Sen. Pat Steadman, Rep. Mark Ferrandino on Civil Unions Bill

by Jon Caldara | 12:52 pm, May 10, 2012

The Independence Institute has taken the liberty of planning this coming Friday night for you. At 8:00 pm you’ll tune in to Colorado Public Television 12 and watch Independence Institute research director Dave Kopel on the public affairs roundtable show Colorado Inside Out. Then a quick bathroom and drink re-fill break. Then you’ll watch my [...]

Which lawmakers will support transparency over lobbyists

by Amy Oliver | 2:44 pm, April 19, 2012

COST just received word that HB 1252, a bill that would require Colorado’s institutions of higher education to make public financial information accessible online, finally will be heard in the House Appropriations Committee next week.  An amended version of sponsor BJ Nikkel’s bill passed the House education committee on February 27.
Sources tell us that the [...]

Shawn Smith on Psychology and Mark Ferrandino on 2012

by Jon Caldara | 3:23 pm, December 27, 2011

First up, psychologist Shawn Smith talks about his new book, “The Users Guide to the Human Mind” and helps me figure out which voice in my head I should listen to…

Then House minority leader Mark Ferrandino joins me to talk about the…

Psychology with Shawn Smith, House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino

by Jon Caldara | 2:11 pm, December 21, 2011

This week’s Devil’s Advocate is the usual half-hour of public affairs television excellence, but in two fifteen minute segments. First, Denver psychologist Shawn Smith sits down to talk about his new book, “The Users Guide to the Human Mind,” and helps me figure out just how many voices I have in my head. Then new [...]

The Silver Lining

by ColoradoPeakPolitics | 12:18 pm, December 15, 2011

Fellow elephants, let me assure you: Things are not as bad as they seem. After a couple of very predictable losses at the State Supreme Court, suddenly people think that Colorado Republicans are headed back to the gallows of perpetual minority. It’s the Blueprint all over again. It brings back nightmares of the liberal takeover in 2004, but I’m here

continue…

Cleaning up the “Dirty Dozen” – Agriculture Tax repeal moves forward in state House

by CTBC Director | 4:11 pm, April 18, 2011

“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session.” – Mark Twain (1866)
Occasionally, however, the legislature can succeed in undoing previous acts putting one’s life, liberty, or property at risk…
State legislators made some progress this week towards repealing one of last year’s “Dirty Dozen” tax increases (which exploited a Colorado [...]

Colorado taxpayers deserve more transparency

by Amy Oliver | 10:24 pm, February 20, 2011

COST has long considered transparency in government a bi-partisan issue. We’ve profiled State Representative BJ Nikkel’s excellent CDOT transparency bill (HB 1002) that is cruising through the House.
Another bill that deserves praise is State Representative Mark Ferrandino’s (D-Denver) tax expenditure transparency bill (HB 1104), which focuses on selective tax relief that is used to advance [...]

Hick Gets a shot at Ritter’s Mulligan on State Vehicle Use

by Michael | 6:42 am, January 20, 2011

Newly elected Governor John Hickenlooper has a chance to curtail government employee usage of state-owned vehicles for personal commuting and save the state as much as $3 million in the process – something his predecessor, Bill Ritter, took a pass on last June when he vetoed HB 1287, according to COST:
Can a governor get a [...]

Legislators: Embrace Us Please

by Jon Caldara | 5:50 pm, December 27, 2010

Like a beautiful girl who just got a mani, pedi, and a new haircut, our Citizens’ Budget is getting noticed. Take for example the Colorado Springs Gazette editorial a few weeks ago. The Gazette encouraged “all legislators, mayors, city leaders and county commissioners throughout Colorado to study the Citizens’ Budget.”
The newest media outlet to show [...]

Featured Posts

• PPC Training for Activists

  UPDATE: Something apparently got messed up with the PayPal buttons during this past weekend’s database glitch – fixed now. Yes, it’s that time again — PPC will be conducting training classes for center-right activists on Saturday, April 20 and Saturday, April 27, at Independence Institute in Denver. The tentative class schedule is as follows: Saturday, [...]

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