On Friday, February 12, 2010 a posting was sent out via Linkedin to many CAR members and association staff pertaining to some opinions and inaccuracies about CAR’s PSC (Political Survival Committee). In addition, this posting made some very strong accusations about CAR Leadership.

CAR is and has always been the lead supporter of all REALTORS® and encourages all members to get involved regardless of their political affiliation. Our bi-partisan political committee system is what makes CAR a credible ally or opponent each year at the Capitol as we lobby on behalf of your consumers rights to own property and REALTORS® rights to conduct business in a fair and equitable manner.

CAR has created a better and more efficient political process that will enable local associations to access more funds if needed than in the past. This restructuring was overwhelmingly approved (151 to 11) by the CAR Board of Directors in June of 2009. In addition, CAR provided presentations, webinars, printed materials, informative emails and others methods of communications for months prior to the vote to be sure that all questions were answered and all opinions and concerns addressed.

Here is an overview of the changes (and some similarities) to the prior structure:

1. The mandatory dues (aka "issues mobilization funds") remain the same and the allocation of funds remains the same.

2. The amount of mandatory dues dedicated to local boards remains the same. The PSC can also dip into state funds to supplement local funds, if appropriate.

3. The "rollover" changed to two years, from three years.

4. Under the new structure voluntary dues that are "restricted" for use solely by a local board is changed to ten percent of what is raised in the prior year by an individual local association. This change was based in large part on the fact that local boards rarely used all of their allocated funds.

5. RCPAC funds have remained in a political committee.

6. The new PSC must have at least one representative from each District in order to ensure broad representation of all members across the state.

We hope that this information helps you understand the benefits of the new PSC structure for the REALTOR® organization and the REALTOR® party, both at the local and state level. We encourage you to contact Robert Golden, CEO at rgolden@coloradorealtors.com if you have any further questions or concerns.

Former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff has been endorsed by 61 current and former state legislators in his campaign for the U.S. Senate.

Romanoff announced Friday that he has the support from a majority of the Democrats in the state Legislature in the Democratic primary race against incumbent U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.

Romanoff was also endorsed by the Teamsters and United Food and Commercial Workers unions Wednesday. Bennet has received his share of endorsements, too, including President Barack Obama, who will appear with him at fundraisers next week.

John Flerlage says he never had political aspirations. That all changed in 2002 when the Republican party won the majority in the mid-term elections.

"A lot of us predicted it would be a disaster for our country in terms of foreign policy and domestic policy and that’s what happened," he said.

Today, Flerlage is the Democratic candidate for Colorado’s 6th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House.

The decision to throw his hat into the ring came, he said, from watching the divide grow between the country’s rich and poor, and left and right. After contemplating a run for Congress in 2008, Flerlage decided to hold off, instead announcing his candidacy for the 2010 race in January 2009.

Flerlage will be taking on incumbent Republican Mike Coffman, who was elected in 2008, in this traditionally Republican district.

New to politics

This is the first foray into politics for the 52-year-old, married hockey coach. A Delta Airlines Captain who pilots long-haul flights to South America, Africa and Europe, Flerlage served 22 years in the Marine Corps before retiring in 2000.

He has also taught at the Marine aviation advanced tactics school, an experience he hopes will help get him assigned to the House Armed Forces Committee or the Veterans Affairs Committee, if elected.

Flerlage, who moved to Littleton with his family in 1995, and then to southern Jefferson County in 1997, was deeply affected by the 1999 Columbine high school shootings. His son graduated from Columbine and his daughter presently attends school there. The tragedy led him to recommit to make his community a better place for future generations and partially fueled his decision to run for Congress.

"Love is not made of just words, it’s made of acts," he said, recalling a speech by Al Gore a few days after the event. "If you love your family, your community and your country, do something about it."

The issues

Flerlage says ending the wars responsibly in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as creating jobs here at home are the two most important issues in this election.

"It’s extremely irresponsible to pull out now," he said of Afghanistan. "(The Afghan people) need to take responsibility for their own defense. A year down the road we need to start pulling out and transferring control to the Afghanis."

As for his second major priority — jobs — Flerlage said the key will be strong support and leadership from the district representative in Congress. Teaming together with business organizations, community colleges and local leaders to bring in federal grant money is something he would like to see happen more often.

Making the area more attractive to potential businesses looking to locate here is another priority.

"When a company looks to come into our area, they look for open spaces, good infrastructure, and the quality of life," Flerlage said. "I just don’t see any move to protect those things and support those things by our current representative."

Endorsements

Flerlage hopes that recent endorsement by fellow Democrats — like U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet, and state Sen. Linda Newell — will add credibility to his campaign.

"It was essential to lend legitimacy to the campaign," he said. "We have so many candidates on our side. Michael Bennet has stood with me at events. That doesn’t usually happen. It unites us."

At a house party in Littleton Feb. 5, Newell spoke to a group of about 30 people on behalf of Flerlage. She said Flerlage has the ability to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans on important issues, a strategy this district demands.

"He is the moderate that can win," Newell said. "We have a really good fighting chance."

Udall also believes Flerlage can help promote bipartisanship.

"John Flerlage is a man of integrity and foresight, and I know he will stand on principle, and will work to establish common ground with both Republicans and Democrats," Udall said in a recent news release.

Challenges

Flerlage admits that a challenge for him in this race is a lack of name recognition, but said once voters hear his message, it won’t be a problem.

Over the next few weeks, he will embark on a series of meet-and-greet events at 10 local supermarkets to get to know the voters.

"We are going to have to raise the money to get my name out there, but everything else is going great," he said. "I have laid the groundwork across the board, and it will be reflected in our fundraising soon."

According to his Web site, www.flerlageforcongress.com, his campaign has raised nearly $21,000 so far.

The 6th Congressional District consists of all or parts of Douglas, Arapahoe, Elbert, Jefferson and Park counties.

Gov. Bill Ritter took a dispute over campaign finance laws straight to the Colorado Supreme Court on Tuesday, asking the court to rule quickly because he believes inconsistencies in the state constitution are "likely to cause widespread confusion as the election season begins."

In a letter to the court, Ritter said until the law is clarified, local and statewide candidates and their donors face uncertainty as to whether their campaign activities are legal and the state will be left facing lawsuits in state and federal courts.

Ritter said quick action is needed because precinct caucuses begin next month and party primaries will be held in August.

Ritter's chief legal counsel, Trey Rogers, said the governor is asking the court to determine if state campaign finance laws are unconstitutional in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Under the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling, businesses and unions can now directly spend unlimited amounts of money to produce and run their own campaign ads despite a ban in Amendment 27, which was approved by Colorado voters in 2002.

House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, said lawmakers are drafting a resolution supporting Ritter's decision to take the dispute to court.

Weissmann said lawmakers are hoping for a quick ruling so any changes can be made before the Legislature adjourns May 12, in time for the November elections.

"We want to find out what part of our constitution is unconstitutional. The easiest way is for the governor to ask the state Supreme Court," Weissmann said.

Rogers said if the state Supreme Court determines the law is unconstitutional, companies and labor organizations could immediately begin raising money and it would not require voter approval.

Secretary of State Bernie Buescher said last month he thinks the U.S. Supreme Court ruling invalidates two limited parts of Colorado's Amendment 27 that bar corporations and unions from spending on political advertisements.

Republicans see overturning Amendment 27 as a potential game-changer in an important election year. But for now, House Minority Leader Mike May and Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry back Buescher's idea to ask for advice first. If they don't think the court gives a fair interpretation, however, they say the case could end up in federal court.

State Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams said the state GOP is reviewing its options and hasn't decided whether it will file suit. Colorado's law also bars corporations and unions from directly donating to a candidate and limits the size of donations. A lawsuit could seek to get those parts overturned as well.

"Given the partisan nature of the state Supreme Court and their rulings in recent cases, we will be very wary of this issue until they respond. They have consistently come down with partisan advantages for their Democratic benefactors," Wadhams said Tuesday.

Jenny Flanagan, executive director of Colorado Common Cause, which helped pass the law, said only the parts of the law specifically addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court should be at issue.

Talk isn't cheap for Jefferson County taxpayers, who may be forced to pay nearly $1 million after the county lost a First Amendment lawsuit brought by a longtime government critic.

Although a federal jury awarded plaintiff Mike Zinna damages of only $1,791 — the number that corresponds with the year the Bill of Rights was adopted — the suit has so far cost Jefferson County $464,242 to defend.

And as the "prevailing party," Zinna is entitled to reimbursement of reasonable attorney's fees and costs, subject to the discretion of the judge. That means the county is facing the real possibility of paying out another $500,000, according to legal filings.

"I told them I would settle for an apology and something to the effect that they wouldn't continue to conceal public records," said Zinna, who said he used his savings to litigate the matter based on "principle."

"It's an absolute travesty that they would rather flush taxpayer money down the toilet than apologize."

In December, a jury found that former County Commissioner Jim Congrove violated Zinna's First Amendment rights. Zinna's suit alleged that Congrove, among other things, denied him access to public records and the right to speak at public meetings.

County spokeswoman Kathryn Heider denied that Zinna had attempted to settle the case for an apology. She said whether the jury award and Zinna's legal fees would be paid by the county "is an unsettled issue that will still need to be determined by a court" because there is a question as to whether Congrove was acting "outside the course and scope" of his job.

County taxpayers may have some more payouts to Zinna in another federal case involving Congrove. Zinna alleges that the former commissioner and others put him under surveillance, electronically intercepted his e-mails and posted them on a website. So far the legal tab to defend that case is $148,176.

"They don't want to settle this case either," Zinna said. "What do they care? It's not their money."

For years, Zinna had a website and radio program that often criticized Jeffco officials, including Congrove, who left office two years ago embroiled in controversy.

Among other things, he was investigated for using $7,462 of public money to hire a private investigator to follow and run background checks on Zinna. A special prosecutor didn't find enough evidence to bring criminal charges against Congrove.

Denver Mayor and Colorado gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper has received "poor ratings" from "some Denver employees," according to one version of his online biography on the website Wikipedia.

Seconds later, the ratings of the mayor are still poor, only the group responsible for them has been changed to "small businesses."

And with a few more clicks of the keyboard, the original could just as easily reappear, disappear and appear again.

Like county fairs and gossip fences of days gone by, the Wikipedia biography is an emerging battleground in the modern political campaign.

The online encyclopedia lets anyone and everyone edit the posted articles. And while that may be a boon for the First Amendment, it can be a nightmare for politicians who want to maintain control of their personal narrative — and want it to tilt in their favor.

In Colorado, Wiki wars have already been waged over U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet's ethnicity, challenger Andrew Romanoff's standing within the party, Hickenlooper's reputation with small business and Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis' relationship with former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay.

Snapshots of the pages for leading candidates for governor and U.S. Senate taken last Monday trace how the pages had changed during the prior months.

Tracking the changes shows a pattern of online political intrigue, some originating from government offices.

All the pages had been changed, usually anonymously, since the candidates had announced their intentions to run for office.

Moka Pantages, spokeswoman for Wikipedia Foundation, said the service has standards for neutrality, citation of sources and the ability to check the information's accuracy.

But it is up to the campaigns themselves or volunteer editors to police postings and remove information that doesn't meet Wikipedia guidelines, Pantages said.

"There are people constantly looking at edits," Pantages said.

Still, the system is open for anyone to add to anyone else's page.

"It's all about trust," she said.

Sometimes, as is the case with President Barack Obama's page, Wikipedia will limit who can add and delete information, she said.

Changes edited out, back in

Hickenlooper's Wikipedia saga began Dec. 3 when an anonymous poster inserted into his political career profile this sentence: "However, employees of Denver continue to question his leadership and give him poor ratings."

The posting, with no attribution, came from a city of Denver computer, according to an identifying code computers leave behind. There is no way, however, to tell exactly who made the entry.

On Jan. 13, the day after Hickenlooper announced his run for governor, another poster changed the entry to take out Denver employees and insert small businesses. It then read: "Some small businesses continue to question his leadership and give him poor ratings."

Hickenlooper has touted his ability to work with business during his political career.

The back and forth continued into this month, when an anonymous poster from Ithaca, N.Y., on Feb. 7 took out the sentence completely.

It was put back in the next day and, at least as of Saturday, was still part of his page.

Someone from a U.S. House of Representatives computer in Washington substantially changed former U.S. Rep. McInnis' page in February last year while he was considering running for governor.

The poster rewrote the biography to include controversies over McInnis' wife's receiving campaign funds, a campaign donation to former House Majority Leader DeLay and a shouting match he had with a Democratic congressman.

In March, a Wikipedia editor took out all of them but the campaign payments to his wife.

Sean Duffy, McInnis' spokesman, said the campaign monitors the page, and he recalled that it objected at one point to an entry.

"We obviously pay a little attention to it to make sure there is nothing outlandish," Duffy said.

In the U.S. Senate race, there have been several back-and-forth insertions and deletions involving Democrats Romanoff and Bennet and Republican Jane Norton.

For the two Democrats, the changes heated up in the fall after Romanoff announced he was challenging Bennet, who had been appointed to the seat by Gov. Bill Ritter in January 2009.

On Oct. 18, an anonymous poster from a computer in Fort Collins inserted into Romanoff's page a slanted version of Bennet's appointment.

Romanoff as "rising star"

It read: "The appointment of Bennet angered many Colorado Democrats because they felt that Romanoff should have been offered the seat as he is a popular 'rising star' among state Democrats and has a proven record of being able to win election."

It also said that the only vote Bennet had ever received was Ritter's.

It stayed on the page until Nov. 14, when an anonymous poster from Aurora took out the reference to Bennet's only vote and shortened the rest of the insertion.

Finally, on Dec. 23, another anonymous poster from northeast Denver took the rest of the passage off the page.

A shorter version first appeared on Bennet's page in March 2009, but was removed after three hours.

A review of other revisions to both the Bennet and Romanoff pages shows that a former Romanoff campaign volunteer made changes to both pages in March, October and December of last year.

The revisions were minor, but they did include a recommendation to put a "lock" on Bennet's page to limit who could edit it.

The volunteer, Andrew Barrow, declined to discuss the editing.

"I'm not allowed to talk about any of this," Barrow said before hanging up.

Dean Toda, spokesman for the Romanoff campaign, said Barrow briefly was a volunteer who was "told to take a hike" in November after he was involved in "monkey business" with another political website.

Compliments for Norton

Jane Norton had no Wikipedia entry to speak of until she formally announced her campaign for U.S. Senate, at which point a full-blown, and largely complimentary, biography appeared.

Then a Wikipedia editor calling him- or herself "Bailtrail" tried to keep inserting a sentence on Norton's support for Referendum C, "billed as the largest tax increase in Colorado history."

Her campaign for Senate advocates for lower taxes.

It was added to her page on Sept. 23, eight days after she announced her candidacy. It was not removed until Dec. 3, when an editor who had worked on other Republican Wikipedia pages took it out.

"Bailtrail" re-inserted it on the page Dec. 16 , but it was removed within an hour.

Nate Strauch, Norton spokesman, said the campaign monitors her page but that Wikipedia editors usually catch inflammatory statements.

Other online battles took place over Bennet's Jewish heritage and Norton's views on global warming.

Most campaign officials said they don't pay much attention to the Wikipedia pages. But that may change as the campaigns heat up.

"Should we?" asked Craig Hughes, Bennet's campaign manager. "Maybe. I think this is the second time I have ever looked at it."

Also, these dates are scheduled for consideration of the proposed zoning changes:

•The planning board will begin the formal review and adoption process Feb. 17 with a series of information sessions culminating in a public hearing in April, before forwarding a recommendation to the City Council.

•The Blueprint Denver Committee of the council will consider the new code in late April or early May, followed by a review and discussion of the new code by the mayor and council.

•Initial consideration of the new code by the City Council is expected in May.

Roy Vestal and Gosia Kung are neighbors, but they are worlds apart when it comes to how they think Denver should grow.

Kung believes the city should encourage more density and make it easier for developers to build duplexes she says are needed to accommodate an expected surge in population.

Vestal looks at the large, modern duplex Kung and her husband built in 2008 next to his 1888-era home in the Witter Cofield historic district and grimaces. He and his partner, Leo Fua, view the sleek design of the duplex as jarring when compared with the home they refer to as their "antique."

Mike Krause was among those who successfully fought a draft of the zoning code that would have barred duplex construction and accessory dwelling units in his part of Berkeley. (Hyoung Chang |The Denver Post )

that will guide development throughout the city for decades to come.

The city's planners unrolled the first draft of the new zoning code last spring. They've revised it four times now and say the final version more closely reflects the concerns of residents, developers and business owners.

Neighborhood by neighborhood, residents have been weighing in, arguing and debating how their neighborhoods should look. The planning board will begin the formal review and adoption process Feb. 17 with a series of information sessions that will culminate in a public hearing in April. The board will then forward its recommendation to the City Council which will begin consideration in late April or early May and hold a public hearing and final consideration in June.

The process that led to the latest draft of zoning laws involved numerous meetings in which the public could debate and literally mark up maps to show the changes they wanted. Along the way, opponents clashed in editorials and letters published in neighborhood newspapers.

In the Witter Cofield historic district, a letter-writing campaign persuaded city planners to restrict new construction on vacant lots there to single-family homes, reversing duplex-friendly plans that existed in an earlier draft.

"It can't come soon enough," said Vestal, whose insurer contends Vestal's home was damaged by vibrations during the construction of Kung's duplex, requiring a top-to-bottom renovation that is costing $400,000.

Tom Brunn, an architect who helped organize the effort against the duplexes in Witter Cofield, is pleased with the city's latest stance.

"Every now and then it's like, 'Oh my God, the system works,' " he said.

Kung said an opportunity was lost. She said the neighborhood is a natural for easy commutes to downtown and should support more density.

"It really is unfortunate that it became subject to this political debate," Kung said. "It became whoever is the loudest or is the closest to people making decisions."

In the Berkeley neighborhood, farther west, those who spoke the loudest supported more density.

Mike Krause, who works for the Libertarian think tank The Independence Institute, was shocked when he saw the first draft for his neighborhood. It barred duplex construction in Berkeley and also prohibited construction of what are termed accessory dwelling units, which could be a carriage house or studio apartment.

Krause bought his 850-square- foot home in Berkeley for $170,000 in 2007. He always planned to scrape it and turn it into a duplex or build an extra unit on the land to turn a healthy profit.

He viewed the new development restrictions as trampling on his private-property rights.

Weekly, he signed on to a website set up by the city's planners at newcodedenver.org <http://newcodedenver.org/> , becoming one of more than 35,000 people to visit the site. There, he lobbied for allowing duplexes and the extra units in Berkeley.

He showed up at public meetings and marked up maps. He was relieved to find other residents in Berkeley overwhelmingly supported accessory dwelling units.

By the third draft of the zoning map, his property and the surrounding two blocks were zoned to allow duplex construction. Large portions of Berkeley also were zoned for accessory dwelling units.

"I think they decided, 'Shoot, let's just go neighborhood-by-neighborhood,' " he said.

Still, he wonders if something wasn't lost. Plenty of other areas where residents pushed back against accessory dwelling units reverted back to single-family construction, he noticed. The hodgepodge seems inconsistent with the hopes of creating an overall philosophy that should guide development consistently throughout the city, he said.

Peter Park, manager of the city's Community Planning and Development Department, said he's confident that the latest version of the proposed zoning map has integrity. He said the changes from the first draft often involved gray areas in which city planners believed a call could have gone either way.

"We try to make it not purely political," Park said. "What we try to do is give the council folks, the neighborhood and the policymakers the most objective rationale basis for a decision, and they ultimately make the decision."

Littleton, Colo. --- After reviewing written comments from citizens on whether to hold the Aug. 10 Primary Election as a mail ballot election and meeting with the Chairs of the political parties in the County, Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy A. Doty has concluded, pending agreement by the Board of Commissioners, that the Primary Election should be conducted entirely by mail for Arapahoe County voters.

A mail ballot Primary Election means that all active registered voters who are affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican Party will receive their ballot in the mail approximately three weeks before Election Day. Voters will have until 7 p.m. on Election Day to return their ballot by mail or at one of several convenient ballot drop-off sites around the county.

"I proposed conducting the Primary Election by mail because mail ballot elections have a higher turnout," said Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy A. Doty. "People like the convenience of voting by mail. In fact, nearly 92 percent of those voting in the 2008 Primary Election voted by mail."

"These themes were reflected in the comments from the public that we received," Doty added.

Of those providing reasons for their support of the mail election, 50 percent cited convenience; 18 percent cited lower costs; 18 percent cited increased voter participation and 11 percent liked having more time to make decisions.

The Clerk and Recorder, as required by law, has submitted the issue to the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners with a request that the Board concur with her recommendation.

Ballots for the Aug. 10, 2010 Primary Election will be mailed to all active registered Democrat or Republican voters between July 19 and July 23, 2010.

The National Association of Realtors® has joined forces with the National Community Stabilization Trust to help rebuild American communities devastated by the foreclosure crisis.

The collaboration will bring Realtors and the more than 1,400 state and local Realtor® associations into a side-by-side relationship with leading national nonprofits, as well as with state and local leaders, to develop comprehensive and targeted plans to rebuild communities. The partnership was made possible by the new federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, which provides $6 billion to reclaim neighborhoods wracked by high levels of foreclosed and abandoned property, property disinvestment, extremely low prices and low resident confidence.

"Realtors® build communities and have the market expertise and property transaction tools to help local housing organizations understand local market conditions and how to put foreclosed houses back into the hands of stable homeowners," said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. "Working in this partnership with NCST gives Realtors® a seat at the community table to perform a leadership role in restoring vitality to communities across this great nation."

