their new environment by attending Joint Budget Committee meetings, and all the representatives-elect will be concentrating on submitting five bills–the maximum allowed–for drafting.

Wilson said he has no shortage of ideas but will have to whittle down his ideas.

“I have a lot of ideas. I have approximately 15 bills right now,” said Wilson. “It’s a matter of pairing them down and figuring out what the right thing to do is for the people of this state and what we can actually accomplish in this legislature.”

Joshi said he is not sure yet what he will concentrate his five bills on. However, he said, looking to his constituents will be one strategy and drawing on his medical background will be another.

“Everybody wants to do something for their constituents, and if we keep that in mind, I think we will all do well,” he said. “I will probably be looking at areas in health care.”

One thing is certain for all the new members: Their time will no longer be their own.

“I understand that there will be people who will want to put themselves on my agenda such as lobbyists–and tons of emails–so it will be a matter of prioritizing among those inputs as well as people in my district,” said Wilson.

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By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

Colorado Senate President Brandon Shaffer, together with the other top Senate leaders, fired the Senate’s top administrative officer without giving her a reason, she said Wednesday.

“I really don’t know anything except that I’m not down there,” said Karen Goldman, secretary of the Senate since the 2005 legislative session. She said she is being paid through the end of December. Goldman’s deputy, Cindi Markwell, is serving as the interim secretary.

Goldman’s firing, which wasn’t publicly announced, occurred two days after Colorado’s general election. But partisan politics likely had little to do with her dismissal because the majority status of the Senate, unlike the House, didn’t change: Democrats are staying in charge.

John Cevette, Shaffer’s chief of staff, confirmed the dismissal earlier Wednesday but said state personnel rules prevented him from elaborating. Shaffer presided over a meeting with Goldman attended by Majority Leader John Morse, Minority Leader Mike Kopp and Legislative Legal Services Director Dan Cartin.

Senate staffers are at-will employees under state law. They can be fired at any time, for any reason.

“Personality conflicts” may have been a factor, Goldman speculated.

“I think certain perspectives about me were put out there, and believed,” she said. “Unfortunately part of my role is to say no, when that’s the right thing to say. I’ve never said no without giving the reason why I’m saying no, and I think some people didn’t like to hear the word no.

“It’s a tough position to be in. I remember when Joan Fitz-Gerald was president, she said, ‘Your job is to tell me when I can’t really do something.’

“I know this had nothing to do with my performance.”

Goldman said she won’t fight the decision.

“I don’t want to. What’s the point? I have too much respect for the work I do to work for people who don’t appreciate me.”

As for what’s next, Goldman, formerly Lakewood’s city clerk, said she’s going to enjoy the holiday for the first time in eight years.

“I know a lot of people,” she said. “I’ve sent out some feelers, I’m sure there’ll be some opportunities for me to do consulting or contract work. I’ve been in government for a very long time. I have a lot of connections.”

Goldman said she appreciates the nonpartisan makeup of the Senate staff.

“People who work there love politics,” she said. “It’s fascinating, and everybody has opinions. I think for the most part everybody is nonpartisan, at least people who worked for me. The people who work for the Ds and the Rs [Democrats and Republicans] are supposed to be partisan.”

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STATE BILL COLORADO

The top administrative position at the Colorado Senate is in transition.

Karen Goldman, the secretary of the Senate, is out. Her No. 2 for the past two years, Cindi Markwell, is the interim Senate secretary, and she likely will be given the job full-time when the legislative session starts Jan. 12.

John Cevette, chief of staff to Senate President Brandon Shaffer, on Wednesday confirmed Goldman’s departure. Her last day was Nov. 4. Cevette said she was terminated, but he said state personnel rules don’t allow him to say more than that.

Markwell worked for 28 years in the Colorado Office of Legislative Legal Services and was the head legal assistant there. Goldman recruited her to the deputy’s job two years ago. Markwell told State Bill she was thinking of retiring but altered her plans when asked to.

The Senate secretary’s job is one of six nonpartisan managerial jobs at the Capitol. Capitol observers said Goldman’s termination didn’t appear to be politically motivated, and they noted that Markwell is a longtime nonpartisan staffer, so politics didn’t play a role in her apparent hiring, either.

The Senate’s top leadership, Shaffer and Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp, have met on both staffing changes and will consider Markwell’s appointment at the start of the session, Cevette said.

Goldman could not be immediately reached.

Goldman had two stints at the Senate secretary, first in 2001 for two years and again in 2005 until this month.

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STATE BILL COLORADO

Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp released the Senate Republicans’ committee assignments for the 2011 legislative session. “It’s critical that Senate committees have members with the background and experience to deal with the tough issues we face in Colorado,” Kopp said in a statement.

Business Affairs, Labor & Technology
Sen. Al White – Ranking Member
Sen. Ted Harvey
Sen. Shawn Mitchell

Agriculture & Natural Resources
Sen. Greg Brophy – Ranking Member
Sen. Ted Harvey
Sen. Al White

Finance
Sen. Keith King – Ranking Member
Sen. Greg Brophy
Sen. Mark Scheffel

Judiciary
Sen. Kevin Lundberg – Ranking Member
Sen. Steve King
Sen. Mark Scheffel

Education
Sen. Nancy Spence – Ranking Member
Sen. Keith King
Sen. Scott Renfroe

Local Government & Energy
Sen. Ellen Roberts – Ranking Member
Sen. Bill Cadman
Sen. Kevin Grantham

State, Veterans & Military Affairs
Sen. Bill Cadman – Ranking Member
Sen. Kevin Grantham

Health & Human Services
Sen. Shawn Mitchell – Ranking Member
Sen. Kevin Lundberg
Sen. Ellen Roberts

Transportation
Sen. Scott Renfroe – Ranking Member
Sen. Steve King
Sen. Nancy Spence

Appropriations
Sen. Ted Harvey – Ranking Member
Sen. Kevin Grantham
Sen. Kent Lambert
Sen. Al White

Audit
Sen. Keith King
Sen. Steve King

Legislative Council
Sen. Mike Kopp
Sen. Bill Cadman
Sen. Scott Renfroe
Sen. Mark Scheffel

Legal Services
Sen. Greg Brophy
Sen. Ellen Roberts

Capital Development
Sen. Scott Renfroe

Joint Budget Committee
Sen. Kent Lambert

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With a 33-32 majority in the Colorado House, Republicans gained more than a one-vote advantage on floor votes. Victory in the election earned the GOP a room with a view, an increased staff budget and other perks, The Pueblo Chieftain reports.

“It comes with accoutrements,” said term-limited House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville. He has experienced the spoils of the majority and the austerity of the minority in the House and in the Senate.

“For one thing, there’s the offices, It’s the difference between seeing the mountains from your west-facing windows in the majority and seeing cubicle walls all around you in the one, big minority office,” Weissmann said.

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