"Neighborhoods across America have been decimated by high concentrations of abandoned and foreclosed homes. To reverse neighborhood decline, we need the Realtor® community working hand in hand with other housing providers," said Craig Nickerson, president of NCST. "This ambitious new campaign will harness the unique abilities of Realtors® to remarket newly renovated homes and to rebrand the tarnished image of hard-hit neighborhoods."

Through a nationwide network of state and local associations, Realtors® have been engaged in foreclosure prevention efforts since early 2009 as part of the NAR’s Foreclosure Prevention & Response Program.

"The outstanding leadership of many state and local Realtor® associations over the past year to become active participants in community problem-solving has proven that Realtors® are a valuable local community partner," said Golder.

She cited strong efforts by the leadership in the Chicago Association of Realtors®, the North Metro Realtors® (Minn.) Association and the Realtor® Association of Great Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) as examples of Realtors® working through NSP to revitalize neighborhoods.

While NAR and the NCST will be working nationwide on this new initiative, a focus will be placed on enhancing capacity in states experiencing the highest levels of foreclosure and abandonment.

Monday's debate, which lasted over four hours, marked more than 30 hours in which the bills targeting industries ranging from agriculture to online retailers had been debated on the House floor or in committees. The eight bills now can go to the Senate.

"We're asking big business to pay their fair share so that we don't have to keep balancing the budget on the backs of teachers, police officers and firefighters, senior citizens and the neediest who depend on our safety net," said House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver. "It's only been the GOP and their special-interest cronies who have been complaining because we're rolling back corporate welfare and special-interest tax loopholes."

But Republicans said the bills would just increase taxes on businesses, many of them small, that provide jobs to ordinary Coloradans.

"The Democrats' rush to tax the citizens and businesses, who make up the backbone of Colorado's economy, came full-circle this morning," said House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker. "After hours of testimony from business owners and citizens who oppose these tax increases, Democrats still chose to ignore that message and take them one step closer to reality."

The eight bills are expected to generate as much $64 million for the 2010-11 budget year that begins in July. If three more bills make it in the package, that total could increase to as much as $140 million.

The bills come from Gov. Bill Ritter's proposal to eliminate or suspend 13 tax exemptions and credits.

The package started as 12 bills, but two of the bills are still being worked on, and a third was dropped. A fourth bill, which would eliminate the sales-tax exemption for energy used in the manufacturing process, won initial approval in the House on Monday but awaits final approval before it goes to the Senate.

That bill would have advanced Friday night with the other eight bills were it not for a breakdown in a truce with Republicans that came close to midnight after nearly 10 hours of debate.

Rep. Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins, offered an amendment to exempt the recycling industry from having to pay taxes on energy it uses. The amendment also would have directly benefited a steel plant in Pueblo that is the largest scrap-metal operation west of the Mississippi and provides many union jobs.

Republicans, who had agreed not to prolong debate on the bills, said the deal was off. They said Democrats, who accuse them of looking out for "special interests," were being hypocrites by offering such an amendment.

On Monday, Fischer agreed to withdraw his own amendment. The House then gave the bill initial approval, though the measure still was amended to exempt farm fuel from being taxed.

Democrats hold a 37-28 advantage in the House, but a total of nine Democrats broke rank at times to vote against the bills. Rep. Kathleen Curry of Gunnison the legislature's lone unaffiliated lawmaker, voted against four of the bills.

One bill to remove the sales- tax exemption for online sales through out-of-state retailers narrowly passed, 33-32, with four Democrats voting no.

"I don't think it will work," Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton, said of the bill, arguing that the legislation would only hurt in-state websites that affiliate with out-of-state retailers.

Rice's seat has been targeted by the GOP in its effort to retake the House.

Democrat Ed Williams has dropped out of the race for the District 4 Arapahoe County commissioner seat because of a knee surgery scheduled during the middle of primary elections, Williams said yesterday.

Williams, husband of state Sen. Suzanne Williams, said his recovery will last about three to six months, which would have been the prime time for campaigning. He leaves Republican Bob FitzGerald and Democrat Nancy Jackson to vie for the position occupied now by Pat Noonan, who will not run for re-election.

"I knew that I would do a good job (because) I feel like a represent this neighborhood quite well, and I know the district well," he said. "I am disappointed, but it’s not right for me to hold up the Democratic Party when we’ve got another good candidate ready to go."

Arapahoe County voters favor a mail-in ballot election for the Aug. 10 primary election, according to county Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty.

Forty-one comments were submitted and 40 of them were in favor a mail-ballot election, Doty said. Residents were able to submit written comments from Jan. 5 to Jan. 25.

The next step is to see if polling locations will be eliminated completely to make mailing ballots the only option.

"I am going to meet with the Democratic and Republican party chairs, give them the information and hopefully everyone will be on board, and we will make a decision," Doty said.

A mail ballot for the primary election would allow all registered voters who are affiliated with the Democratic or Republican parties to receive a ballot in the mail about three weeks before Aug. 10. Voters would have until 7 p.m. on Aug. 10 to turn in their ballot by mail or at a drop-off location.

The voter registration deadline for the Aug. 10 primary election is July 12.

According to statistics from the Arapahoe County elections department, nearly 92 percent of people who voted in the 2008 primary election voted by mail. Currently, nearly 70 percent of registered voters in Arapahoe County have requested to be permanent mail ballot voters for future election.

Input will guide funding decisions for affordable housing, public facility projects

Arapahoe County Commissioners invite citizens, public agencies and other interested parties to provide comment on how the County should prioritize federal funding for housing and community development projects in 2010.

Attendees will learn how the County proposes to allocate federal Community Development Block Grants and HOME Investment Partnership Act Funds in 2010. These funds are received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and can be allocated to local projects in Centennial, Deer Trail, Englewood, Glendale, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Sheridan and unincorporated Arapahoe County. The City of Aurora receives separate funding.

Public comment will be accepted following the presentation and will be added to the County’s 2010 Action Plan. The public also is invited to attend a public hearing at 9:30 a.m., March 2 at the Arapahoe County Administration Building when the Board of County Commissioners approves the Action Plan.

"Arapahoe County takes its responsibilities for improving housing and public infrastructure seriously, and we encourage citizens’ input for the most effective use of public funds in their communities," said Arapahoe County Commissioner Jim Dyer. "If you are unable to attend the public hearing but still want to have a voice, you can also submit comments in writing from Feb. 13 to March 14."

State candidates, stealth political groups and special-interest political committees in Colorado have amassed millions of dollars in campaign donations to kick off the 2010 elections.

At stake are the governorship, control of the state legislature, and the redistricting of state and federal legislative districts.

"This is that one election in a decade with redistricting," said Colorado State University political science professor John Straayer.

The treasurer's race is fast becoming the most expensive for that office in the state's history. Candidates for state legislature have 60 percent more in their campaign coffers than four years ago. And special interests such as drug manufacturers and tobacco companies are pumping money into so-called 527 political committees.

Both political parties in Colorado are scrambling to turn the political turmoil of the past month into victory in November.

Republicans think this is the year to turn around the losing streak that has cost them the governorship and control of the state House and Senate.

"I'm not going to make some bold prediction that it's definitely going to happen," said Colorado Republican Party chairman Dick Wadhams. "But I will say I see a path to majorities in both houses."

The strategy for Democrats is to avoid complacency, said Colorado Democratic Party chair Pat Waak.

"What I am telling people is you have to work very, very hard," Waak said. "Don't take anything for granted."

Here's how campaign donations are lining up through the end of 2009:

State treasurer's race

The race involving incumbent Democrat Cary Kennedy and three Republican challengers is on pace to smash the record of $1.265 million, set four years ago.

Kennedy and Republicans Walker Stapleton and J.J. Ament raised $708,844 through the end of last year. Four years ago at this time, only $136,000 had been accumulated by the candidates.

The totals this year don't yet include a third Republican, Ali Hasan, who just recently announced his candidacy. Hasan put more than $350,000 of his own money into a losing race for the state House in 2008.

Political analyst Eric Sondermann said he thinks Republicans want to try to derail Kennedy's political career.

"Republicans regard Cary Kennedy as an up-and-comer, and they want to stop her upward trajectory now," Sondermann said.

He said Republicans regret not mounting a vigorous campaign against Democrat Ken Salazar when he was seeking re-election as attorney general in 2002. He later became a U.S. senator and now is secretary of the interior.

State legislature

Candidates for the contested seats have loaded up on much more money than they had four years ago.

A Denver Post comparison found that politicians vying for House and Senate seats had amassed about $1.4 million combined as of the end of 2009. That is about 60 percent more than the $880,000 they had in their coffers at the end of 2005 heading into the 2006 election.

Democrats control the Senate, 21-14, and the House, 37-27.

Ken Bickers, chairman of the political science department at the University of Colorado at Boulder, said that if either party controls both chambers, that party will have the upper hand in redistricting.

"The stakes are fairly high given redistricting," he said.

Republicans are targeting four seats to take control of the Senate, Wadhams said.

The other expensive races are centered in Denver where Democrats are competing against one another for a series of seats being vacated by term-limited incumbents.

The most expensive so far is the campaign for District 7, now held by outgoing Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll . Four Democrats have raised a combined $115,564 through the end of the year.

527 political committees

Republican- and Democratic-leaning 527 committees, the stealth political groups that can raise money with no donation limits, have taken in about $1.1 million combined.

They can spend unlimited amounts of money as long as they don't specifically urge the election or defeat of candidates. In past elections, the groups have been responsible for many of the negative-attack mailings and commercials, especially targeting incumbents of the opposition parties.

The top donor to Republicans and Democrats is a political action committee of drug manufacturers. Other contributors to both sides include Philip Morris, Anheuser-Busch and Comcast.

Small donor committees

The political groups, mostly union-oriented, have raised about $1.3 million to dole out to candidates for state races.

The strength of these committees is they can donate about 10 times the state limits to candidates as long as they accept no donations larger than $50.

For example, the maximum donation an individual or political action committee can give a state legislative candidate is $400 compared with $4,250 for a small-donor committee.

Unions, using payroll deductions for members, historically have dominated small-donor contributions. However, several business associations have amassed war chests this year.

COPIC, a medical insurance and financial services group, leads all small-donor groups with $240,000 in contributions.

It is followed by the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters, with about $180,000.

A Republican victory in Massachusetts may signal tough going for Democrats nationally, but Colorado's gubernatorial and congressional candidates say it only reinforces what they already knew.

Voters who elected Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Edward Kennedy for 47 years sent a clear message that they expect Washington to listen to their concerns, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet said.

Brown capitalized on unease among independent voters to win a decisive victory over Democrat Martha Coakley.

"Generally, it is a positive outcome for Republican candidates all over the country," said Norm Cummings, campaign manager for GOP Senate candidate Jane Norton. Various polls show Norton leading or, at worst, running even with Democratic opponents.

Brown's victory follows wins for Republicans in governor's races in New Jersey and Virginia, both states that Democrats had counted in their corner.

Voters are disillusioned with the Obama administration's health care plans and other priorities and don't trust Democrats to listen to their concerns, Cummings said.

"Jane has consistently spoken out on the health care bill as being an unwarranted government takeover of one-sixth of our economy as opposed to some sensible reforms," he said. "She is not going to change her message, because her message is the same as Scott Brown's."

If a single party controls the levers of government and pursues an agenda that is out of step with the concerns of the public, voters will throw them out, said Sean Duffy, campaign manager for former Republican U.S. Rep. and gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis.

"That is as relevant to Colorado as it is to Massachusetts or the country at large," Duffy said. "We think Scott's message of job creation, limited government and fiscal responsibility is right in step with that. We don't have to change anything."

Polls show McInnis and Democratic challenger John Hickenlooper in a tight race.

State Democratic Party chairwoman Pat Waak said Republicans are wrong to label Brown's win as a sign of GOP ascendancy.

"I don't think it means anything. I know the Republicans are trying to make this into some big thing, but Massachusetts is Massachusetts, Colorado is its own brand," she said.

Hickenlooper will talk about issues people care about, she said.

"I am going to tell John to get out, be there where people can see you, talk to you, listen to what they have to say and come back with solutions," she said.

Hickenlooper, Denver's mayor since 2003, is confident that his leadership style and background in business and public service will sway voters statewide, spokesman Mark Eddy said.

"Especially independent voters, like those who helped carry Scott Brown to victory," Eddy said. "John will not be out-worked in the race for governor."

Nonpartisan political analyst Eric Sondermann said the loss of the late Kennedy's Senate seat, on top of losses in New Jersey and Virginia, bodes ill for any Democrat holding a vulnerable seat.

"If you are any kind of a vulnerable Democrat in any kind of marginal seat, you had a sleepless night last night," Sondermann said.

U.S. Rep. Betsy Markey, a Democrat from Fort Collins, was one of 39 Democrats who voted against the House health reform bill. She has also positioned herself as a conservative Democrat by joining the Blue Dog coalition.

But the freshman lawmaker, who won a traditionally Republican seat from Marilyn Musgrave in 2008, is vulnerable, independent pollster Floyd Ciruli said.

"Betsy is obviously in trouble," Ciruli said. "Just on the ground there is a Republican majority; now you add to it that there are independents going against incumbent Democrats, and Republicans are extremely invigorated."

Markey has earned a reputation for voting against her party when she feels it is the right thing to do, said her campaign spokesman, Ben Marter. "She is going to continue to represent her district, not rethink the entire campaign because of what people in Massachusetts said yesterday."

Democrat Andrew Romanoff says he's going ahead with plans to challenge Sen. Michael Bennet for the party nomination this summer.

Romanoff called reporters to his campaign headquarters Tuesday. Some speculated that Romanoff would drop out of the race, possibly to run for governor. Romanoff told reporters he briefly considered seeking the governor's office, but decided to stay in the Senate primary.

"Over the last two weeks I received hundreds of phone calls and e-mails encouraging me to run for governor of Colorado," Romanoff said. "And to be clear, not all of those messages came from Sen. Bennet himself."

Romanoff is a Denver lawyer and former speaker of the state House who retired last year due to term limits.

Colorado Republicans will sue to overturn voter-approved state limits on some campaign contributions after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Thursday that tossed out restrictions on corporate involvement in federal races.

"Our firm will be bringing a challenge to this law in the coming days," said Ryan Call, an attorney with Hale-Friesen.

Call said the firm will represent the Colorado Republican Party in the suit and is trying to put together a cross section of plaintiffs.

"It will be a broad coalition," he said. "It will be partisan groups. It will be trade associations, individual companies and corporations."

The Supreme Court threw federal campaign finance into turmoil Thursday with a broad rejection of parts of a 63-year-old law that prohibited companies and unions from using revenues to run campaigns against or for political candidates.

In 2002, Colorado voters approved a ballot measure that banned direct corporate or union expenditures in state races. Given the Supreme Court's action Thursday, Colorado Common Cause director Jenny Flanagan said a challenge of the state law was almost inevitable.

"I think we're very vulnerable given the breadth of the court's decision today on the corporate issues," she said. "I absolutely expect it."

Common Cause was one of the major sponsors of the 2002 ballot measure.

Call said the lawsuit probably will also challenge other parts of Colorado's law, such as the $400 limits on donations to state legislative candidates by individuals and political action committees and the creation of small-donor committees that are allowed to contribute 10 times the limit because they get their money from donations of $50 or less.

Small-donor committees have been commonly used by labor unions, who use money from union payroll deductions, to make large donations to legislative races.

But Flanagan said overturning the limits and small-donor groups in Colorado would not immediately flow from the Supreme Court's decision.

"It did not address these other issues," she said. "It's not clear in those areas."

Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher said he will work with state Attorney General John Suthers to see whether the Colorado finance laws need to be changed by the legislature to conform to the court decision.

The looming lawsuit is one of several aftershocks expected from what politicians and analysts said is a "landmark" decision affecting how political campaigns will unfold, starting this year.

It could lead to an autumn barrage of political ads and mailings directly financed by corporations and unions — and out of candidates' control.

The decision allows corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money from their treasuries to support or oppose federal candidates all the way through Election Day.

It's likely to be a factor in Colorado's U.S. Senate race, candidates said.

"The problem with this decision is it gives each candidate less control over their own race and gives outside groups more control," said Craig Hughes, campaign manager for Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.

Cinamon Watson, spokesperson for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Jane Norton, said the campaign expects to see more money from outside interests this year.

"It's going to be a fight to the finish," Watson said.

Former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, who is challenging Bennet for the Democratic nomination, said the ruling "opened the floodgates for billions more" in special-interest money.

But Mark Grueskin, a leading election-law specialist at Isaacson Rosenbaum, said it remains to be seen if the decision leads to a torrent of corporate and labor spending in political races here.

The economy is down, attention will be focused on three ballot measures to limit state government spending, and corporations and interest groups will need to be careful about the political messages they attach their names to, Grueskin said.

"It's a risk-laden strategy," he said.

Federal stimulus funds to expand efforts underway to acquire, redevelop and resell foreclosed properties through Neighborhood Stabilization Program

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced $29.3 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funding to benefit Denver. The Denver Office of Economic Development will receive $18,994,444 and Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. will receive $10,263,440 to address residential foreclosure and to spur the revitalization of Denver neighborhoods heavily impacted by foreclosure.

"The City’s foreclosure recovery efforts will see a significant boost thanks to this increase in funding," said Mayor John Hickenlooper. "We look forward to using these new funds to build upon the City’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program efforts that were launched last year. We’re putting families back into foreclosed homes, while supporting Denver’s neighborhoods and creating jobs."

Provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the new round of funding complements $9.6 million in NSP funding that was awarded to Denver in 2009. Originally created through the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, the Neighborhood Stabilization Program is enabling Denver to acquire, redevelop and resell foreclosed properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight.

The Denver Office of Economic Development will use the new round of funding in targeted areas across 12 neighborhoods to address foreclosures and vacancies causing destabilization. The funding enables Denver to return 325 abandoned or foreclosed properties back to productive use to create affordable housing for households whose income does not exceed 120 percent of the area median income, with 25 percent of funds directed toward households at or below 50 percent of the area median income. Denver will acquire and rehabilitate 245 abandoned or foreclosed homes; land bank 15 properties; demolish 50 vacant properties; and redevelop 35 vacant or demolished properties as housing. Additionally, 195 households will receive loan assistance to ensure that low- and moderate-income households will be able to purchase affordable homes near public transit lines. The goal of these activities is to increase sales of residential properties and raise median values in targeted neighborhoods while supporting local business development, creating jobs, and ensuring better public transit.

"Over the past year, the City has assembled an incredible team of nonprofit and community organizations to ease the impact of residential foreclosures in Denver," said André Pettigrew, executive director of the Denver Office of Economic Development. "The additional funding allows us to continue this important work and further revitalize impacted neighborhoods."

The Denver Office of Economic Development, endorsed Chicanos Por La Causa’s application for NSP funding. Chicanos Por La Causa has been awarded $137 million to administer NSP activities in eight states. The award includes $23,433,236 for Colorado activities, which will benefit eight Denver neighborhoods with approximately $10 million in NSP activities.

Last year, the City contracted with two separate partnerships, led by the Denver Housing Authority and the Denver Urban Renewal Authority, to administer the NSP throughout the following neighborhoods that have experienced the greatest incidents of foreclosure: Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, Northeast Park Hill, Elyria Swansea, Skyland, West Colfax, Villa Park, Barnum, Athmar Park, Westwood and Mar Lee. To date, 12 properties have closed using NSP assistance, including a foreclosed-upon 36 unit apartment complex. The first single family home is currently under contract for sale.

The Denver Housing Authority and Denver Urban Renewal Authority teams include a wide range of partner agencies with experience in rehabilitation and development, including Habitat for Humanity, Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, NEWSED, Northeast Denver Housing Center, Del Norte and the Urban Land Conservancy.

The Denver Office of Economic Development is dedicated to advancing economic prosperity for the City of Denver, its businesses, neighborhoods and residents. Working with a wide variety of community partners, OED operates to create a local environment that stimulates balanced growth through job creation, business assistance, housing options, neighborhood redevelopment and the development of a skilled workforce.

John Hickenlooper was considered a shoo-in for his third mayoral run in 2011, but Denver politics have been turned upside down with his decision to run for governor this year.

A slew of potential mayoral candidates has emerged to succeed Hickenlooper if he wins.

"Who's eyeing the race?" said political consultant Eric Sondermann. "Get out the Denver phone book."

Hickenlooper has indicated he will stay on as mayor during the race, so no special election would need to be held. The regular election is May 11, 2011.

Potential candidates include several City Council members, including Michael Hancock, Carol Boigon and Doug Linkhart.

State Sen. Chris Romer is interested. So is former Sen. Penfield Tate, who came in third in the 2003 mayoral race behind Hickenlooper and City Auditor Don Mares.

Hospitality executive Walt Isenberg and James Mejia, executive director of the Denver Preschool Program, have supporters urging them to get in the race.

If Hickenlooper wins in November, he can resign his seat as late as his swearing-in date in January 2011, and the city would not have to hold a special election. That's because a provision in the city charter says that if a vacancy occurs within 160 days of the scheduled election, the deputy mayor serves as mayor until then.

If Hickenlooper were to step down before that period, the City Council would have to declare a vacancy and a special election would be held within 120 to 130 days.

Hickenlooper said Tuesday that a special election costs about $500,000 and it would be chaotic to have that going on at the same time as dealing with the city's historic budget crisis.

If Hickenlooper runs and loses, he could still seek a third term as mayor.

Several Denver residents looking to succeed Hickenlooper were at his announcement Tuesday on the west side of the state Capitol.

"My interest has not waned," said Tate, now a lawyer in private practice.

Linkhart said his experience in the legislature and on the council would help him "hit the ground running."

"I think I could make a difference as mayor," he said.

Romer initially downplayed his intent, saying "interest only goes to action when Hickenlooper is elected." Told that quote wouldn't fly because it's known that he already made calls, Romer laughed and said, "Only a couple of hundred."

Rich Gonzales, a Cabinet director under current Gov. Bill Ritter and who previously served as Denver's fire chief, said the same thing as so many others: "I'm looking, but I haven't decided."

The 2010 Colorado legislative session opened Wednesday with addresses from leaders of both parties that foreshadowed the battles over the state budget expected to dominate the next 4 1/2 months.

And there were glimpses of other potential hot-button issues, including stricter regulations on payday loans and placing tougher limits on initiative referendums. Some 160 bills were introduced Wednesday, highlighted by a measure to kick-start constitutional reforms with voters and legislation cracking down on abuse of handicapped parking stickers.

The state has dealt with a nearly $2 billion shortfall over the past two budget years and faces a deficit in the budget year that begins in July that could be more than $1.3 billion.

The state has weathered the crisis largely through the use of one-time sources of money, such as cash funds and federal stimulus funds, and through one-time cuts such as eliminating a property-tax break for seniors last year and furloughing state employees.

Some cuts, though, did affect programs for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled.

This year, however, Gov. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, is pushing for a broad package of cuts to many programs as well as revenue-raising measures such as eliminating a number of tax breaks for businesses to help balance the 2010-11 budget.

"We've always had a small government, and in the past year we've made it even smaller," House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, told a House chamber packed with lawmakers and visitors.

"We've cut in such a way that will allow us to focus most on what matters to people," Carroll said, saying the Democratic-led legislature would demand more accountability of government while protecting the vulnerable and not the "special interests trampling on the many so the few can benefit."

House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, who, like Carroll, is serving his last term in the legislature, said there were only two choices.

"We can increase the burdens on citizens to pay for our existing level of programs, bureaucracy and services, or we can make deep budget cuts and live within our means," May said.

He said Democrats should have taken a sharper scalpel to government sooner.

"We would be better off if problems from the past two years had not been delayed, compounded and pushed into this year," May said. "We cannot continue to use payday-loan-like policies to balance our budget. We should do what needs to be done this year, so that next year, we actually are better off."

Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, told senators that Democrats have been dismissive of Republican proposals for cutting the budget.

"They will criticize our ideas as $1 million solutions to $1 billion problems," Penry said. "To them, I would respond by paraphrasing former Illinois Sen. Everett Dirksen, who famously opined, 'A million here, a million there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money.' "

Senate President Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, said the 2010-11 budget would be "lean and responsible."

"Declining state revenues require substantial cuts in the services the state provides," Shaffer said. "However, we will craft a budget that keeps our communities safe, our classrooms open and our hospitals accessible."

If Mayor John Hickenlooper becomes a candidate for governor, he will have a tough decision to make.

He will either need to resign as mayor and be a full-time candidate or try to balance both jobs while he makes a bid for the capitol. Political experts say either option has its costs.

If Hickenlooper resigns as mayor, he will force the city to hold a special vacancy election to elect his replacement. That election will have a price tag of at least $500,000 experts say.

"We would have a shoot-out for mayor. It would be a 90 day sprint without a runoff," Colorado political expert Eric Sondermann said.

If Hickenlooper remains mayor while running for governor, no special mayoral election may be necessary. If he chooses this option, some wonder if he would be able to juggle two jobs.

"It's tough. You have to multi-task. You have to trust your people. You have to virtually be in multiple places at multiple times," Sondermann said.

City Councilman Charlie Brown said Hickenlooper shouldn't try to balance both.

"If he wants to run, I think he needs to make a commitment to run statewide as a non-mayor of Denver," Brown said.

Sondermann thinks Hickenlooper's decision should come from the heart, and he shared some advice:

"Quit talking to your political consultant. Sit down with a mug of beer and look at yourself in the mirror and say what do I want to do with my life?" Sondermann said.

Hickenlooper's decision on whether he will run for the state's top job could come as early as the weekend.

The next person in line to run Denver until a city-wide election would be Deputy Mayor Bill Vidal. He's currently the manager of Public Works.

If Mayor John Hickenlooper becomes a candidate for governor, he will have a tough decision to make.

He will either need to resign as mayor and be a full-time candidate or try to balance both jobs while he makes a bid for the capitol. Political experts say either option has its costs.

If Hickenlooper resigns as mayor, he will force the city to hold a special vacancy election to elect his replacement. That election will have a price tag of at least $500,000 experts say.

"We would have a shoot-out for mayor. It would be a 90 day sprint without a runoff," Colorado political expert Eric Sondermann said.

If Hickenlooper remains mayor while running for governor, no special mayoral election may be necessary. If he chooses this option, some wonder if he would be able to juggle two jobs.

"It's tough. You have to multi-task. You have to trust your people. You have to virtually be in multiple places at multiple times," Sondermann said.

City Councilman Charlie Brown said Hickenlooper shouldn't try to balance both.

"If he wants to run, I think he needs to make a commitment to run statewide as a non-mayor of Denver," Brown said.

Sondermann thinks Hickenlooper's decision should come from the heart, and he shared some advice:

"Quit talking to your political consultant. Sit down with a mug of beer and look at yourself in the mirror and say what do I want to do with my life?" Sondermann said.

Hickenlooper's decision on whether he will run for the state's top job could come as early as the weekend.

The next person in line to run Denver until a city-wide election would be Deputy Mayor Bill Vidal. He's currently the manager of Public Works.

The estimated cost to complete RTD’s FasTracks project by 2017 has decreased by about $400 million, but the funding gap to finish the massive infrastructure project on time has jumped by about $200 million, according to a new evaluation of the project released by the agency Tuesday.

According to the 2010 FasTracks Annual Program Evaluation presented to the RTD board of directors, the cost to complete the 119 miles of new rail that was originally proposed as part of the 2004 FasTracks ballot initiative in the next eight years has decreased from $6.9 billion to $6.5 billion since the last evaluation in 2009. The evaluation cites lower material costs, better engineering practices and design modifications as reasons for the decrease.

Meanwhile, the capital funding gap to complete the project by 2017 has grown from $2.2 billion to $2.4 billion since last year. The evaluation attributes the rise in the estimate to a static outlook for sales and use tax revenues.

The evaluation also sketches out a more-conservative view of projected revenues from the FasTracks project up to 2035, changing the 2009 estimate from $9.1 billion to $7.8 billion.

According to the new evaluation, the FasTracks project can still be finished by 2017, but only if voters approve a sales tax increase of 0.4 percent in 2010. If no federal funding comes through, the project wouldn’t be completed until 2025 even if the tax is approved this fall.

If the tax increase is approved in the 2012 election, the project could be finished by 2019.

Later this month, the RTD board will hear additional cost cutting options for the FasTracks plan. The board is set to adopt a financial plan in February, and will move forward with a decision regarding a ballot question for a tax increase by April.

Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy A. Doty is soliciting written comments from citizens on whether to hold the Aug. 10 Primary Election as a mail ballot election.

A mail ballot Primary Election would mean that all active registered voters who are affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican Party would receive their ballot in the mail approximately three weeks before Election Day. Voters would have until 7 p.m. on Election Day to return their ballot by mail or at one of several convenient ballot drop-off sites around the County.

"I am considering conducting the Primary Election by mail because mail ballot elections have a higher turnout," said Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy A. Doty. "People like the convenience of voting by mail. In fact, nearly 92 percent of those voting in the 2008 Primary Election voted by mail."

Nearly 70 percent of registered voters in Arapahoe County have requested to be permanent mail ballot voters in every election.

The Adams County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a budget of more than $487 million for 2010 earlier this month, a sum that represents an increase of more than 13 percent from the county’s initial budget for 2009.

The increases come largely from revenue spikes in the county’s social services programs like food assistance, the ongoing Government Center project and infrastructure projects that have received funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act earlier this year.

Even with the increases in its social programs, the county has not been unaffected by the sluggish economy, the weak housing market and the related dip in property tax revenues. Barring the increases from the county’s social service programs, the overall budget for the county is down by 2 percent heading into 2010. The 2010 budget includes the elimination of 21.5 vacant positions from the 2009 budget, cuts that don’t include any layoffs or furloughs.

The year 2010 will mark the first decade since the vote that launched Centennial’s beginnings as the newest city in the immediate Denver metro area.

The pains were born of change. In 2008, voters approved a home-rule charter, which has allowed the city greater autonomy under the Colorado Constitution. The city has also made headlines for its low crime rate and relative affluence.

As the new decade turns on Jan. 1, Centennial will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the vote that created it in 2000, though it did not actually become a city until the first council was elected the following year.

Centennial, stretching from Littleton to Aurora, is a city of 103,000 and a socio-economically diverse community whose people often make the news in ways that captivate the blogosphere.

2009 was no exception for the government or the people who created it.

January

As the economy wanes, the City of Centennial launches Explore Centennial, a campaign to encourage residents to support local businesses and keep their sales-tax dollars in the city.

Outgoing Mayor Randy Pye accepts a senior vice- president position with Capitol Solutions, a firm that lobbies on behalf of the development industry; the move draws quiet criticism from some in Centennial.

After months of fielding complaints and reviewing data, the city unveils a multi-pronged education and mitigation program to address urban coyotes.

February

Cathy Noon, chair of the elected commission that drafted Centennial’s home-rule charter in 2008, announces her candidacy to become the 8-year-old city’s second mayor.

March

District 4 City Councilmember Todd Miller declares his candidacy for mayor in front of the new Centennial Civic Center with founding Mayor Pye at his side.

April

Term-limited Mayor Pye delivers his final State of Our City address nine years after leading the incorporation movement, proclaiming, "My job is done."

The city council begins considering plans to turn 11 acres surrounding the new civic center into an expansive, multi-faceted park.

Bizjournals.com names Centennial the second most affluent community in Colorado, second only to Highlands Ranch.

May

Centennial vegan Kelley Coffman-Lee makes national headlines for her unsuccessful efforts to receive a personalized license plate reading "ILVTOFU."

Due to declining enrollment in Littleton Public Schools, Lewis Ames Elementary closes its doors.

Fourteen new U.S. citizens from nations as disparate as Poland and India are sworn in as the newest office of the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service opens in Centennial.

June

District 3 City Councilmember Rebecca McClellan, Centennial’s representative on an intergovernmental coalition formed to reconfigure the busy I-25/Arapahoe Road interchange, launches vocal protests of an unexpected alternative that would send Arapahoe traffic into residential neighborhoods.

July

McClellan and other civic activists begin raising fiscal concerns about the council’s plans to use $4.78 in Arapahoe County-provided open-space funds to build a civic center park.

In a sign of things to come, Southglenn Public Library opens its new location at the still-incomplete Streets at Southglenn development.

August

District 1 City Councilmember Betty Ann Hamilton [formerly Habig] abruptly moves out of her district and resigns, prompting the council to set a special election in November to replace her.

A pick-up truck crashes into the west side of the Centennial Civic Center; no one is injured.

After many delays and rumors, the $310 million Streets at Southglenn officially opens amid fanfare on the site of the former Southglenn Mall.

September

Littleton Public Schools cancels elections due to a lack of contested races; the district announces a slight growth in enrollment after years of decline that had resulted in recent school closures.

October

Mayoral candidate Todd Miller raises more than twice the money of his nearest competitor, Cathy Noon.

District Attorney Carol Chambers officially opens her new main office for the 18th Judicial District in Centennial.

November

By a seven-point margin, Cathy Noon is elected the second mayor of Centennial and the first woman to hold the job.

Civic activist Ron Phelps wins the crowded special election to replace Betty Ann Hamilton by 42 votes.

For the fifth consecutive year, Centennial has Colorado’s lowest crime rate on a list of larger U.S. cities.

The assets of Centennial-based Speed of Wealth are frozen as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigates its ties to an alleged Ponzi scheme.

CannaMart, Centennial’s only medical-marijuana dispensary, sues the city after being forced to close.

The city hosts its first official Christmas tree lighting at Streets at Southglenn.

December

In anticipation of the 2010 census, an office of the U.S. Census Bureau opens in Centennial and the city launches a campaign to encourage residents to participate; it will be the first national count since Centennial was founded in 2000.

Centennial’s Wayne Watson, the first known consumer case of "popcorn lung," settles his lawsuit against a manufacturer of artificial flavoring for microwave popcorn; details are not disclosed.

Register today for the 2010 REALTOR® Day at the Capitol on February 2, 2010! By attending you can learn about government issues affecting the way you do business and will have the opportunity to network with your fellow REALTORS® and legislators from around the state. The CAR Winter Business Meetings will be held February 3-4 following REALTOR® Day. Click "read more" for more information.

According to the most recent Realtors® Confidence Index, 39 percent of recent buyers purchased a home with a Federal Housing Administration-insured loan. Realtors® who took part in the November survey also reported that the number of first-time home buyers continued to climb to 51 percent.

"FHA helps provide affordable mortgage financing to homeowners, particularly first-time home buyers who are so important in drawing down inventory to help stabilize the current housing market," said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates in Tucson, Ariz. "These recent survey results reaffirm that, despite its current challenges, FHA is a critical part of the American housing fabric."

The RCI results also indicated that distressed sales increased to 33 percent of all home sales last month, and that both investors and first-time home buyers are competing for these properties. The preponderance of distressed properties on the market has also influenced buyers’ perceptions of other homes for sale. Realtors® report that many buyers have pricing expectations that treat every property as if it were in foreclosure.

In addition, Realtors® expressed ongoing concerns with the impact of the Home Valuation Code of Conduct on recent appraisals. According to some survey respondents, inexperienced or out-of-area appraisers continue to rely heavily on sales prices of distressed properties, even when other comps are available.

"As the first, best source for real estate information, Realtors® have their finger on the pulse of current housing trends, and their knowledge and experience offer valuable insights into today’s real estate market," said Golder. "We know that an economic recovery is not possible without a housing recovery, and we will continue to work with policymakers at all levels to ensure that this happens."

The RCI is a key indicator of housing market strength based on a monthly survey of more than 50,000 Realtors®; in a typical month there are more than 3,000 usable responses. Participants are asked about their expectations for the demand for homes, price of homes, and other economic conditions.

The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

The Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners voted last week to accept a budget of $324.4 million budget for 2010, a total that represents a 7.5 percent cut from last year.

According to county officials, the total budget will include $1.5 million for the 2010 election. The budget will also set aside $6.3 million will be set aside for capital projects in the coming year, a list that includes the reconstruction of Jewell Avenue, the widening of Iliff Avenue and Arapahoe Road and the construction of the Arapahoe

Road and Parker Road interchange.

The budget is also scheduled to include a pool of 1,971 employees for the county, a total that includes the addition of four new full-time positions. The positions include two new driver’s license specialists in the Clerk and Recorder’s Office, a traffic deputy and three communication technicians in the Sheriff’s Office. County officials have stated that the cost of the new positions will be offset by the reduction of two full-time positions in the Assessor’s Office and increased revenues from new driver’s license fees and traffic fines. County officials say that an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Sheridan to provide emergency 911 services will also offset the cost of the new employees.

The budget was approved by a 3-2 vote earlier this month with Commissioners Susan Beckman and Jim Dyer voting no.

Developer giant says massive project a good deal for city

The Aurora City Council heard details this week about a massive development proposal in the northeastern part of the city, an undertaking that could draw about $90 million in new property tax revenues that the developer is asking to keep.

Officials from Australia-based developer Lend Lease outlined plans for the Horizon Uptown residential development to council members during its study session on Dec. 21. The presentation saw input from Aurora Public Schools Superintendent John Barry, who advocated the project as a viable way to launch a $20-million pilot school for the district through the tax-increment financing plan. Speaker of the House Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, also attended, offering a brief take on the Colorado Legislature’s view of funding mechanisms like TIFs and urban renewal plans.

Councilwoman Marsha Berzins had requested the update from Lend Lease regarding Horizon Uptown, a 503-acre, mixed-use community scheduled to be built near Interstate 70 and E-470.

Krista Sprenger, director for the Horizon Uptown project, outlined the specifics of the project, which is set to include residential, business and recreational facilities, as well as a kindergarten-through-eighth-grade Aurora Public Schools facility. Sprenger also defended the developer’s financing proposal, which would see Aurora ceding about $90 million in property taxes generated by the TIF district. Lend Lease says the project would in exchange yield more than $72 million for the city during the next 25 years in the form of sales tax, employment taxes and other revenues.

Lend Lease officials have also pointed to the value of amenities it would take the risk in building, such as a parking facility, a rec center and the proposed pilot school.

"If we do not perform in the delivery of the Horizon Uptown community ... we will not be repaid, and yet Aurora and your constituents will already be provided with amenities," Sprenger said. "Our proposal is financially positive to the city every step of the way."

Barry offered straightforward praise of the proposed project and the pilot school that would come as part as the development. Specifically, Barry said the new facility would help stem the effect of million-dollar cuts from the state level for the school district.

"We’re taking a serious cut in the budget," Barry said. "This will give us a $20 million school for free. The Board of Education completely supported the Horizon school; the APS leadership team, my team, fully supports this TIF."

Mayor Ed Tauer said that hesitation about the project hinged largely on the proposed financing plan, which would mean the site would have to be categorized as a "blighted" property, a designation that, under the city standards, would open the area as a taxing district.

"When you really look at what could happen, it’s a cool idea," Tauer said. "The only thing that’s kind of really an issue is ... whether or not the use of urban renewal is the right tool."

Specifically, he cited opposition that could come from the state level tied to concerns about backfilling funds targeted for Aurora Public Schools from the state’s general fund, as current law permits. Tauer suggested that the representatives from Lend Lease work with state legislators to address these concerns.

"One of the things that you may want to consider ... is let’s say for the sake of argument that you could get something in writing from different people at the state that would suggest ... that they did not have a concern about urban renewal," Tauer said. "If we can get some kind of response like that, that may be something that helps people make up their mind."

Rep. Terrance Carroll directly addressed the state’s position on funding mechanisms like tax increment financing and urban renewal.

"Most of us in the general assembly think that there’s some aspect of urban renewal areas and TIFs that need to be reformed. Whether that applies to this, I can’t say that," Carroll said. "(But) TIFs and URAs are a valuable redevelopment tool in the State of Colorado."

The measure to be introduced next year would allow homes to be occupied more quickly.

A bill to be introduced in the state legislature next year would cut in half the time it takes lenders to sell abandoned properties.

Gov. Bill Ritter and state legislators announced the bill Tuesday at a news conference at the Clements Community Center in Lakewood. The bill, to be co-sponsored by Reps. Jeanne Labuda, D-Denver, and Dianne Primavera, D-Broomfield, and Sen. Mike John ston, D-Denver, will allow homes to be occupied more quickly so they don't become a safety hazard, a magnet for vandalism and other crimes, or a drain on nearby property values.

"Abandoned properties turn a family-friendly neighborhood into a hazard for children," Ritter said.

Current law calls for a minimum four-month sale process, but many foreclosure sales take seven to nine months to complete.

Currently, when a lender submits the paperwork to start the foreclosure process, the title for the property is still with the mortgage holder, even if the home is abandoned. That means there is no one responsible for maintaining the property, because the homeowner is gone and the home does not yet belong to the lender.

The bill would allow the bank to take over a property faster, giving municipalities and homeowners associations someone to hold accountable for maintenance.

"Before, we didn't discriminate between abandoned and non-abandoned," Ritter said. "When someone moves out and abandons their property, there's no reason not to move (the time frame) up and move it up quickly."

Colorado is on track to top the record of 39,900 foreclosure filings set in 2007 as widespread unemployment makes it harder for borrowers to make their mortgage payments. New foreclosure filings statewide during the third quarter reached a record high of 12,468, according to a report released last month by the Colorado Division of Housing. New filings for the first nine months of the year were up 18 percent to 35,112.

The number of completed foreclosures grew to 5,618 in the third quarter, the second consecutive quarter- over-quarter increase. But the total number of completed foreclosures fell to 14,971 during the first three quarters, compared with 16,265 during the same period last year.

The legislation would complement the $5.8 billion federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program designed to help foreclosure-blighted neighborhoods.

"More folks are fighting hard to maintain their mortgages," Johnston said. "The next critical step is to protect neighborhoods."

The six incumbents and three new members on the Aurora City Council will begin the task of chairing new policy committees after the new year.

The nine members of the council will shuffle positions on the city’s policy committees in 2010, with officials taking up the following assignments: Newly elected Ward I representative Melissa Miller will chair the Neighborhood Services Committee; Barbara Cleland, the new at-large council representative will serve as chair of the Community Partnership Committee; and Ward III Councilwoman Marsha Berzins will chair the Planning, Economic Development and Redevelopment Committee.

Of the incumbent council members, Sue Sandstrom will chair the Management and Finance Committee; Renie Peterson will chair the Operations and Environmental Affairs Committee; Ryan Frazier will head the Public and Intergovernmental Relations Committee; Molly Markert will chair the Public Safety and Courts Committee; Brad Pierce will head the Transportation and Airports Committee; and Bob FitzGerald will chair the Water Committee.

There's still a month until Colorado's legislative session begins, but Republicans and Democrats on Monday started the debate early over the state budget and whether to ease constitutional spending limits.

The sparks came at the Colorado Press Association's annual legislative forum at the Denver Press Club.

Gov. Bill Ritter joined fellow Democratic House Speaker Terrance Carroll of Denver and Senate President Brandon Shaffer of Longmont to speak to reporters and editors.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry of Grand Junction and House Minority Leader Mike May of Parker represented Republicans.

The state faces a shortfall of at least $560 million in the current budget year that ends in June and must close a shortfall of more than $1 billion in the following 2010-11 fiscal year.

Ritter has proposed a variety of cuts and revenue-raising actions to balance the 2010-11 budget, including eliminating some $132 million in tax credits and exemptions.

Penry said Ritter needs to look harder at cutting the state payroll, saying he expected the Democratic-led legislature to approve Ritter's proposals.

"Democrats have shown no capacity to say no to this governor, even for his worst ideas," Penry said.

That prompted a retort from Carroll.

"The governor's proposal reflects reality," Carroll said, "and time after time, when given the opportunity to engage in governance of this state, my friends across the aisle failed to engage in that process."

Some lawmakers favor asking voters to create a special commission that could recommend one catch-all constitutional fix to voters in 2012.

That could mean changes to the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, or TABOR, which limits state revenue, and Amendment 23, which requires annual increases in spending for schools. The Gallagher Amendment, which limits residential property taxes, could be included.

Shaffer said a recent tour of the state by Senate Democrats revealed a common sentiment.

"People want a representative democracy," he said, saying constitutional mandates did not accomplish that.

But Republicans said gutting TABOR is not the answer to the state's budget woes.

"I'm always amused that TABOR is the whipping boy for everything from the recession to Hurricane Katrina," May said. "TABOR has absolutely nothing do with our current problem. We don't have revenues."

The remainder of the New Zoning Code process is outlined below. Thank you for your ongoing interest and involvement in the New Code Denver effort. We are thrilled at the level of participation we’ve received from our residential and commercial communities through public meetings, e-mails, phone calls, letters and Website interactions – all of which will help Denver deliver a new zoning code that offers clarity and predictability, promotes economic opportunity and preserves Denver’s economic vitality and outstanding quality of life.

New Denver Zoning Code Adoption Schedule

Jan. 18, 2010 Posting of fourth and final draft of the new code on the Internet at

http://www.newcodedenver.org <http://www.newcodedenver.org/> .

Feb. 17, 2010 Planning Board public hearing, after which the Board will forward a recommendation to City Council

Mar. 10, 2010 Blueprint Denver Committee of Denver City Council considers new code and whether to approve filing a bill for adoption by the full City Council

Mar. 16, 2010 Mayor and Council review and discuss Blueprint Denver recommendation

Mar. 18, 2010 Community Planning & Development files a bill for an ordinance adopting

the new code to be considered by City Council

Mar. 22, 2010 City Council – first reading of new code ordinance proposal

Apr. 19, 2010 City Council – public hearing and final consideration of proposed ordinance adopting the new code

The Denver City Council, which originally wanted to overhaul the city's zoning code this year, might delay final consideration again, to April.

The new timeline was proposed last week by Denver City Council President Jeanne Robb, planning board chairman Brad Buchanan and Councilwoman Carla Madison, who is a member of the zoning code task force.

They announced that the deadline for public comment on the third and latest draft of the new code has been extended to Jan. 4 from this Tuesday.

In addition, the zoning code task force has recommending that once a new code is adopted, residents and businesses could file development applications, but not rezoning applications, under the new code or the old code for six months.

The City Council will consider approving the new timeline today. The new timeline would:

• Hold a public hearing Feb. 17 before the planning board, which would forward a recommendation to the council.

• Have the Blueprint Denver Committee of the council consider the new code March 10.

• Have a review and discussion by the mayor and council of the new code March 16.

• Hold initial consideration of the new code by the City Council on March 22.

Though it's a far cry from the boom times of just a few years ago, Denver builders are starting to see demand increasing for new homes, especially among first-time buyers.

Builders in the Denver market were selling on average one home per community per month during the third quarter, said Jay Peterson, regional manager for Hanley Wood Market Intelligence. That's up from 0.7 homes a month during the same period last year.

Peterson also noted that cancellations are down 40 percent year-over-year.

"It shows more of a serious and intent buyer," he said.

Richmond American Homes reported 197 orders for new homes in Colorado in the third quarter, compared with 105 during the same time last year, said Zane DeHerrera, spokesman for MDC Holdings-Richmond American Homes.

"Back in the third quarter of '08, the capital markets froze," DeHerrera said. "That really impacted consumer confidence and slowed down lending tremendously."

"We're definitely in the first stages of a real-estate recovery as it relates to residential," said Pat Hamill, president of Oakwood Homes. "We're starting to see values stabilize, inventories drop and people starting to feel good that this is the right time to buy because pricing has dropped significantly."

Jim Capecelatro, a broker with Fuller real estate who specializes in land deals, said he's starting to see more lots sold to homebuilders. Of the eight transactions he's completed in the past six months, five were builder deals with a combined total of nearly 1,600 finished and platted lots.

"In general, the consensus from builders is that we are at the bottom of the market in Denver and poised for recovery," Capecelatro said.

"New-home and resale inventories are down, and demand for new housing, especially in the entry-level category, is on the rise."

Denver builders are on pace to pull slightly more than 4,000 permits this year, well below the 25,000 recorded in 2005, according to a Hanley Wood study.

"We believe that a normal market in Denver should be about 15,000 homes," DeHerrera said. "2005 was not normal. The market won't rebound as fast as it fell."

The city’s monthly financial report shows all the talk about the improving economy has yet to impact Englewood.

"Our revenue collections continue to decline and continue to be below last year’s levels," Frank Gryglewicz, Englewood finance director, told the Englewood City Council at the Nov. 23 study session. "Through October, city revenue collections are about $2.5 million or 7.5 percent lower than the same period in 2008."

He said, as the report indicates, the largest difference in 2008 vs. 2009 revenue collections are in the area of sales and use taxes as year-to-date sales and use tax collections are about $17.5 million, which is about $2.4 million or 12.3 percent less than the same period for 2008.

Englewood has been struggling with declining revenues for more than a year. A chart in the report shows revenues have declined below the previous year’s level each month since October 2008. In light of the declining revenues, the city maintains a balanced budget by revising revenue predictions downward and asking all departments to make spending cuts.

In addition to the departmental spending cuts, the city also instituted a hiring freeze and the asked all employees to take personal days instead of holding onto them and getting paid for them at the end of the year.

The result is the city is able to balance the budget and maintained reserves just above the desired minimum of 10 percent.

The reserves are like a saving account and traditionally, Englewood has strived to keep enough uncommitted funds to equal the cost of day-to-day city operations for about three months. Currently, that equals about $3.8 million.

However, the uncommitted reserves are only a portion of the fund balance listed on the city budget.

"The fund balance included the legally-required Tax Payer’s Bill of Rights reserves," Gryglewicz said. "Unfortunately, the law requiring municipalities to put that money in reserve also placed very severe restrictions on when that money can be spend and also requires it be restored to the fund in the same fiscal year. So, in Englewood’s case, the $1.3 million in TABOR reserves is there but basically can’t be used."

There also is a budget line item for the Long Term Asset Reserves. This is money that the city received as part of the lease of golf course land to the developer of the River Point at Sheridan project plus money from the sale and lease of city owned property in Douglas County.

Currently, there is about $3.9 million in the Long Term Asset Reserves, which with city council approval, could be used in case of city financial emergency.

"The total in the Long Term Asset Reserves are expected to increase by about $600,000 before the end of the year," Gryglewicz said. "That money will come from the Regional Transportation District as reimbursement for the city work to grade the land they purchased in Douglas County that is scheduled to become the site of the Lucent Station when the Southwest Corridor Light Rail Line is extended.

The hearing offers an opportunity to comment on proposed amendments to:

- Metro Vision 2035,

- the 2035 Metro Vision Regional Transportation Plan and

- the Metro Vision Clean Water Plan.

In addition, comments will be taken on air quality conformity findings on the proposed transportation plan amendments.

Get more background on the hearing topics by visiting www.drcog.org <http://cl.exct.net/?ju=fe22167571670d757d1072&ls=fdee1c757063007f73117577&m=fef91672746d0c&l=fe6015767667057b771d&s=fdee1574776c047a7d1d7974&jb=ffcf14&t=> . Also provide comment or sign up to testify at the hearing. Written and online comments will receive the same consideration as comments made at the hearing.

For more information, please contact Casey Collins at ccollins@drcog.org <mailto:ccollins@drcog.org?subject=Public%20Hearing%20on%20Regional%20Plan%20Amendments> or 303-480-6744.

Attendees with disabilities are asked to notify DRCOG at least 48 hours in advance of the need for auxiliary aids or services by calling 303-480-6701 or emailing jstice@drcog.org <mailto:jstice@drcog.org?subject=Public%20Hearing%20December%2016,%202009> .

A total of more than 150 people attended four Citizen Input Meetings hosted by the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners at locations across the county this fall. Citizens, Commissioners and other elected officials discussed a variety of issues, including FasTracks, the 2010 County Budget and the increased demand for social services.

Commissioners held the meetings in October and November at the Peak Community and Wellness Center in South Jeffco, the Evergreen Lake House in Evergreen, the Standley Lake Library in Arvada and the Belmar Library in Lakewood. Attendees learned about the current state of the county, used an interactive keypad system to answer questions from Commissioners, and asked questions and commented on the issues that matter most to them.

Despite the diversity of residents who live in Jefferson County, Commissioners saw many of the same interests at each meeting. For instance, 28 percent of attendees in Evergreen and 27 percent of attendees in Lakewood said they would approve a mill levy increase for programs for seniors, children and families in need (Commissioners have no plans to increase taxes at this time; the question was asked to gain insight into what services matter most to citizens). However, the two groups differed in their support for other areas. Only 10 percent of attendees in Evergreen said they would vote for a mill levy increase for libraries, compared to 27 percent in Lakewood.

Other keypad response results, along with videos of the meetings and Commissioners' presentations, are posted on the Transparent Jeffco Web site <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102856546411&s=137&e=001Px3FCF1oTA8YK849wH9zbyzOSVPQ1UMw-tQ_QaZzgXCP_W5MTmpHHFOdCxEg_ngDjxKasdgiQkwHQYnmXuthrQvTmZp7TGJmTuUa2lnkXTMqNrdYMUHonbsBbxgkHQI9QXzZcfMmvPZF3Fmrvf4Hzg==> . If you could not make a meeting but still want to answer the keypad questions that Commissioners asked attendees, you can take our online survey <http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102856546411&s=137&e=001Px3FCF1oTA8ZVjQIpkYxXiyPmdq65YGVBSC2l9cOcAS4tochStG7UIgTGWCaQclS1o1XqmB4oSq-JZU43vNLOUHY3LMnU5_v8_RG1CYLTCl3fG0CUf8BPYwMwCGFspLLT3Jp2t68q8gy9_sxGTntOEtORSdyCroF> .

Commissioners would like to thank all citizens who participated in these meetings, as well as Jeffco Public Schools for loaning the keypad system to the county. Please watch for more Citizen Input Meetings in 2010!

Local businesswoman and educator Nancy Jackson will formally announce her candidacy for the 4th District seat on the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners during a campaign event at 3 p.m. Nov. 21 at the Dam East Clubhouse in Aurora.

Jackson, who has taught at Community College of Aurora during the past 15 years and has also worked as a business consultant, said she will seek the Democratic nomination for the commission post in the 2010 election. Jackson will join the race to fill the post of County Commissioner Pat Noonan, who has announced she will not run for re-election. The race will mark Jackson’s first bid for political office.

Jackson is an Aurora native, and received her bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D in communications from the University of Colorado. Jackson’s early campaign platform stresses fiscal responsibility and sustainable growth.

The Dam East Clubhouse is located at 12300 East Amherst Circle in Aurora. For more information about the event, call 303-338-0199 or e-mail jacksoncc4@gmail.com.

Aurora foreclosure registry fee revenue nears $100K

A requirement forcing lenders to register any foreclosed and abandoned properties with the city has netted nearly $100,000 in total revenue in six months, according to city staff.

In April, the Aurora City Council passed a foreclosure registration ordinance that carried a fee of $50 for lenders registering properties, a toll that increases by $150 for every 90 days that the property is not registered. Any unpaid fees are added to the property’s tax bill, in addition to a city and county processing fee of 26.5 percent of the amount owed.

In an update presented to the city’s Neighborhood Services Policy Committee on Nov. 19, Aurora’s Neighborhood Services worker Jeff Hancock spelled out the revenue reaped so far as a result of the new program.

"We’re doing quarterly updates. The numbers that are talked about here are for the third quarter of this year," Hancock said, adding that the city registered 732 vacant properties during the quarter.

Hancock said that 76 properties did not register with the city, and were levied the $150 fee. What’s more, an additional 61 properties were identified as requiring registration. After a 30-day grace period, these house will also be assessed the $150 fee.

The quarterly revenue from the program was about $48,000. Of that total, more than $36,000 came from the $50 registration fee, while the remaining total of more than $11,000 came from the $150 fee for properties that had failed to register.

So far, the total revenue that has come from the program since it started in April of this year nears $100,000, Hancock said.

"Our code officers report back to us that they feel like the vacant properties that they see on the street every day tend to be a little bit better maintained," Hancock said.

The passage of the ordinance, which first started its rounds through city committees last summer, did not come without objections from Aurora’s realty and banking communities. During months of debate and discussion, representatives from lending organizations and local realty companies voiced concerns about the unintended consequences of the ordinance.

Since he started his first term on the Aurora City Council in 1979, the city has grown in population from less than 170,000 to more than 300,000. Buckley has made the shift from a National Guard base to an Air Force base, and what was once an Army hospital at Fitzsimons is now a sprawling, state-of-the-art medical campus.

Hogan, who will step down from his longtime post on city council next week, says that Aurora has retained many features of a small town, despite its growth and expansion.

"It’s in some ways, it’s still that small town," Hogan said. "There are still defined neighborhoods where the reference is still the neighborhood."

But Hogan, who served stints on council from 1979 to 1983, 1985 to 1997 and 2001 to 2009, is the first to remark on the deep transformations that have remade the city during the past three decades. As he leaves his post as an at-large city council member, Hogan said it’s difficult not to note the changes and the pieces of legislation he helped pass during his years of service.

"In some ways it has just leapt ahead light years into being a big city," Hogan said. "There are two things I’m really happy about. One is the city policy where if you take down trees during development, you have to replace them. The other policy is we don’t drill deep-water aquifer wells in Aurora for usable water without an express vote of city council. I think the city council has only authorized two or three of those wells in the past 20 years. That’s a huge, long-term water bank for the city of Aurora, and that’s something we have that nobody else has."

Hogan helped usher in such policies with a legislative style that was refined during his time in the state legislature before coming to the Aurora council. Former colleagues remember Hogan as an astute policy maker who would often compromise his more extreme stances for partial victories.

"He would often be a maverick. By that, I mean he would bring forth an issue that was kind of way out and would often settle, or would get part of what he wanted. Maybe that was his agenda, maybe that was the way he planned it," said Paul Tauer, who served as mayor of Aurora from 1987 to 2003. Hogan ran against Tauer for mayor in 1987. "He would often come in with a position that was contrary to everyone else. He’d have a good reason for it. Oftentimes he would get part of what he suggested. I don’t know if that was something he did on purpose, or if he was just politically savvy enough to know how far he could push something."

Dennis Champine, who was the mayor in Aurora from 1979 to 1987, noted a similar skill for conciliation.

"Steve and I oft times were on opposite ends of the spectrum. What I remember most was not one particular time but almost every time was the fact that he was able to disagree without being disagreeable," Champine said. "I think that’s consistent with what I said about the fact that he’s thoughtful, yet at the same time open to differing points of view. There’s no doubt in my mind that he does what elected people should do."

It’s a skill that Hogan said he’s refined during many years of political service.

"I’ve had a long-term education in the political process. It’s not something that always comes naturally, and certainly you learn over time that a lot of the disagreements are political and not personal," Hogan said. "The people who generally have success are those who understand that sooner rather than later. You’ve got to be able to have a working relationship with somebody who has opposed you on something, because tomorrow, they may be on your side."

It’s a style Hogan has developed through hits and misses. Hogan said his push to make Aurora its own city and county fell flat several times.

But Hogan said he isn’t ruling out the chance of re-entering the local political ring. Taking time off has always been part of his approach, he said.

"I know that there are some people who will say how can you serve for 24 years? It’s another thing to say that it was four years, and 12 years and eight years. Those breaks allowed me to double check things, get refreshed, get re-energized and not get stale," Hogan said. "I think it helps to refresh you. It helps to get you away from the nitty gritty for awhile."

While he says he’s not making any definite plans, Hogan’s past patterns may recur in a future bid for mayor.

"I don’t have any specific plans now," Hogan said. "Certainly, I will say that there are some people who have asked me to consider running for mayor in two years. But that’s two years away. It’s awfully early in 2009 to start a 2011 campaign ... I’ll look hard at it, and if it makes sense, that will be the decision I make. Right now, I’m not a candidate."

The results of the Nov. 3, 2009 Coordinated Election were certified on this past Monday by the County Board of Canvassers.

"Numerous cities and several school districts had candidates and issues on this ballot", said Nancy Doty, Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder. "The turnout was lighter than in previous years and the election process went very smoothly."

The County Board of Canvassers, which consists of Doty as the designated elected official, Arapahoe County Republican Party Representative Arvin Michael and Arapahoe County Democratic Chair Mike Hamrick, unanimously approved the official abstract of votes for the election.

The Board of Canvassers is required to certify the results of the election by Nov. 20. The duties of the Board include reviewing:

· The name of each candidate receiving votes, the office and the total number of votes received.

· The number/letter of each ballot issue or question and the votes received.

· The number of mailed ballots, ballots accepted and ballots rejected.

This year’s election was conducted entirely by mail, which allowed voters to either drop off their ballot at one of 13 locations or to mail it back to the Clerk and Recorder’s Office. Election turnout was 31.05 percent of the County’s 247,297 voters.

A recount will be required for one seat in the Aurora City Council Member-at-Large race. According to State law, a mandatory recount is required in the race between Barb Cleland and Bob LeGare because the difference between the votes cast is less than one-half of one percent of the votes cast.

This recount will be completed by Dec. 3.

To view the final election results, visit the Arapahoe County Elections web site at www.arapahoevotes.com.

Developers building homes within the County’s Regional Transportation Impact Fee District are getting a temporary reprieve from a fee used to improve major arterials and construct new traffic signals in fast growing areas of unincorporated Arapahoe County.

Last May, the Board of County Commissioners approved a six-month suspension of the transportation fee that is collected at the time building permits are issued on new development (primarily single-family homes) within the RTIF district, which is located in an unincorporated area of Arapahoe County bounded by Parker Road on the west, Hampden Avenue on the north, Gun Club Road on the east and the Arapahoe/Douglas County line on the south.

On Nov. 10, the Board of County Commissioners voted to extend the suspension of the fee through May 15, 2010 and said the fee will be reestablished once the housing market rebounds.

"We are living in unprecedented economic times," said Commissioner Rod Bockenfeld, who represents District 3 and whose district includes the RTIF district. "The Board of County Commissioners felt it was important to temporarily suspend this fee to help the homebuilding industry sell homes, which ultimately will be passed on to potential home buyers who are looking to live in unincorporated Arapahoe County."

The Regional Transportation Improvement Fee program originally was approved by the Board of County Commissioners in March 1995 to assist in funding arterial infrastructure in rapidly developing areas of unincorporated areas of the County.

The fee is matched dollar for dollar with the County’s Capital Improvement Project, or CIP funds and has been used for projects, such as improvements to south Buckley Road, south Liverpool Street, Smoky Hill between Versailles Parkway to Gun Club Road and the Copperleaf Boulevard and Picadilly Road intersection.

Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE) is implementing the Deed for Lease™ Program under which qualifying homeowners facing foreclosure will be able to remain in their homes by signing a lease in connection with the voluntary transfer of the property deed back to the lender.

The new program is designed for borrowers who do not qualify for or have not been able to sustain other loan-workout solutions, such as a modification. Under Deed for Lease, borrowers transfer their property to the lender by completing a deed in lieu of foreclosure, and then lease back the house at a market rate.

To participate in the program, borrowers must live in the home as their primary residence and must be released from any subordinate liens on the property. Tenants of borrowers in this circumstance may also be eligible for leases under the program. Borrowers or tenants interested in a lease must be able to document that the new market rental rate is no more than 31% of their gross income.

Leases under the new program may be up to 12 months, with the possibility of term renewal or month-to-month extensions after that period. A Deed for Lease property that is subsequently sold includes an assignment of the lease to the buyer.

The process of creating new zone districts in Sedalia begins on Thursday, Dec. 3 with a kick-off meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the West Douglas Firehouse, 4037 Platte Ave. in Sedalia.

Douglas County and URS Corporation staff will provide a presentation about the project process and timeline at 6:45 p.m. followed by opportunities for public comment and questions.

In 2007 the Board of County Commissioners initiated the Sedalia Overlay District Ad Hoc Committee (SODAC) to solicit recommendations on creation of new zoning regulations for the Town of Sedalia that are more in keeping with the Town’s unique character and representative of the community’s values.

After an intensive year-long process of community meetings and input, SODAC presented its recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners in August 2008. The first step in implementing the recommendations was completed in April 2009 with the establishment of the Sedalia Property Owners’ Coalition (SPOC), a group of Town residents and landowners committed to advocating for implementation of the SODAC recommendations. The SPOC will work closely with the public, Douglas County and URS Corporation throughout the process of creating new zone districts.

A total of 5,047 Colorado properties were in some stage of the foreclosure process in October, down 18.75 percent from September and down 6.08 percent from October 2008, according to data released late Wednesday MST by RealtyTrac, an Irvine, Calif.-based marketer of foreclosed properties.

Colorado saw one foreclosure filing for every 421 homes in October, the 11th-highest rate in the nation among the 50 states, down from ninth in September and eighth in August, RealtyTrac said.

But Colorado's relatively high ranking among the states is misleading, because the top few states on the RealtyTrac list accounted for most U.S. foreclosures in October. Colorado's foreclosure rate as calculated by the company was better than the one-in-385 rate for the nation as a whole.

RealtyTrac said four states accounted for 52 percent of the nation’s total housing foreclosure activity in October: California, Florida, Illinois and Michigan.

And Nevada had the highest foreclosure rate as it has for three years, with one in every 80 households in foreclosure, the report said.

The good news for the nation as a whole was a 3.3 percent decline in home-foreclosure filings between September and October -- the third straight month-over-month drop. The bad news is, U.S. foreclosures were up 18.86 percent from the year-ago October.

"Three consecutive monthly declines is unprecedented for our report, and on first blush an indication that the foreclosure tide may be turning," RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio said in a statement. RealtyTrac.

Colorado officials have long disputed the state's often high position on RealtyTrac's monthly lists, arguing that RealtyTrac overcounts its foreclosures in this state partly because Colorado's public trustees report foreclosures at each stage of the process.

Colorado ranked first in RealtyTrac's monthly foreclosure-rate ranking for most of 2006. But Nevada moved into the top spot in 2007 and has held it ever since.

RealtyTrac officials contend their methodology is fair.

"If more than one foreclosure document is received for a property during the month, only the most recent filing is counted in the report," RealtyTrac said in a statement.

One new councilmember will join four returning incumbents on the Centennial City Council.

District 1

Conservative Ron Phelps’s narrow victory in the crowded special-election contest to fill a vacant District 1 city council seat may be a sign of an evolving political climate in west Centennial.

Phelps defeated former Councilmember Vorry Moon by a narrow 42 votes on Nov. 3. But that may have been because two other Republicans who also touted Phelps’s brand of fiscal conservatism, also took competing percentages of the vote, effectively creating a three-candidate race against Moon, a Democratic activist.

Centennial city races are officially nonpartisan, but in recent years party politics has increasingly played a role. A total of seven candidates competed.

Phelps’s supporters have suggested that the candidate would have likely won the race by a landslide without the Republican competition.

In the days following the election, several former District 1 candidates wrote widely distributed e-mails expressing support for Phelps. Moon and Democrat Michael Hall were not among them.

Moon, who was elected to council in 2003 before being defeated by his onetime council colleague, Betty Ann Hamilton, two years ago, concedes the tide may have shifted against him in District 1.

"There’s a very partisan group here in District 1 and you can’t overcome that easily," Moon said. "But after the first snowstorm, they’re going to want big government to come in and clear their streets for them."

Similar political dynamics emerged two years ago when Phelps and Hamilton [then Habig] waged challenges against Moon, then the incumbent. Before Election Day 2007, Phelps announced he would quit campaigning and back Hamilton, fearing the two would split the conservative vote and re-elect Moon.

Centennial’s home-rule charter received voter approval by a greater than 2-to-1 margin in a special election last year.

Phelps, in part, interprets his win as support for protecting neighborhoods in Centennial’s oldest areas

"District 1 is standing up for property values and for the environment they moved into 40 years ago," he said. "That translates to a more conservative approach than a heavy city government approach. Neighbors first, city last."

The eight District 1 hopefuls were vying to finish the final two years in the term of Hamilton, who resigned in August after moving out of the district.

Phelps is a member of the city’s open-space advisory committee, among other civic associations. Last year, he actively campaigned against the home-rule charter.

Because this was a special election to replace a resigning councilmember, Phelps is expected to take office Dec. 7. Other winners will be sworn-in Jan. 11.

Moon is noncommittal about future runs for office.

"I’m just enjoying not having to go out and campaign today," he said.

In contrast to the crowded special election, incumbent District 1 Councilmember Rick Dindinger ran for a second term unopposed.

District 2

Incumbent Sue Bosier easily won a second term representing neighboring District 2, defeating first-time challenger Scott Watters by almost 30 percentage points.

"I was very fortunate to have a really good team out there helping me and it paid off," she said. "One of my volunteers walked 68 miles."

During her first term, Bosier was not shy about defying her colleagues. She was one of only two councilmembers to publicly oppose the city’s home-rule charter passed by voters last year.

Although serving on the nonpartisan city council has been Bosier’s first foray into elected office, she has been no stranger to politics in Arapahoe County. The ex-wife of a Centennial "founder," former County Assessor Ed Bosier, is a longtime Republican activist.

District 3

Unlike in District 1, a partisan approach was not successful in central Centennial’s District 3, where incumbent Rebecca McClellan won re-election by 18 percentage points.

McClellan, who was a delegate for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention last year, had been challenged by Republican activist Cindy Combs who had largely centered her candidacy on her party affiliation in the GOP-heavy district.

"It’s substance over partisanship," McClellan said of her victory. "People are reading the Citizen, paying attention, going to council meetings. I think they’re looking past partisanship and looking at the decisions we’re really making."

The councilmember, who served as mayor pro tem last year, is known for her passionate representation of district residents, though she has recently raised the ire of some colleagues over her protests of an underpass idea.

McClellan, Centennial’s representative on the Arapahoe Road/Interstate 25 Interchange Coalition, has vigorously protested an initiative to build an I-25 underpass at Alton Way to help ease congestion on Arapahoe. McClellan’s critics have accused her of grandstanding, saying the city is not taking the idea seriously anyway.

McClellan’s other council-related activities have included serving on the legislative policy committee of the Colorado Municipal League and representing Centennial at the National League of Cities in Washington, D.C.

Incumbent Ron Weidmann ran for re-election unopposed in Centennial’s far eastern District 4.

By the numbers

MAYOR

Cathy Noon 9,561 48.4%

Todd Miller 8,158 41.3%

Mike Weber 1,149 5.8%

Greg Schoenfeld 886 4.5%

DISTRICT 1

Ron Phelps 1,504 30.3%

Vorry Moon 1,462 29.5%

Sonni Marbury 916 18%

Sharon West 550 12%

Pete Cooney 296 6%

Michael Hall 158 3.2%

Gary Furnee 77 1.5%

DISTRICT 2

Sue Bosier 3,084 65%

Scott Watters 1,671 35%

DISTRICT 3

Rebecca McClellan 3,227 59%

Cindy Combs 2,228 41%

Former state Sen. Tom Wiens, of Douglas County, has announced he is running for the U.S. Senate.

Wiens, a rancher and small businessman, joins a field of Republican challengers to Democratic incumbent Michael Bennet.

Wiens plans to conduct formal announcement events in several locations throughout the state in the coming weeks.

"Weeks ago I created an exploratory committee so that I could start a conversation with Coloradans about my frustrations with Washington," Wiens said in a news release. "What did I learn? They are, like me, sick and tired of the disrespect that Washington has for us."

Former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, of Arapahoe County, also is among the Republican hopefuls.

Andrew Romanoff, the former speaker of the state House, is a Democratic challenger.

Castle Rock voters next April could choose whether future Town Councilmembers would serve four-year terms if a measure Council gave preliminary approval to Tuesday makes it on the ballot.

Under the current setup, an election is held each April for Councilmembers, who serve two-year terms. Council then selects a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem each year.

The fact that a new Councilmember could be elected any given year can be disruptive, former Mayor Ray Waterman told Council.

"Every year, you get someone new on the Council, and it’s a reeducational process," he said. "Everyone thought that it slowed the process down."

Going to four-year terms would create "half the interruptions," he said. It also would save the Town about $20,000 each year it wouldn’t have to hold an election.

If Council gives final approval to the proposal in January, it would be placed on the ballot for the April 6, 2010 election.

The move to four-year terms would be graduated, with Councilmembers elected in 2010 serving two years; those in 2011 serving three years; and those in 2012 and thereafter, four years.

The proposed amendment also would change elections from every year to even-numbered years only starting in 2010 and would make appointments of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem effective for two years rather than one.

In addition to Waterman, former Mayor Millie Bennett and former Councilman Al Wonstolen expressed their support of the change to Council. So did current Councilman Douglas Lehnen.

"As Councilpeople for Castle Rock, we can do a lot better for our area if we can stay around," Lehnen said. "It’s very evident that the municipalities that have four-year terms do have a better shot at making sure things get done the way they are hoping to."

Voters turned out in record numbers for the school-board election in Douglas County, electing four new members who had been endorsed by the Republican Party.

"Voters spoke pretty darn loudly, and we'd be well advised to listen to what they say," said John Ransom, chairman of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee.

Piton Foundation education program manager Van Schoales, who said he's been watching the Douglas County race from a distance, described the new board members as a group of "free marketeers."

"It appears they are the kind of people more likely to upset the apple cart and try to make changes, and less likely to say 'You're doing a pretty good job, but we may want to tweak some things.'"

The election results surprised him.

"It's hard to win on a reform platform" in a district where "kids are already performing above average," Schoales said. "It suggests something is very broken."

By the most recent tally, nearly 46,000 people voted in the Tuesday school board election, compared to 26,000 in 2007. About 50 percent of the county's 184,875 voters are registered as Republican. About 21 percent are Democrats; the rest are right-leaning Independents, Ransom said.

The GOP-endorsed winners are John Carson, Dan Gerken, Doug Benevento and Meghann Silverton.

Interim superintendent Steve Herzog said it's hard to forecast what changes the board might make.

"We're already doing what in the campaign they said we needed to more of," he said. "That's what was puzzling about the discourse. We've always had big goals around innovation, performance pay, and we already embrace our charter schools."

Critics charged that the Republican-endorsed candidates would favor things like an all-charter school district.

Not so, Ransom said.

"Will we help home schools and charter schools and neighborhood schools? Yes," he said. "But we will be committed to different types of education."

The four candidates backed by the local teachers' union all lost, including two registered Republicans, Kristine Turner and Kevin Leung.

"The reason the party started to get involved (in the school board) is that they don't think solid Republicans, including myself, are conservative enough, and that seems to be playing out all over the country right now," said Leung, who has been a delegate to the Republican National Convention three times.

"The party felt the reason why we lost in '06 and '08 is because our candidates don't go back to core principles. They're trying to take back Colorado, so they want to put out the most conservative candidates."

"That's what the election was about," Ransom said. "One side wanted union-run schools, and other parents said that options work pretty well."

Brenda Smith, president of the Douglas County Federation of Teachers and Classified Employees, disagrees.

"I don't believe it had anything to do with union-run schools," she said. "We've have a very collaborataive working relationship with our district for many years. Our organization has out-of-the-box thinking at all times. We support what's best for kids."

Republican Scott McInnis won't debate his GOP rivals for fear it will damage party unity, but Tuesday night the former congressman challenged Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter to a series of debates.

"I'll meet him any time he wants," McInnis said to applause during a candidate forum at Colorado Christian University in Lakewood.

McInnis' chief challenger, Josh Penry, pointed out he has plenty of experience at taking on Ritter.

"I do it in The Denver Post every day," said Penry, the state Senate minority leader, who has sparred with the governor over everything from budget cuts to increased vehicle registration fees.

McInnis, Penry and businessman Dan Maes spoke to a crowd of more than 100, outlining their vision for Colorado and why they should win the Republican nomination for governor in the 2010 primary.

Jobs and the economy were mentioned early and often.

Maes conceded his underdog status but received plenty of applause as he talked about the importance of bringing private-sector experience to the governor's office and stopping the "liberal left."

"Folks, the revolution is on," Maes said, noting GOP victories nationwide.

Tuesday marked only the second time all three candidates have been on the same stage in the metro area for a forum. McInnis has been criticized for refusing to debate his primary rivals, but he reiterated he doesn't want to give Democrats any ammunition to use in the general election and debates can get ugly.

The hour-long forum was civil, with the candidates laughing with one another afterward. The forum featured questions by former Senate President John Andrews and two CCU students, Samantha Scoggins and Chad Ryder. They also asked questions submitted by the audience, including the following:

"Why is it that you have not seemed willing to talk about socially conservative issues in your campaign? Does that leg of the Reagan conservative triad not matter anymore?"

Maes pointed out that he's attended more than 200 campaign events and the only time the issue has been raised was at a candidate forum Oct. 24 in El Paso County.

"It's not on the top of people's minds," he said.

Afterward, Republicans milled about and talked about how exciting it was to have three strong candidates running for the nomination. But many had already picked sides before the forum.

"What you have to understand is the question remains, 'Who can beat Ritter?' Scott McInnis can beat Ritter," said Susan Beckman, chairwoman of the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners.

Rick Enstrom, a former wildlife commissioner, threw his support to Penry, who is 33.

"We've got to give the new kids a chance," he said. "We can't keep bringing out the same plate of meatballs. People are tired of that dish."

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada awarded Arapahoe County with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2009 budget.

The award, which was presented to the Finance Department in June, represents a significant achievement for Arapahoe County and reflects our ongoing commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. The County met nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation, which are designed to assess how well the budget serves as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device.

"Arapahoe County has a very committed and talented team working on our budget," said Susan Beckman, who serves as chair of the Board of County Commissioners. "Our finance staff has enabled us to continue to provide a high level of services to the citizens of Arapahoe County with limited resources. This is a great honor for our staff and it really shows the level of dedication they have for the County."

This is the 22nd year the County Finance Department has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award.

"We are thrilled to receive this award once again," said Finance Director Janet Kennedy. "The Budget Division works hard all year round and I’m glad that they have been recognized for this honor."

The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit, professional organization serving 14,000 government finance professionals throughout North America. The Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting in the United States. More than 900 governments have received the award, since it began in 1984.

Barbara Cleland went to bed Tuesday night thinking she had lost an Aurora City Council seat by a measly 12 votes.

The next morning, she found out she was the winner.

"I was surprised to say the least," Cleland said. "I got up at a quarter to six and got online and saw I won by about 70 votes."

Time to celebrate, right?

Well, not exactly. There's still some last-minute counting to do. And maybe some recounting.

Cleland is out in front of Bob LeGare for the second and final at-large seat by 61 votes. Cleland received 11,725 votes to LeGare's 11,664. Incumbent Bob FitzGerald earned the most at-large votes and was elected to another term.

By state law, a recount is triggered when the margin between candidates is within 0.5 percent of the highest vote-getter. LeGare would have to get to within 59 votes for a recount, said Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty.

"It was a squeaker," Cleland said. "We'll see if it holds up."

The Aurora council race was one of several in the Denver metro area that are almost too close to call right now.

In Boulder County, a ballot measure that would allow a third four-year term for the district attorney was within 50 votes, which would trigger a recount.

Only 41 votes separated Centennial City Council candidates Vorry Moon and Ron Phelps, who was leading.

"We will wait; there is a lot of confidence, but looks like everything will hold until we know," Phelps said.

The race for the Greenwood Village District 2 council seat was within 1 percentage point, with Dave Kerber having the slight edge over Jeff Roemer.

The final results in some races won't be known for several weeks. Counties have until Nov. 20 to canvass the results. Military and overseas ballots can be received eight days after Election Day. All recounts have to be completed by Dec. 3.

And counties like Arapahoe are still verifying signatures. Arapahoe has about 300 to verify from 13 municipalities, including Aurora.

But that is of little consolation to LeGare, who doesn't think a last-minute miracle will usher him into office.

LeGare called Cleland at 6 a.m. Wednesday to congratulate her, when results then showed he was down by almost 70 votes.

"It was kinda shocking to be that close, but it's the reality of the race," said LeGare, who served as an Aurora councilman from 1995 to 2003. "I've run before and come close and been on the wrong side. Now I've done it too many times."

The Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts will continue to operate in aging, asbestos-filled buildings. Aurora will close four of its seven libraries.

And a Boulder County open-space program was denied money for the first time in two decades.

Economy-minded voters on Tuesday did more than reject tax hikes and debt questions for some of their community's most dire and most popular causes; they also sent a warning to those planning increases for struggling projects and local agencies in the near future, analysts say.

Although the majority of debt and tax questions passed at the town and city level, analysts such as Denver pollster Floyd Ciruli say blockbuster losses could squelch some big plans already in the works.

"The drama of the losses (Tuesday) in terms of taxes is going to put a tremendous chill on the forces who want to put something on the ballot. Even 2011 is in question," Ciruli said.

FasTracks stakeholders are considering a sales-tax hike in 2010 to complete the regional rail project.

Business and education leaders have taken aim at tax and budget restrictions in 2011.

And countless other local governments have toyed with the idea of asking voters for more money to offset budget shortfalls.

Officials such as Broomfield Mayor Pat Quinn, whose city is still waiting for its FasTracks line, say they're taking Tuesday's "no" seriously.

"Obviously, everybody needs to take a close look at the mood of the voters before 2010," said Quinn, who favors putting a sales-tax increase on the ballot as soon as feasible. "(Tuesday's vote) gives all of us pause. You only get one chance."

The picture grows less gloomy when some of the smaller towns and cities are added to the mix, said Sam Mamet, executive director of the Colorado Municipal League.

Six of eight bond measures at the city level passed, as did five of nine sales-tax proposals and one of five property-tax increases, Mamet said.

"More willing to say 'yes' "

"Municipal voters, even in this economy, were still very much more willing to say 'yes' than to say 'no' to these types of questions," he said.

In Colorado Springs, a failed property-tax increase could lead to the layoff of firefighters and police officers, city officials have warned.

Experts blame the high-profile losses on more than the struggling economy.

Denver analyst Eric Sondermann said that what many voters see as excessive spending at the federal level also played a role.

"Policymakers understand the difference between national politics and a local library election," he said. "Voters don't make those same distinctions."

And while it's early to predict outcomes in 2010, Sondermann counts Tuesday's election as "a bad omen" and warned that voting patterns are likely to remain fiscally conservative even after the economy recovers.

May be case of voter fatigue

Conservative analyst Jessica Corry attributes the failed initiatives to voter fatigue after successive years of tax increases and bond questions.

In the Mapleton Public School District, Tuesday's loss of an initiative to raise $22 million locally may have cost its schools $31 million in matching funds to repair their infrastructure.

And even though all of his graduates have been accepted to four-year colleges in the past two years and test scores improved more than any other urban district this year, voters rejected the bond initiative by a narrow margin.

Fulton said he and his colleagues will try to raise the money from private sources so that the district can keep the state match.

"We're going to be as creative as we absolutely can be to raise $22 million in seven weeks," Fulton said. "A (2010) bond election would be tough. But that's something for the board to decide."

Voter turnout in most parts of Colorado hovered well under 50 percent Tuesday, in contrast to the intense interest shown to last year's election.

Even as last-minute mail-in ballots streamed steadily into clerks' offices across Colorado, most clerks reported manageable workloads and few problems on election night.

Boulder and El Paso counties were projecting final turnout of about 35 percent of eligible voters. Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Doug las and Jefferson counties all expected turnouts of 25 percent to 30 percent.

Josh Liss, the deputy of elections for Jefferson County, said the turnout this year was in line with similar odd-year elections following presidential elections.

"It's lower than we'd like,

Even in an odd-year election, local voters still have plenty of big decisions to make in filling out their ballots for the 2009 municipal election.

Today marks the final day that voters can submit their ballots in an election that will decide the direction of several key issues in the city, from the future makeup of the Aurora City Council to the fate of the city’s library system. With the absence of statewide issues on this year’s ballot, this year’s election has boiled down to races and issues rooted in Aurora.

All completed ballots must be returned to the city clerk’s office or at one of the designated drop-off locations by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, in order for them to be counted. Ballots received after 7 p.m. on Election Day will not be counted, regardless of postmark.

The tally on Nov. 3 will determine five races for city council seats. The crowd of candidates for the contested positions on council has grown steadily during the past several months, with at least one candidate challenging each incumbent for every open position.

The race for the Ward I seat pits incumbent Deborah Wallace against challengers Kim Harrell, Melissa E. Miller and Francis Peter Maks, Jr. Harrell ran against Wallace for the seat in 2005, and Maks challenged Mayor Ed Tauer for his seat during his race for re-election in 2007.

The race for the seat in Ward II is between incumbent Renie Peterson and challenger Randy Reamey. The Ward III race has incumbent Larry Beer competing against challenger Marsha Berzins. The race for the two open at-large seats includes a wider range of candidates. Incumbent Bob FitzGerald is running for re-election, and candidates Pam Bennett, Barbara Cleland, Bob LeGare, Alfonso Nuñez and Bob Roth are also in the running for the two open seats.

The list of ballot questions ranges from citywide issues to specific neighborhood questions.

Ballot Issue 4A will ask voters to create a new General Improvement District to fund Aurora’s cash-strapped library system, a local resource threatened by a multi-million dollar gap in the city’s long-range budget. The GID option, which would see residents of the proposed district pay more taxes, would require the approval of voters. The proposed levy would be an added 4.29 mills, which would translate into an extra $5.69 a month on a $200,000 home.

While the GID is expected to raise more than $12 million in its first year, the levy could be increased at an inflationary rate in future years.

Proponents of the measure have said the increase would provide a dedicated funding source for Aurora’s libraries, which face the annual risk of budget cutbacks according to the status of the city’s general fund and the state of the local and national economy. By creating a funding source independent of city sales tax revenues, advocates say, local libraries will be able to have a secure financial stream to pay for staff, book stock and other services.

All city voters are also being asked if all city council members should be allowed to run for a third term. Currently, only half are able to do so after voters previously extended those term limits. The measure would treat each council seat equally.

The remaining questions on the ballot will appear only on those residents who live in either Carriage Place neighborhood or Pier Point 7 neighborhood. Those questions seek to create special districts for neighborhood improvements and do no impact the rest of the city.

School board elections for both the Aurora Public Schools and Cherry Creek Schools districts were cancelled this year because there were no challengers for open positions.

An Adams County question regarding the extension of term limits for county commissioners will also appear on the Aurora ballot for those residents living in Adams County.

ELECTION INFORMATION

Aurora Election Office

15151 East Alameda Parkway, Suite 1400, Aurora, CO 80012

Phone: 303-739-7094 Fax: 303-739-7520

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

REPLACEMENT BALLOTS

For instructions on how to receive a replacement ballot, voters can visit one of the sites listed below or contact the Election Office at 303-920-7850. These locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Adams County Motor Vehicle

3449 North Chambers Road

Aurora, CO 80011

Arapahoe County Motor Vehicle

490 South Chambers Road

Aurora, CO 80017

DESIGNATED DROP-OFF SITES

Designated drop-off sites for voted ballots are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

490 S. Chambers Road, Aurora

15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Suite 1400, Aurora

Coming one year after the frenzied, record-busting turnout of the 2008 election, this year's election might feel a little quaint.

Less Super Bowl, more super lull.

And indeed, amid middling turnout so far, most county clerks are reporting few troubles with this year's mail ballot-only election.

"It's a little quiet this year, especially in comparison," said Jefferson County Clerk Pam Anderson. "The ballots are coming in slow but steady."

But also county clerks around the state are using the lessons learned from last year to make this year run more smoothly.

Computer glitch at fault

"The machine wasn't removing minor imperfections it should have been removing," said Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall.

With that fixed, Hall said ballot images are "cleaner" and easier for the machines to read.

The program, called Ballot TRACE, sends e-mail or text-message updates to voters on their ballot's progress and is in the testing phase for this election.

"Previously, (ballots) would go into the system and that's about all we knew," Scarpello said. "Now, we can follow each piece every step of the way."

Tracking system eases worries

Denver resident Carol Tone, who works with the League of Women Voters, told O'Malley at a public forum last week that Ballot TRACE gave her the confidence to vote by mail.

"As one individual who has been uneasy about the prospect of mailing back my ballot, I no longer seem to have that anxiety," Tone said.

"We geared up to count more ballots this year in hopes that we would have a bigger return than we are," said Adams County Clerk Karen Long.

A nonprofit group claiming a Denver Republican Party chairman as one of its registered agents has financed automated calls that oppose specific candidates for the upcoming Aurora City Council race.

In pre-recorded messages made to Arapahoe County residents and obtained by The Aurora Sentinel, a representative from a group calling itself Arapahoe Concern speaks out against Aurora City Councilman Larry Beer. Beer is currently running as the incumbent in the race for the Ward III seat on the city council.

The message questions Beer’s voting record, claiming that the city councilman has voted to "give city employees a raise, extend their benefits and raise ... property taxes."

Incumbents Deborah Wallace and Bob FitzGerald, who are running respectively for Ward I and at-large seats on the council, say residents in Arapahoe County have received calls from Arapahoe Concern criticizing them for the same reasons.

"Those are the same things that came up. I understand that they support Melissa (Miller)," Wallace said, referring to another candidate in the Ward I race. "But some things you do not do."

Conducting such campaigns by telephone is not illegal.

The targeted city council members said the critiques are unfounded, especially the charge related to property taxes. According to the conditions of the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, any increase in property taxes would have to be approved by voters. As part of the 2010 city budget workshop held earlier this fall, the city council approved a plan that would see specific increases to wages for Aurora police officers.

According to phone records, the calls come from a phone number based out of Washington, D.C.

The nonprofit group Arapahoe Concern is registered with the Secretary of State’s office as an unincorporated nonprofit association, with a registered address in Greenwood Village. The group’s registered agent is Ryan Call, who serves as the Denver Republican Party’s chairman.

Call did not return calls for comment by press time.

While the Arapahoe Concern website does not provide a detailed staff listing, the organization touts itself as "is an alliance of community leaders who have come together to provide the most comprehensive public policy information relevant to business and economic issues surrounding local governments in Arapahoe County."

Sandvall did not return calls for comment by press time.

The Aurora City Council race, like all municipal races in the state, is nonpartisan by law. Beer said that the criticisms on the Arapahoe Concern "robocall" were unfounded, and that the race for city council didn’t follow a party tack.

"This is a nonpartisan office and it is a nonpartisan campaign. That is a feature of the state Constitution," Beer said. "The issues that we face ware not partisan and not even really ideological. We have to have a balanced budget ... We’re really just trying to deliver basic community needs and doing that in an efficient way. It requires being efficient and creative and thoughtful.

"Right now we have four Democrats and seven Republicans on the Aurora Council. There has never been a vote that breaks out on a 4-to-7 vote," Beer said. "Since we’ve seen Mr. Call as the registered agent, it makes it look undeniably like a partisan attack."

Beer and Wallace are Democrats, and FitzGerald is a Republican.

A total of 14 candidates are vying for two at-large seats and three ward seats to be decided in the Nov. 3 election. This year’s local election is by mail ballot only. There are no polling places. The first wave of ballots for the election were mailed by county clerks on Oct. 13, according to city election officials.

A nonprofit group claiming a Denver Republican Party chairman as one of its registered agents has financed automated calls that oppose specific candidates for the upcoming Aurora City Council race.

In pre-recorded messages made to Arapahoe County residents and obtained by The Aurora Sentinel, a representative from a group calling itself Arapahoe Concern speaks out against Aurora City Councilman Larry Beer. Beer is currently running as the incumbent in the race for the Ward III seat on the city council.

The message questions Beer’s voting record, claiming that the city councilman has voted to "give city employees a raise, extend their benefits and raise ... property taxes."

Incumbents Deborah Wallace and Bob FitzGerald, who are running respectively for Ward I and at-large seats on the council, say residents in Arapahoe County have received calls from Arapahoe Concern criticizing them for the same reasons.

"Those are the same things that came up. I understand that they support Melissa (Miller)," Wallace said, referring to another candidate in the Ward I race. "But some things you do not do."

Conducting such campaigns by telephone is not illegal.

The targeted city council members said the critiques are unfounded, especially the charge related to property taxes. According to the conditions of the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights, any increase in property taxes would have to be approved by voters. As part of the 2010 city budget workshop held earlier this fall, the city council approved a plan that would see specific increases to wages for Aurora police officers.

According to phone records, the calls come from a phone number based out of Washington, D.C.

The nonprofit group Arapahoe Concern is registered with the Secretary of State’s office as an unincorporated nonprofit association, with a registered address in Greenwood Village. The group’s registered agent is Ryan Call, who serves as the Denver Republican Party’s chairman.

Call did not return calls for comment by press time.

While the Arapahoe Concern website does not provide a detailed staff listing, the organization touts itself as "is an alliance of community leaders who have come together to provide the most comprehensive public policy information relevant to business and economic issues surrounding local governments in Arapahoe County."

Sandvall did not return calls for comment by press time.

The Aurora City Council race, like all municipal races in the state, is nonpartisan by law. Beer said that the criticisms on the Arapahoe Concern "robocall" were unfounded, and that the race for city council didn’t follow a party tack.

"This is a nonpartisan office and it is a nonpartisan campaign. That is a feature of the state Constitution," Beer said. "The issues that we face ware not partisan and not even really ideological. We have to have a balanced budget ... We’re really just trying to deliver basic community needs and doing that in an efficient way. It requires being efficient and creative and thoughtful.

"Right now we have four Democrats and seven Republicans on the Aurora Council. There has never been a vote that breaks out on a 4-to-7 vote," Beer said. "Since we’ve seen Mr. Call as the registered agent, it makes it look undeniably like a partisan attack."

Beer and Wallace are Democrats, and FitzGerald is a Republican.

A total of 14 candidates are vying for two at-large seats and three ward seats to be decided in the Nov. 3 election. This year’s local election is by mail ballot only. There are no polling places. The first wave of ballots for the election were mailed by county clerks on Oct. 13, according to city election officials.

The campaign for GOP gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis fired back Tuesday at criticism of his decision not to debate his primary opponents.

"This is crapola," McInnis spokesman Sean Duffy said. "I've seen more of Josh Penry than I've seen of my dad."

He then conceded that his dad lives in New Jersey.

Duffy said McInnis has agreed to forums where candidates make their case about taking out Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, but has nixed any debate format.

"In Scott's opinion, the goal of a debate is to tear the other guys down. He views debates as javelin catching," Duffy said. "He wants to avoid mutually assured destruction where we are giving ammunition to the Democratic Party."

Duffy also said Penry's campaign is making an issue about debates because it trails McInnis in polling and fundraising.

Penry's campaign manager, Mike Britt, countered that McInnis, a former congressman, is afraid of debating because Penry, the Senate minority leader, knows state issues inside and out.

"I guarantee you," Britt said, "Bill Ritter doesn't want to debate Josh Penry either."

Also running for the GOP nomination for governor is businessman Dan Maes. He said he doesn't understand McInnis' strategy but that "it is his choice."

Democratic political consultant Steve Welchert said avoiding debates is a smart move for McInnis, who is viewed as the front-runner.

But former Congressman Bob Beauprez, whose name is frequently invoked by the McInnis campaign as to why he won't debate, said he finds McInnis' stance "curious."

Beauprez and Marc Holtzman ran for the Republican nomination for governor in 2006. Holtzman didn't make the ballot, but by that time his campaign had tagged Beauprez as "Both Ways Bob," a label that stuck through November.

Beauprez said he doesn't recall debating Holtzman.

"Whatever damage was done, it never came out of a debate," he said.

Wednesday’s meeting was a continuation of the matter that was introduced Sept. 23 but has been a growing issue since last summer, when complaints about short-term rentals started surfacing in force.

The county is considering changing zoning regulations to make it legal to rent private homes in residential neighborhoods on a short-term basis with the approval of the board of adjustment, subject to a one-year renewal process. Under existing rules, any term under 30 days is a violation. The planning commission makes a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners, which makes the final decision.

The panel heard testimony from eight individuals, most in favor of legalization. Chairman Shirley Johnson ended the public hearing part of the meeting about 9:30 p.m.

Judging from the board’s commentary after the public input, the eight board members in attendance had opinions that ranged from imposing maximum regulation at one extreme to minimum regulation at the other.

Board member Jim Cole suggested throwing out 95 percent of the proposed regulations.

"It seems to me if you want to kill something, you just regulate it to death, and that’s what we are doing. I feel passionately we are headed in the wrong direction," Cole said. "You should fill out an application, and that’s it."

Cole said he had stayed in about 20 short-term rent-by-owner homes around the country and was favorably impressed.

"We are trying to turn these homes into something else. But they have already been approved for residential use. Barriers are completely unnecessary. (Short-term rental) is not any different than any other residential use," he said.

Cole recommended eliminating parking restrictions, ownership by commercial entities, the rule against owning only one unit and a one-year review. "I think we are really overreaching," he said.

Shirley Johnson of Conifer had another view.

"There could be a lot more impact on the neighbors. We need something. We need some kind of policies," she said.

"I think we need more time to reword some of these provisions," said board member Richard Olson of Evergreen.

Olson suggested restricting short-term rentals to homes within water and sewer districts and putting limits on the concentration of homes in one geographical area. He suggested starting out with strict regulation and moving toward fewer restrictions, if circumstances warranted.

During the public testimony, two speakers identified themselves as residents who had been renting their homes successfully on a short-term basis.

Two others said they lived near rental homes and had no objections to them. One person who lived in the Blue Spruce Road neighborhood was staunchly opposed.

Don Bennett of the Evergreen neighborhood group ENABLE said the main concern is "the potential effect on neighbors." He said there needs to be a process allowing homeowners to protest problem rentals sooner than in one-year increments.

Amy Saxton, who lives on Blue Spruce Road, told the board the short-term rental house on her street is no problem and is "scrupulously maintained." She said the negative issues mentioned by opponents could happen any time a property changes hands. "You never know if some jerk is going to move in next to you," she said.

Char Price of Idledale said she never had any problems with vacationers who rented her home for a few days at a time. "They are not going to disturb the neighbors because they care about it." Maintenance was simpler because she had more frequent access to her house, she said.

Another neighbor said she lived next-door to a short-term rental and it did not make her feel insecure in any way.

But Russell Schreier, who lives on Blue Spruce Road, felt rentals are detrimental to his property values. "No matter how you paint it, it is a commercial enterprise in a residential area. Allowing it is affecting my property value for the benefit of a few."

The following members of the planning commission voted in favor of continuing the discussion on Oct. 28: Richard Olson, Shirley Johnson, Larry Anna, Jim Cole, Alan Fox, Joe Siccardi, Rick Nelson and Alan Jones. (Jim Spaanstra was not present.)

Gov. Bill Ritter's office on Wednesday will reveal its plans to rebalance the state budget, likely meaning more cuts to state programs.

The state started the current budget year, which began in July, with a $320 million shortfall after an economic forecast in June showed revenue projections had fallen again.

Ritter's office planned to fill the hole through budget cuts that included the early release of some prisoners, eliminating a 32-bed nursing unit in Grand Junction for the developmentally disabled, cutting 59 beds at a facility for the mentally ill in Fort Logan and furloughing 15,500 state workers for at least four days.

Ritter's office has said that about 300 positions would be eliminated, though it has not yet said whether workers will actually be laid off.

But state economists in September said the budget would be short another $240 million as revenues fell below earlier projections. Sen. Moe Keller, D-Wheat Ridge, the chairwoman of the legislature's Joint Budget Committee, said it likely will be worse because of Medicaid growth.

Medicaid enrollment has been at an all-time high this year, with state figures showing there were 477,915 Coloradans on the state- and federally funded health-insurance program in August. That's 60,504 more than the same month in 2008.

Ritter's budget officials are scheduled to make a presentation to the Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday to talk about what steps the administration plans to take to balance the budget.

Todd Saliman, Ritter's budget director, said the shortfall was likely to be about $270 million.

"Everything's on the table, but the table is getting smaller," Saliman said. "As the shortfall grows, we have fewer options to balance with. We used all our options early in the process."

Keller said she expected further cuts to higher education were possible. The state has applied to the federal government for a waiver to cut education further after having used $80 million in stimulus funds in the current year to fill cuts to higher education.

Saliman said the governor's budget for the 2010-11 budget will be submitted the first week of November, and the shortfall could potentially be even larger. The state has already filled a $1.8 billion budget hole since the recession began last year.

Rex Bell is in the running for a seat in Ward 2. Its present occupant, David Gill, is term-limited. Bell’s challenger is Sandy Martinez.

"It has been my privilege to serve on the planning and zoning commission for the last 10 years, and it is my desire to continue to contribute to making Brighton an even better place to live by serving its citizens as city councilman," Bell said. "I have the ability to listen, draw consensus and then develop plans that reach a mutually agreed-upon goal and work beside people to reach those goals."

Bell said the challenges that face Brighton are the same as what faces American society, "just with a unique face."

"How can we pull together to reach our common goals with the economic situations, unemployment and deteriorating infrastructure?" he asked. "Now is the time for leadership to stop, listen, care and draw consensus. Now is the time when leadership must work to get people on board, each lifting their share of the load in creating and delivering the goals they have set."

Bell is in favor of planned and managed growth. He’d like to see growth be in a position of assistance to the city.

"Growth must not trample our heritage," he said. "However, growth will assist us in building for a better future. Growth creates more customers for our businesses, more taxes for our services, more rooftops that will lure more businesses. Growth is part of making Brighton an even better place to live, play and educate."

Bell thinks the city government should be responsible, accountable and inclusive, a theme heard often during the past few months among the candidates for city offices.

"It must not ignore the past but draw strength from it while looking to the future," Bell said.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Time is running out to cast a ballot in the 2009 election since all ballots must be received not later than 7 p.m. Nov. 3 in order to be counted. Because time is getting short, Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty recommends that after Oct. 30, the voter should take the ballot to one of the 13 drop-off locations rather than send it in by mail to make sure the ballot arrives by the deadline.

The drop-off location began accepting ballots Oct. 14. Generally, the locations are government offices and are open during normal working hours on weekdays. However, all drop-off locations will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. on election night.

The drop-off locations in the general area include:

Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder’s Aurora Branch Office 490 S. Chambers Road in Aurora.

Aurora City Clerk’s Office, 15151 E. Alameda Parkway, Suite. 1400 in Aurora,

Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder’s Southeast BranchOffice, 12600 E. Arapahoe Rd, Suite B in Centennial.

Centennial City Clerk’s Office, 13133 E. Arapahoe Road in Centennial.

Cherry Hills Village City Clerk’s Office, 2450 E. Quincy Ave. in Cherry Hills Village.

Englewood City Clerk’s Office, third floor at 1000 Englewood Parkway in Englewood.

Glendale City Clerk’s Office, 950 S. Birch St. in Glendale.

Greenwood Village City Clerk’s Office, 6060 South Quebec St. in Greenwood Village.

Arapahoe County Clerk & Recorder Office, County Administration Bldg., 5334 S. Prince St. in Littleton.

Littleton City Clerk’s Office, 2255 W. Berry Ave in Littleton.

Sheridan City Clerk’s Office, 4101 S. Federal Blvd. in Sheridan.

County officials are urging voters to take a close look at the postal rates spelled out on mail-in ballots for November’s local election.

This year’s election in Aurora, which will determine the future makeup of the Aurora City Council as well as several ballot questions, is by mail ballot only. Since there are no polling places, county officials say attaching the proper amount of postage to the mail-in ballot is especially crucial for voters

this year.

This year’s ballot and envelope carry a cost of 61 cents, not the 44 cents for a normal stamped letter.

The amount is printed at the top of the voter instructions included in the ballot envelope.

"Our official policy is that the voters are supposed to put the postage on the ballot. Sixty-one cents is the amount this year," said Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty. "We always published what the rate is."

Doty did not specify how the county treats ballots that have insufficient postage, but she said that drop-off locations are available for voters who don’t want to return ballots through the mail.

"(Arapahoe County) has 13 drop-off locations. They can just drop it in the ballot box," Doty said, adding that an odd-year election is different from years where the county has to manage polling locations. "We just have the people at the warehouse who are opening and processing the ballots, maybe 40. It’s an entirely different process. The cost is less for this type of election. We don’t have to hire 1,800 election judges."

Officials from the regional Post Office said that while they’ve made exceptions during elections in the past, they follow the organization’s general policy regarding mail with insufficient postage.

"Normally, the policy is that we will send them back. Our normal policy is to return the ballot," said regional Postal Service spokesman Al DeSarro. "The policy is normally for any basic mailing, when they’re short postage that we do send it back to the sender. But for election ballots, we’ve seen the county clerk saying, ‘Hey, we don’t want to upset voters.’ We understand that we don’t want to upset voters."

DeSarro said the Postal Service works with election coordinators to finalize the design and layout of mail-in ballots.

"We have a regular political mail coordinator that works with each county elections office and even works closely with them prior to election to make sure their ballots are properly designed," DeSarro said. "We work closely with every county election office."

All voted ballots must be returned to the city clerk’s office or one of the designated drop-off locations by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, in order for them to be counted. Ballots received after 7 p.m. on Election Day will not be counted, regardless of postmark.

But DeSarro said the best way to ensure safe delivery of a mail-in ballot is to post it early.

"We do ask that all the ballots be dropped in the mail by the Friday before the election, on Oct. 30. You never know — snowstorms or whatever," DeSarro said. "You can probably still mail it on Saturday. We definitely don’t recommend mailing it on Monday, and definitely don’t do it on Tuesday."

DeSarro said this year’s type of mail-in only election can be a boon for local Postal Service branches.

"We really welcome this. With the economy, we’ve had a decline in our mail volume of about 15 percent. We’re pleased to do this. It gives us more mail volume," DeSarro said. "Vote by mail has proven to be highly successful throughout the country."

Consumers are just starting to see the first glimmers of a bright future for the housing market and the overall economy. It’s up to Congress to make that glimmer a reality by building on the momentum created by the $8,000 home buyer tax credit.

Phipps called upon Congress to take action on a number of additional fronts to strengthen the recovery. First, make the FHA and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loan limits permanent; these are set to expire on December 31. "Maintaining current loan limits would ensure that families have access to low-cost financing to purchase homes and can refinance problematic loans into safer, more affordable mortgages," Phipps said.

In addition, Congress should continue federal government involvement in the secondary mortgage market. "Without the government’s involvement in the secondary mortgage market, market participants will have no incentive to reach out to lower income, creditworthy consumers. We must ensure that the housing market works in all markets and at all times, and that mortgage capital is provided to all potential and qualified purchasers in a way that promotes sustainable homeownership," said Phipps.

Congress must also adequately address:

Results available beginning at 7 p.m. on election night.

Littleton, Colo.- Arapahoe County voters have until 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, to turn in their ballots. Ballots have been mailed to all eligible Arapahoe County voters.

"Turn out has been light so far," said Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy A. Doty. "Typically we get a surge of ballots in the last few days before Election Day, so we are expecting things to pick up."

As of Wednesday, more than 18,000 ballots had been returned, which represents 7 percent of the 260,000 ballots sent. In the 2007 Consolidated Election, 37 percent of Arapahoe County voters voted.

Colorado law allows counties to begin counting ballots 15 days before the election; however, no results are available until after the polls close at 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Because there are no statewide or countywide races or issues on the ballot this year, many voters in Arapahoe County who live in unincorporated areas or areas where elections have been canceled will not receive a ballot.

Voters who have questions about voting in this Election should contact the Elections Division immediately, as all changes to voter registration and requests for ballots must be done in person after Oct. 27.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) continues to express his desire to move the extension at the first opportunity. As yet, however, there is not a clear procedural path to enactment, nor is there any agreement on how (or whether) the provision will be "paid for." As yet, no revenue source for extending the credit has been identified. The "cost" is about $1 Billion for each month of extension.

Nearly all the fines resulted from the failure to do what Colorado voters decided seven years ago was crucial: file paperwork so the public can see who has contributed to campaigns and what interests are potentially influencing legislation.

"Voters said they wanted financial transparency, and that's why we follow the law and fine (campaigns and lobbyists) when they don't file," said Rich Coolidge, spokesman for Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher, referring to Amendment 27, which was passed in 2002.

Campaigns are fined $50 a day for late filings. Lobbyists pay a $10 daily fee.

Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder, incoming chief of the committee that writes the state budget, has a long history of failing to file his campaign disclosures on time. Last year, for instance, he didn't file his January paperwork until July.

This summer, Pommer paid $15,000 in accumulated fines to the secretary of state. He still had $9,120 to go. After being contacted by The Post last week, Pommer paid off the fines, using a chunk of his own money because he had only $5,871.64 in his campaign account.

"There is a cost to being stupid," Pommer said. "I could appeal, but I don't know what I would say."

Under Colorado law, candidates are personally liable for their campaign committees, Coolidge said. Recovered fees go into the secretary of state's cash fund.

Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers is on the hook for $605, according to the secretary of state's office. Rep. David Balmer, R-Centennial, is listed as owing $150. But he gave the office a check for that amount, which is being held until a decision is made on his fee waiver application.

Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh, has a tab of $157.50, but he's been disputing it for months, saying he faxed in his documents on time. McKinley said last week that he's dealt with both the secretary of state's office and state collections five or six times but can't make any headway.

"I'm going to go up there and tell that bald-headed Bernie Buescher that his staff is incompetent," McKinley said.

A number of candidates who made unsuccesful bids for office have racked up huge tabs. A former contender for House District 41 in Arapahoe County has a $13,087 bill, while another person who ran for House District 33 in Broomfield a few years ago owes $60,160. A district attorney in southern Colorado owes $12,870 in fees.

Lobbyists overall owe much less than candidate and political committees, likely because their daily fees are smaller.

"Then our hands are usually tied," he said.

After months of accusations and polarizing efforts to dissolve major entities in Castle Pines North, the city’s leaders have put aside their differences to work toward common ground.

The City of Castle Pines North and the Castle Pines North Metro District have entered discussions to explore the potential benefits of integrating services and lowering costs for residents. In a joint announcement released Oct. 8, officials from both organizations said they will forge a partnership and put together a plan by the end of the year that details the benefits of integration.

"My hope is it will continue this way to not only reach our goals, but to spare the community from a divisive dissolution process," said Maureen Shul, mayor of Castle Pines North.

The announcement is a strong departure from comments made just six weeks ago.

The city complained that the metro district rebuffed numerous requests to look into combining services. The metro district was upset that it was not consulted for a major feasibility study in which the integration of their services was the basis for an argument to incorporate the city. Castle Pines North, which has roughly 10,000 residents, officially became a city in February 2008.

Both sides say they are happy to be moving in a more positive direction.

"We are pleased to move past some initial barriers that have challenged us all and are excited about the possibilities that are ahead of us," said Bill Santos, metro district board president.

Two citizen groups formed earlier this year to protest what was perceived as impropriety among officials from each entity. Castle Pines North Citizens for Tax Relief sought to dissolve the metro district, which provides water and parks service for the city, and was preparing to gather signatures on a petition.

Castle Pines North Homeowners for a Solid Foundation discussed the possibility of unincorporating Castle Pines North through a ballot initiative posed to voters. The efforts would have been counterproductive, but Shul credited those involved for "pushing us to point where we are" and bringing critical issues to the forefront. Greg Miller, a resident who headed the metro district dissolution effort, said he is somewhat skeptical of the agreement, but is excited to see if there will be progress toward integration.

"This was one of the main motivations for the petition," he said.

The tax relief group was frustrated with what it said was a lack of transparency in the metro district’s finances and an unwillingness to explain decisions to the public. Board members say communication could have been better, but it has never operated in a secretive manner. Santos said it is difficult for most people to understand the complex finances of a metro district.

The district has raised rates in the past to offset increasing operational costs and save money for renewable water acquisitions. It is also paying off bonds used to fund improvement projects and pay for water storage space in Rueter-Hess Reservoir, which is under construction about three miles east of the city.

The "solid foundation" group said the city only added to their expenses and has not delivered on promises made during the campaign for incorporation. Financial transparency was also an issue and there are hopes that will change.

"Put the facts on the table and let the people decide," said Dan Schatz, a leader of the solid foundation citizen group. He is now running for town council as a write-in candidate.

Specifics of the integration process have not been discussed, but a collaborative long term model is expected to be released to the public in the coming months to gather feedback. There will always be a metro district in some form, Shul said.

"The main thing to come out is that water and stormwater aspects will stay as a separate body and board," she said.

Santos and metro district manager Jim McGrady said in September that water operations and acquisitions should be left in the hands of qualified officials who know the industry and the history of water issues in the region. However, the district is not opposed to discussing ways to cut costs for customers by sharing resources with the city.

"While there is much work to be done, clearly the best structure to support our community is one that removes inefficiencies and consolidates services, without impacting our ability to implement a permanent renewable water solution," Santos said.

The metro district has made it a priority to save revenues for any promising water project that comes along. Securing water for the future is seen as one of the most critical issues facing the city.

The two sides seemed to be at a stalemate in the months preceding the Oct. 8 announcement, but came together in a last-ditch effort to smooth out differences of opinion.

"We owed it to the community it give one last shot to bring everybody to the table and ultimately do what was in the community’s best interest," the mayor said. "We get nowhere by building barriers and being territorial."

Arapahoe County is updating its Transportation Plan and we need your help.

On Oct. 22, Arapahoe County will host an open house to update the County’s 2020 Transportation Plan, which will develop a unified multimodal updated transportation plan to provide guidance to decision makers through the year 2035. The main focus of the update will be on unincorporated Arapahoe County.

"We hope citizens will take the time to learn more about the County’s transportation plan and to give us their thoughts and ideas on future transportation needs," said Commissioner Rod Bockenfeld, who represents District 3, which includes Foxfield, portions of Centennial, Aurora and all of eastern Arapahoe County. "Citizen input is an important part of our planning as it will help guide future transportation decisions."

Please join us at the first public meeting for a description of the goals and objectives of the plan, project background information and results of initial data collection. Citizen input and comments relative to existing and short range transportation needs will be solicited.

The meeting will be held:

October 22, 2009

Arapahoe County Fairgrounds

25690 E. Quincy Avenue

Aurora, CO 80016

Open House: 4:30 - 7 p.m. ? Brief Presentation: 6 p.m.

Campaign money reports are in for Aurora City Council candidates and ballot questions, and two at-large candidate hopefuls are leading in contributions and spending.

Council candidates Bob FitzGerald, an incumbent, and Bob LeGare, a former councilman bidding for a return to the dais, lead the pack in fundraising this year.

The results show a clear financial edge for incumbents in all of the ward races. In the Ward I race, incumbent Deborah Wallace has raised the most, recording more than $8,000 in funds raised. In the Ward II race, incumbent Renie Peterson raised more than $10,000, outpacing her opponent Randy Reamey by more than $9,000. In Ward III, incumbent Larry Beer raised the most of all the candidates, with contributions totalling more than $21,000.

The at-large race for two open seats saw a challenger beating out the lone incumbent in terms of fundraising. Former Aurora City Councilman Bob LeGare raised more than $27,000, while incumbent Bob FitzGerald came in second with $23,000.

At press time, data for Ward I candidates Francis Peter Maks Jr. and Melissa Miller was still unavailable.

Oct. 13 was the deadline for candidates running for seats on the Aurora City Council and committees spending money to run campaigns for or against ballot measures must submit a detailed financial report. A final report is due just days before the Nov. 3 election.

The campaign finance report includes total contributions and total expenditures, and must be submitted at specific dates. The latest deadline comes 30 days before the election in November. Updated reports have to be filed the Friday before and 30 days after the election on Nov. 3.

Colorado lawmakers who save e-mail addresses from constituents and others can send campaign-related messages to those accounts, according to a 2008 legal memo.

Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, one of three Republicans running for governor, last year asked for clarification about using the e-mails for campaign purposes.

The nonpartisan Office of Legislative Legal Services concluded in a six-page memo that using constituent e-mails during a campaign would not violate a Colorado law that bans state agencies from contributing to campaigns.

Several Democrats who had not signed up for Penry's campaign e-mails recently received messages from him on their official state Capitol e-mail accounts. They surmised he got their addresses because they signed up to receive updates from ColoradoSenateNews.com, operated by Senate Republicans.

Penry, of Grand Junction, oversees the minority office.

Mike Britt, Penry's campaign manager, would not say whether Penry used the SenateNews e-mail database.

"We've received lists from all kinds of different sources," Britt said Wednesday. "And there is no reason for us to release that kind of information to the Democrats and their liberal allies."

Penry is not the only candidate to send campaign information to either workers at their government addresses or to people who had made an inquiry: Two of his rivals, Republican Scott McInnis and Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, have done the same thing.

The "legal memorandum" to Penry was issued Oct. 17, 2008.

"It seems reasonable to conclude that the information in any such a database generated during a legislator's public tenure and service belongs to that legislator to utilize for his or her purposes, regardless of whether it was compiled by the legislator or staff during business hours," the memo says.

The memo also noted that lawmakers traditionally pay for their own e-mail servers.

Colorado Ethics Watch has filed an open-records request with Senate Republicans, asking for e-mail lists maintained by the office, and any correspondence showing the lists were sent to anyone outside of the office.

Legal Services replied to Ethics Watch that there is no correspondence and that e-mail addresses, by law, cannot be given out.

Chantell Taylor of Ethics Watch said Wednesday she had not reviewed the 2008 memo but said she believes Penry used a list compiled by ColoradoSenateNews.com, and the memo appears to cover only databases established by individual lawmakers.

Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier will drop out of the crowded GOP race for the U.S. Senate and instead challenge U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, The Denver Post has learned.

Frazier expects to make the announcement as early as Wednesday, campaign organizers said.

Frazier couldn't be reached for comment Monday night. But in a Twitter post, he said that he would make "a big announcement this week."

His entry into the 7th Congressional District race would turn what is currently seen as a lock for Perlmutter, a two-term Democrat from Golden, into a competitive race.

The 7th District comprises Denver's western, eastern and northern suburbs and crosses Adams, Arapahoe and Jefferson counties. It is the state's most evenly divided district in terms of voter registration, with 120,172 Democrats, 94,698 unaffiliateds and 89,736 Republicans, according to state data.

Frazier made a political name for himself in the 2008 elections with a ballot measure that unions opposed. In recent months, he has attracted an ardent following who say his pedigree will attract new voters: He is black, young and a social moderate.

"He is exactly what this party needs," said Jessica Peck Corry, a Republican activist and Frazier backer.

Frazier, 32, filed his candidacy papers in April for the U.S. Senate. He and rival Ken Buck, the Weld County district attorney, zigzagged the state over the summer in what was then seen largely as a two-man race.

Frazier's supporters were thrilled when a Sept. 10 Rasmussen Reports telephone survey found 40 percent of those contacted supported Frazier while 39 percent backed the Democratic incumbent, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, who was appointed to the job in January.

But five days later, former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton kicked off her candidacy for the GOP Senate nomination. She has the backing of former GOP Gov. Bill Owens and the perceived support of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Norton was able to raise $505,547 in 16 days in September.

As a congressional candidate in a swing district, Frazier could count on financial help from national Republicans who for months had been trying to talk him into taking on Perlmutter instead of Bennet.

Frazier was elected to the Aurora City Council in 2003 and re-elected in 2007.

"I think people forget that as a city councilman at-large, Frazier represents the entire city of Aurora," said Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party.

Aurora, population 319,000, is Colorado's third-largest city.

As a councilman, Frazier supported offering benefits to the partners of gay workers.

He also co-authored a 2008 state ballot measure that would have prohibited workers from being forced to become union members or pay union dues.

Frazier works for a telecommunications company. He and his wife, Kathy, have three children: Jalen, Sven and Elise.

Frazier would be the second Republican to drop out of the U.S. Senate race, following the decision last week by Crested Butte attorney Luke Kor kowski.

In addition to Buck and Norton, still in the race are Penrose patent attorney Steve Barton; Gary Kennedy, a water conservancy district manager from Mancos; Douglas County resident Vincent Martinez; and retired businessman Cleve Tidwell of Denver.

We want to know what services and programs are most important to you and we'd like your feedback on important issues affecting your county.

Attend one of our four Citizen Input Meetings and let us know your priorities.

Tuesday, October 20

Peak Recreation Center

6612 South Ward Street, Littleton

7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 29

Belmar Library

555 South Allison Parkway, Lakewood

6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Monday, November 2

Evergreen Lake House

29614 Upper Bear Creek Road, Evergreen

7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, November 4

Standley Lake Library

8485 Kipling Street, Arvada

6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Please forward this invitation to other people who may be interested.

Contact Jennifer Kostka, Citizen Involvement Coordinator, at jkostka@jeffco.us or 303-271-8521 with any questions before the events.

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners look forward to seeing you and appreciate your involvement as we work together for our community.

A controversial former District 1 Centennial City Council member whose abrupt resignation prompted a special election next month has endorsed one of the seven candidates in the crowded race to replace her.

Betty Ann Hamilton, who left office in August after moving out of the district, has thrown her support behind Ron Phelps, a self-described conservative who has courted many of the same voters who supported Hamilton’s populist style.

"With so many horses in the race to win my seat, the one candidate that clearly stands out because he has so often stood up is Ron Phelps," Hamilton wrote in an e-mail to the Centennial Citizen.

In her endorsement letter, the founding councilmember touted Phelps’s independent thinking and contrasted his style with that of Mayor Randy Pye, a city founder with whom Hamilton often sparred.

"Ron has proven himself to be a strong fiscal conservative who does not ascribe to a ‘lemming’ mentality, or as Mayor Pye would put it ‘team player,’" she wrote. "[Phelps] ... evaluates, analyzes and then thoughtfully works to build coalitions to bring about meaningful conclusions."

Hamilton [formerly Habig] had faced Phelps as an opponent in the 2007 election when both had challenged incumbent Vorry Moon. Phelps eventually quit campaigning in that race and threw his support behind Hamilton, citing concerns that the two would split the "fiscal conservative" vote and re-elect Moon.

The firebrand councilmember, who often disagreed with Moon when the two represented District 1 together, eventually beat Moon by 12 percentage points with Phelps trailing as a distant third.

In the two years since, Hamilton and Phelps worked together on neighborhood issues and organized opposition to the home-rule charter passed by voters in 2008.

"I've watched Ron grow as a leader in the community and continued to be involved in issues and causes guiding Centennial's future," Hamilton wrote. "I have seen a mature statesman emerge with strong leadership experience."

Phelps, who has promoted himself as the candidate most aligned with Hamilton’s maverick views, has welcomed the former councilmember’s endorsement.

"I’m flattered and appreciative of the fact that she would single me out as someone she feels would be able to be successful in filling her vacated seat," he said.

The candidate believes the endorsement will be helpful as he continues to knock on the doors of residents, many of whom recall Hamilton as a steadfast defender of lower taxes and property rights.

"Betty Ann stood up and fought for a lot of folks in District 1," Phelps said. "Yes, there were those who didn’t agree with her, but I don’t think that’s a negative. I think that’s always going to be the case when someone takes a stand on an issue."

Moon, who is one of the other six other hopefuls challenging Phelps for the same seat he lost to Hamilton two years ago, playfully dismissed the significance of the endorsement by his onetime nemesis.

"It’s one quitter telling another quitter to go at it," he said, referencing Hamilton’s resignation and Phelps’s 2007 withdrawal.

Moon agrees that the endorsement may benefit Phelps with a certain contingency of district voters.

"With the audience he’s going for, yes," he said. "She still has some diehard supporters in and around the city."

Hamilton was first elected to the original Centennial City Council in 2001. She did not seek re-election in 2005. She instead fought contentious, but unsuccessful battles for seats in the state legislature. She returned to city politics to challenge Moon in 2007.

Phelps has also scored a recent endorsement from state Rep. Spencer Swalm, R-Centennial.

"He is a fiscal conservative who will work to find a balance between individuals' rights and thoughtful policies that benefit our entire community," Swalm said of the candidate.

Election Day is Nov. 3. It will be a mail-in ballot only.

Gubernatorial contender Scott McInnis RSVP'd that he would attend a candidate forum later this month but only after organizers agreed there would be no debate with his primary rival, Josh Penry.

McInnis' campaign also asked that the candidates not be on the stage at the same time.

The requests, coupled with McInnis' decision to skip a straw poll last month when the Colorado Republican Party held its fall meeting, puzzled a number of GOP members, most of all Penry.

McInnis' campaign said the focus needs to be on booting Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter in 2010 instead of on debates that could lead to intraparty squabbles.

"What we are trying to avoid is a repeat of the Republican circular firing squads of the past, where we spend all of our time shooting at each other," said Mike Hesse, McInnis' campaign strategist.

Hesse said the last thing McInnis wants is a primary similar to those that have plagued the party in recent years. "When ultimately we have to come together, there are so many bitter feelings that it's impossible," he said.

Past divisiveness

Many Republicans think that ugly primary battles in the U.S. Senate race in 2004 between Pete Coors and Bob Schaffer, and in the gubernatorial race in 2006 between Bob Beauprez and Marc Holtzman, helped Democrats win in both races.

But Dick Wadhams, chairman of the state Republican Party, said primaries don't have to be divisive and can make the winner a stronger candidate in the general election.

Three Republicans are vying for governor: McInnis, a former six-term congressman from Grand Junction; Penry, the state Senate minority leader, also from Grand Junction; and Evergreen businessman Dan Maes.

Penry and Maes have attended more forums than McInnis, which two Denver political consultants said is understandable.

"It's probably the first good management move I've seen by the McInnis people," said Democratic consultant Steve Welchert. "He has the name ID, and he doesn't have to play these games."

Consultant Eric Sondermann, who is unaffiliated, said the candidates are practicing "predictable politics."

"McInnis is playing the role you would expect of the top dog, and Penry is playing the role of the insurgent underdog," Sondermann said. "I think the risk for McInnis is . . . he can't let it become part of his image that he won't take on his challenger."

Penry eager to debate

Penry said he is eager to debate state budget problems and other issues that a governor must grapple with.

"If a candidate doesn't have the conviction to stand on his own two feet and make a strong case for his ideas and vision in front of a friendly crowd," Penry asked, "why in the world would Republican voters trust that candidate to make the case against Bill Ritter when the bullets are flying and the stakes are highest in 2010?"

McInnis turned down a candidate forum in Westminster on Saturday because he will be attending the 10th anniversary of the dedication of Black Canyon of the Gunnison as a national park, an issue he and former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell worked on while in Congress. Hesse said the event was scheduled months ago by the National Park Service.

Still, members of the North Suburban Republican Forum are disappointed McInnis is sending a proxy to their event, said forum spokesman Dana West.

"We're going to have close to 300 Republican activists there," West said. "We have three good quality candidates. Let's find out who is going to be the best one."

McInnis will attend the Southeast Business Partnership's mid-year meeting Oct. 26, after the group agreed to the terms his campaign proposed.

"We asked Congressman McInnis and Sen. Penry if they would like to debate or address the crowd," said the group's vice president, Mary Bowers.

"Penry's campaign said, 'Whatever format you like,' and the McInnis campaign felt at this early time it would be best to have an informational meeting," she said. "Basically, the campaign said to us it's too early in the season for it to get ugly."

The Denver City Council has identified about $3.4 million in budget cuts it wants Mayor John Hickenlooper to consider reversing in his proposed 2010 budget, with an emphasis on restoring library hours.

Council President Jeanne Robb sent a memo to the mayor last Tuesday detailing the concerns.

The council wants to restore some library hours targeted for cuts and halt the sale of the Byers Library on the city's west side. Reversing those cuts would cost the city $1.2 million to $1.4 million next year.

The council also wants to block the transition of the La Alma Recreation Center to a nonprofit, a move that would save $335,000 next year. The council wants to make sure the city gets community input first.

The council wants to spend $700,000 next year on a youth summer employment program and wants to cut the number of furlough days the mayor scheduled for city workers from five to four. Reducing furlough days will cost the city about $1 million.

Robb said she believed the mayor and the council "weren't that far apart" on next year's general fund budget, which is slated to spend $955 million next year.

"We committed at the beginning of the budget process to work closely with city council to make sustainable change that gives the city the most solid footing possible to get through this difficult economy," Hickenlooper said in a prepared statement. "We continue to do that and will carefully evaluate each of the suggestions from the city council before the final draft of the budget is completed (this) week."

The general fund faced a $160 million deficit from July through all of 2010. To close the gap, the mayor forwarded a budget to the council that would trigger furloughs, lay off city workers and delay negotiated salary raises for safety workers. The mayor's budget also would enact numerous other service cuts and raise fees in targeted areas. The mayor also proposed using $40 million from general fund reserves.

To pay for the suggested changes, the council has identified revenue sources. The council wants to know whether a federal police grant could offset safety spending elsewhere by about $1.7 million. The council also is looking at about $600,000 in unencumbered funds in a business incentive program.

In addition, the council is examining whether the city could save $850,000 by eliminating security screening at the the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Building. The council also may reduce the amount of federal aid the city sends to the Denver office of Seedco Financial Services, a nonprofit the city partners with to fuel economic development.

The mayor has until Thursday to revise his proposed budget. The council then can weigh in by amending it with a seven-majority vote of the 13 members. The mayor can veto any amendments, but the council can override a veto with the support of nine council members.

The tax credit expires November 30.

NAR Regional Vice President Joseph L. Canfora, a broker-owner with Century 21 Selmar Realty in East Islip, N.Y., also told the panel that a major stumbling block for consumers has been the implementation of appraisal processes spurred by the Home Valuation Code of Conduct, which is causing delays in closings, as well as cancelled sales that led to artificially low existing-home sales numbers for August, reported last month.

"The credit is working," Canfora said, pointing out that the 355,000 to 400,000 transactions directly attributable to the credit made a significant dent in the housing inventory and will help to stabilize home prices. Further, the credit has provided a huge indirect benefit to local governments, shoring up property tax bases in particularly hard-hit areas.

But, Canfora said, the threat of more foreclosures coming to the market caused by mortgage rate resets, job losses, and by lender’s unburdening themselves of additional properties to take advantage of today’s more stabilized prices could disrupt the fragile recovery.

In a "normal" market, optimal housing inventory is about six to seven months, he said. When the tax credit was enacted in February, inventory was 9.1 months. Because of the spurt in homes sales since then due to the tax credit, inventory declined to 8.2 months in August, closer to "normal" than at any time since 2007.

In urging Congress to extend the credit, Canfora said, "The more robust the credit and the greater its duration, the greater the chance that the housing market can perform its traditional role of helping the economy move out of a recession."

"But problems arising from the implementation of the HVCC may reverse the market’s positive momentum at a time when the real estate industry is just starting to show signs of a rebound in many markets," Canfora said. According to an NAR survey of its members, approximately 40 percent of Realtors® report having lost at least one sale since May 1 because of appraisal problems due to the HVCC rules. Twenty percent say they have lost more than one sale.

The culprit, he said, was that appraisal management companies, which have gained prominence because of the HVCC, have assigned appraisers to areas where they lack geographic competence. That has resulted in unreliable appraisals. It is not uncommon that second and third appraisals have to be done to ascertain fair market value. Appraisal fees have also risen and are being passed on to consumers.

Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issued guidance on appraisals, but NAR is calling upon the mortgage giants and the Federal Housing Administration to issue a consolidated guidance that should be codified and incorporated into the existing policy to ensure proper information on appraisals is available to the real estate industry.

FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens has asked FHA staff to explore that recommendation with Fannie and Freddie. Last month, Stevens reaffirmed FHA appraisal policy, taking into consideration the unintended consequences that have burdened Fannie and Freddie, and issued two Mortgagee Letters focusing on appraisal changes. The policy reaffirms appraiser independence and geographic competence.

The FHA announcement also included timely steps to protect taxpayers: implementing credit policy changes to enhance risk management; hiring a chief risk officer for the first time in the agency’s history; and shifting responsibility for mortgage brokers away from taxpayers to the lenders who use mortgage brokers.

Canfora told the committee that FHA has performed remarkably well through the housing crises, compared to Fannie and Freddie. "That’s because FHA has never strayed from the sound underwriting and appropriate appraisals that have traditionally backed up their loans."

The first of three required campaign financial reports filed by Centennial’s four candidates for mayor are a study in contrast.

While the two front-runners raised nearly $28,000 in total by Sept. 22, a lesser-known hopeful generated a few hundred dollars and a fourth candidate collected no money at all.

The top fundraiser by far was District 4 City Councilmember Todd Miller, who took in almost $19,000 in the early months of his campaign. According to Miller, his fundraising lead can be tied directly to his campaign’s emphasis.

"My message is results-driven government and I think it resonates," he said. "I’m hoping it resonates not only within Centennial, but within the whole region."

"I focused on people within the city of Centennial," said Noon, who last year chaired the city’s charter commission. "Certainly, I went outside as well to friends or acquaintances, but my greatest response was from citizens of the city."

According to Miller’s campaign, the numbers do not tell the full story. A recent press release said 64 of the candidate’s donors, contributing a total of $13,820, live in Centennial, own a business in the city or conduct business here.

Miller’s greatest financial support came from residents and businesses in Centennial’s neighboring cities in the south metro area. Thirty-seven donors in Aurora, Littleton, Greenwood Village and other nearby municipalities gave a total of more than $6,000 to the campaign.

Miller has emphasized the importance of regionalism in its efforts to solicit funds outside Centennial. But the candidate, a former mayor pro tem who has represented the city at the Denver Regional Council of Governments, says he is gearing up fundraising efforts within Centennial proper.

"My strategy was to work with my friends, family and business acquaintances. That’s where I first reached out," he said. "Now we’ve had other fundraisers and have talked to people from more of a Centennial standpoint."

Almost $4,000 of Miller’s early fundraising came from across Colorado and cities in other parts of the Denver metro area. Nine donors from other states, mostly Miller’s friends and family, contributed more than $3,000.

In contrast, most of Noon’s funds were raised in the South Metro area. The majority was contributed by Centennial residents, though about one fifth of the candidate’s money came from Denver and nearby cities in Arapahoe and Douglas counties.

Noon has suggested that there is a potential for undue influence in her opponent’s out-of-town fundraising. In recent weeks, Miller’s campaign has fired back, emphasizing their candidate’s push for regionalism and shared interests among cities in the nine-county area.

"[Noon] just doesn’t understand the regional importance of Centennial," said Jude Sandvall, Miller’s campaign manager. "Many of our supporters are people who own businesses, conduct business, work in Centennial, send their kids to school in Centennial. They are people who care about the economic health of Centennial and support a councilmember with a track record of accountability."

Noon continues to dispute regionalism as a justification to raise substantial funds outside Centennial.

"If you had a balance of that money, that might be OK," she said. "But it certainly seems odd to have such little support within our own city. That’s a concern if outside influences get [Miller] elected. Are there strings attached?"

There are also marked differences in how the two candidates have used their campaign resources. Miller paid $2,000 to a paid staffer and has spent almost $4,500 on campaign consultants. Noon has largely used her money for office supplies and promotional materials. She has no paid staff, according to her financial report.

Miller’s contributors include state Rep. Spencer Swalm, R-Centennial, state Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, Greenwood Village Mayor Nancy Sharpe and former Centennial City Council members Vorry Moon and Bart Miller, who is not related to the candidate. Todd Miller’s company, Windfall Logistics, donated $1,500.

Noon’s contributors include U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora, Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder Nancy Doty, Centennial incorporation founder Brian Vogt and former city councilmembers Andrea Suhaka, Susan Nix and George Gatseos. Noon has contributed $500. Her campaign has not received PAC money.

Miller’s campaign has borrowed $2,000 and Noon has not taken out loans, according to the campaign’s two reports.

Two dark-horse candidates have reported fundraising and expenditures far more modest than either Miller or Noon.

Businessman Greg Schoenfeld received only one contribution of $300 from a Centennial resident and a loan for the same amount. He has spent only about $60 to help establish a Web site and telephone service.

Corvette club president Mike Weber has neither raised nor spent any money on his candidacy and has pledged to do neither for the duration of the campaign.

Financial reports for all the city council candidates are available at the city Web site, centennialcolorado.com.

With Election Day around the corner, multiple candidate forums and financial reports are placing opponents next to one another for voters to compare and contrast.

Financial reports from this year’s race for Littleton City Council show that one at-large candidate has trumped fundraising efforts by all others. On the other hand, attendance at the community forums shows that a District III candidate is rarely present.

"It’s difficult to contrast my views when he’s not present," District III candidate Phil Cernanec said.

His opponent is Travis Nicks, the former state chair of the Libertarian party. He has missed two out of three forums.

Nicks’ campaign manager told audience members at the Arapahoe League of Women Voter’s forum Sept. 30 that Nicks was absent due to a wedding anniversary in Toronto and wasn’t aware of the scheduling conflict. He also had a work-related conflict during the AARP’s forum Sept. 21.

A letter was read in his absence at both forums.

Recent financial reports have revealed that Nicks has raised the fewest dollars of all the candidates.

With small donations from Littleton residents, Nicks has generated about $859 compared to Cernanec’s $5,270.

The top fundraiser by far was former, temporary councilmember and at-large candidate Bruce Stahlman, who has collected $12,611.

His nearest competitor, incumbent Peggy Cole, raised $2,700.

Yoon Joo Mager, the lesser-known at-large hopeful, has raised $1,000.

"I am not asking for monetary contributions," Mager said to the audience at Bemis Library, Sept. 30. "I do not want to compromise my service to the city. (My husband) and I are completely funding my campaign. But what you will see is lots of personal effort."

Every candidate present echoed Mager’s "personal effort" statement, saying they would always vote in favor of what’s best for Littleton residents.

The response was prompted by a question from an audience member who asked what individual strengths each candidate would bring to city council and why it is important.

Another question asked the candidates to describe Littleton to someone who was in the process of moving into the city.

"Stability," said Stahlman.

"We’ve lived in Aberdene Village for several years and some of our neighbors have been here since the early ’60s."

"What’s not to like," offered Peggy Cole. "With our parks, open space, library and good schools, what’s not to like."

Mager, who moved to Littleton from Korea 25 years ago, said she would describe Littleton in terms of green space and a small town atmosphere.

"I grew up in a cement culture. Littleton is full of open space," she said.

Cernanec added that Littleton was a city full of neighborhoods with lots of volunteers and character.

Other questions generated by audience members at the League of Women Voter’s forum involved budget cuts, and regional fire protection service.

The candidates were, for the most part, in agreement on both topics.

Communication is the key to solving regional fire protection service issues, and budget cuts will happen according to procedure.

The election will be a mail-in ballot election coordinated with Arapahoe County, Douglas County and Jefferson County. Ballots will be mailed from the counties Oct. 13-16.

YES on 4A

It’s come to this, Aurora.

After years of nips and tucks at the Aurora budget by city officials, Aurora is no longer able to fund the services it has for the last several decades. If voters don’t approve a tax increase on the Nov. 3 ballot, the city will permanently close four Aurora libraries and drastically curtail library services.

While the long and deep recession has added to the city’s financial woes, the stagnant economic weather isn’t to blame for the pickle the city finds itself in. For the past several years, it’s become increasingly clear that the cost of services the city provides was rising faster than the money was coming in. There simply is no more wiggle room, and there’s no hope for an economic miracle. Aurora is out of cash.

Sure, one can argue that there are still some reserve funds to be dragged down a little further, or there could be a couple of hundred thousand dollars in paper clips and cell phone bills to trim, but neither of those options is a long-term solution to Aurora’s terminal financial anemia.

Something had to go. It could have been firefighters. Because of a peculiar city law requiring Aurora employ two sworn officers for every 2,000 residents, it couldn’t be police at this point. It could have been pothole crews or the Beck Recreation Center. But something had to be cut. City lawmakers chose Aurora’s already struggling library system.

Already the victim of years of whittling away, the library program is open far fewer hours than just about any system in the state. It buys fewer materials and offers less services than other metro-area library systems.

This is a chance to change all of that. For a reasonable property tax increase of about $6 a month on a $200,000 home, Aurora can double the money it’s been spending on the library system and free up a few million dollars to help preserve other endangered city services.

It’s not a perfect solution. This proposal creates a General Improvement District, a funding vehicle generally reserved for building public works. Rather than create a dedicated library district, the city has chosen to create a funding district, leaving libraries under the city’s control. It’s not an ideal move, but it’s one that gives taxpayers the biggest bang for the buck.

We’ve looked closely at criticisms raised by an opposing group, and just about every claim rings false or is nothing more than dramatic overkill.

This is hardly a huge tax increase. Use whatever ratio you want, it’s about $6 a month for the average homeowner. It can’t balloon. It can increase with the cost of inflation if the city chooses, but given the limitations built into the law, it can’t be any bigger than about $8 a month after 10 years.

We do agree that there’s an element of extortion here, with the city singling out libraries for the final ax, rather than spreading the pain further among other non-essential programs. But we stand behind the reality that every city program has been weakened to the point of ruination by incessant cuts. This vote forces all Aurora residents to face the reality of a short-funded city government.

Aurora has no choice but to pick this marginally uncomfortable tax hike to preserve a cherished and vital cultural necessity.

As we’ve pointed out before, there’s no escaping the cost of the living standards we all want. Aurora can draw fewer taxes, but then the debt of our community needs will exist in unrepaired streets, or undersized police departments or neighborhoods without recreational amenities. That kind of debt compounds, reaching deeper into taxpayer pockets with the true cost of being short-sighted.

Vote "yes" on 4A and preserve your own property values and make this vital library system flourish again.

City Council at large

Alfonso Nuñez, Bob LeGare

City voters have tough calls to make in choosing new city lawmakers from a large pool of smart, talented and passionate candidates. And that difficult decision is no more difficult than in the race for two at-large seats on the council.

Candidate Pam Bennett brings thoughtful compassion to the race. She started her journey to this election four years ago by becoming a rare, openly transgender candidate for public office. But that distinction hasn’t defined her candidacy. She has worked hard to get a strong sense of Aurora’s pulse and is eager to work for causes that would make Aurora a better place for everyone.

Likewise, former Councilwoman Barb Cleland, back for another tour of duty on the council dais, would bring a wealth of experience and history to city government. Cleland brings with her a reputation for tenacity, a quality often in short supply on city council.

Councilman Bob FitzGerald, seeking another term, has shown himself to be an eclectic and enthusiastic source of creativity on the city council. His passion for bringing a working "green" industry to Aurora would be a huge boon the city. He’s shown himself to be a formidable proponent of ideas that have moved Aurora toward becoming the city it’s always dreamed of.

Even political newcomer Bob Roth offers voters a reflective, practical choice and would bring new energy to the dais.

There are no bad choices in this race, but the city council and Aurora residents would get the most in this time of need from candidates Alfonso Nuñez and Bob LeGare.

Nuñez is new to the city council but a tried hand when it comes to a wide range of city issues. A former Aurora firefighter, Nuñez is also a longtime local businessman. His family owns and he now operates the landmark La Cueva restaurant on East Colfax Avenue. He not only brings that wealth of varied experience to the city council, he brings a fiery passion to keep the city moving as it becomes high-centered on finance and vision issues. He offers a deep understanding of what business owners need at this time, especially in the city’s trouble spots. And he brings the inside world of city government to council chambers. His practical and buoyant demeanor will be a welcome and useful tool on city council.

Bob LeGare is seeking a return to the city council, having served two terms as an at-large representative previously.

Few on city council, or in any level of state government, can rival LeGare’s passion for finding the right answer to Aurora’s myriad problems and challenges. As a lifelong resident of the city, he brings to the mix his keen sense of the business and development industries, and the practical wherewithal of a neighborhood activist who’s seen it all before. While we’ve sometimes disagreed with his positions on important changes, we know that his stances are based on solid research and are an important addition to the city’s discussion on critical matters. Above all, his earnest pragmatism and bravery to take on just about anything is contagious, something that wouldn’t hurt his fellow city lawmakers to pass around.

City Council Ward I

Kim Harrell

Like every other city council race this year, voters suffer an embarrassment of riches to choose from.

Political newcomer Melissa Miller offers voters a passionate voice for the nearly decimated middle class in Ward I. She brings the practical skills of a longtime member of the military and the passion of a neighborhood activist.

Perennial candidate Peter Maks appears to be using the campaign trail as a bully pulpit for local political gripes.

Councilwoman Deborah Wallace is seeking a second term to her northwest Aurora seat and would continue to be a strong voice for her constituents and a valiant soldier against the area’s chronic blight. Wallace has grown to appreciate the seemingly endless variety of cultures and challenges that mark her ward. From extreme poverty and malaise in pockets along Colfax to the most expensive and marvelous medical campus in the region, northwest Aurora is a study in challenges.

Given that the city has invested so much in the area, and that progress is languishing, this time it’s clear that artist, activist and business owner Kim Harrell is needed to bring a missing critical mass to northwest Aurora. Harrell has proven herself a formidable ally for the area, for years being one of the engines behind the struggling Aurora Arts District. Against all odds, Harrell and a handful of others have managed to keep the dream alive of capitalizing on the area’s rich and varied cultures.

Harrell boasts a savvy sense of how best to marshal forces in her handling of the Comitis Crisis Center’s own crisis and work on other local boards and panels. Harrell makes it clear that the great melting pot of northwest Aurora will be most successful when residents reach consensus on how to live and let live, rather than allow one side or the other to dictate to the other.

City Council Ward II

Renie Peterson

Both candidates for Ward II offer voters a representative willing to scrutinize issues until the right answer comes along.

Challenger Randy Reamey brings the thoughtful pragmatism of an engineer and former member of the military to the mix. While new to city politics, he’s shown a surprising depth of understanding of challenges the city faces.

Councilwoman Renie Peterson is seeking a second term to her Ward II seat. A longtime volunteer in local schools and other projects, she offers the council and constituents a feel for what challenges the working moms and dads in the city face. She’s a well-grounded voice on the council and ensures lawmakers consider the real-world implications of their actions.

City Council Ward III

Larry Beer

There aren’t two candidates more passionate about leading Aurora in the right direction. Challenger Marsha Berzins has seemingly endless energy for seeking out people, and seeking out solutions. She would be an energizing addition to the council.

Larry Beer is seeking a second term to his Ward III council seat, held previously by the inexhaustible Ingrid Lindemann, a legendary grass-roots politician.

Beer has not only upheld Lindemann’s penchant for listening to the people, he’s capitalized on it. Beer has quickly earned a reputation for his enthusiastic drive to gather constituents and listen closely and at the same time sound off on how best to solve the city’s problems.

Beer has become an energizing voice for change in the city. He’s also adept at tempering his zeal with practicality so that he moves projects along, even when faced with strong opposition. Among the current members of council, Beer has set himself apart as being a force for pairing old problems with new ideas. The city council needs Beer as it muddles through treacherous financial waters and the far-reaching decisions the next panel of lawmakers must make.

YES on 2A

We see no reason why half of Aurora City Council should be treated differently than the other half of the council. We are among the large majority of Aurorans who are scratching our heads wondering, why, in 2005, the council didn’t extend the question for the entire body at that point.

Nonetheless, it seems that if voters approved a third, four-year term for Wards IV, V, and VI, and two at-large members in 2005, the same rules should apply for the other five seats this year.

Vote "yes" on ballot question 2A.

NO on Adams County 1A

Voters in Adams County will be presented with the chance to extend term limits for county commissioners and several county positions from two, four-year terms to three, four-year terms.

While for several areas, such as county coroner and clerk, experience and tenure helps, extending term limits isn’t a good idea in this instance.

There are no shortage of good candidates looking to fill these coveted positions in the county, and voters in Colorado have made it clear, on several occasions, that term limits in Adams County are crucial in keeping fresh faces in the county offices.

Vote "no" on Adams County question 1A.

As lawmakers struggle to balance the state budget, a wide spectrum of civic groups are quietly meeting to try to find long-term fiscal solutions — which could include ballot measures in 2011 that reform TABOR and the citizen-initiative process.

Dubbed the Colorado Reform Roundtable, the loose alliance founded by 10 organizations representing business, labor and nonprofit groups resembles the coalition that helped pass Referendum C in 2005. That initiative suspended the revenue limits of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights for five years and ended its downward ratchet effect on the budget.

But with Ref C's five-year timeout from TABOR limits set to expire next year, and with state tax collections having plummeted over the past 18 months, there is growing concern about whether the state's budget is approaching a cliff.

"In some ways, it's an effort to start the discussion again like we had around Ref C in 2004 and 2005," said Wade Buchanan, president of the liberal Bell Policy Center, one of the participating groups.

Buchanan said there's wide recognition among those involved with the discussions that Colorado has long-term budget problems.

"There's also broad recognition that we've put a lot of stuff in the constitution that ends up conflicting with each other," he said.

"Blaming TABOR"

Staunch TABOR supporters including state Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colorado Springs, said he wouldn't be surprised if TABOR falls in the cross hairs of some groups. Those organizations want more government spending, he said, even though TABOR, which limits government revenues and requires voter approval of tax increases, is not responsible for the state's budget woes.

"It seems like a lot of groups are using the current economic catastrophe as some means of blaming TABOR," Lambert said. "TABOR has had absolutely zero effect; it hasn't capped anything.

"If you don't have enough revenue to have tax rebates, certainly, TABOR is not going to constrain that."

Reshaping initiatives

Colorado Concern, an alliance of the state's top 100 executives at companies, institutions and organizations, was another of the 10 founding groups. Janice Sinden, the group's executive director, said the ostensible goal of the discussions is to consider supporting ballot issues in 2011 to address the state's budget problems.

"If we're going to run something in 2011, you can't start this after the next gubernatorial election in 2010," Sinden said. "We thought we needed to start two years out.

"We haven't gotten into the minutiae of the solution, but I think we all recognize that there's a problem that needs a solution."

Besides a potential budget fix that could include altering the state constitution, Sinden said there also could be support for tightening requirements for initiative petitions. Referendum O, a ballot measure that would have done that, failed last year.

"The consensus is we want to figure out how we have very thoughtful citizen initiatives," Sinden said.

Besides the Bell Policy Center and Colorado Concern, the 10 founding groups include the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Forum, Club 20, Colorado's Future, the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, the Colorado Education Association, Colorado WINS and the Service Employees International Union.

Discussions remain private

But more than 100 organizations have participated over two sessions of discussions, one held in August and another last week. The groups range widely in their interests, from agriculture to homebuilders to nonprofits. Some representatives of colleges and other public institutions have attended.

Noticeably absent are elected officials and members of the news media. This was deliberate, organizers said.

Reeves Brown, executive director of Club 20, which represents Western Slope interests, said the meetings have been closed so that groups with sometimes radically different political orientations can talk openly about the state's budget problems. With elected officials or reporters in the room, Brown said, folks might be defensive or tend to grandstand.

Some groups at the event say the state has a revenue problem; others say spending should be cut, Brown said.

"I think the answer lies somewhere in between and probably is a mix of both," he said, including addressing some of the restraints in the constitution.

The success or failure of one measure on the ballot this year will determine the future of the city’s library system and could steer how some services find funding in years to come.

Ballot measure 4A, which will appear on this fall’s ballot, will propose a new way of funding the city’s libraries, a system currently in danger of major funding cuts and multiple closures in the wake of a larger municipal budget crunch. The proposal would ask voters to create a new general improvement district to fund Aurora’s at-risk library system, a tax structure that would levy an added 4.29 mills on local property taxes.

Ballots are scheduled to be mailed to voters from Oct. 13 to Oct. 16. Ballots are to be returned by Nov. 3.

The increase would translate into an extra $5.69 a month on a $200,000 home. According to the city, the proposed GID levy would create an estimated $12.5 million annually to cover the cost of the city’s libraries. Currently, Aurora’s libraries draw about $6 million a year from the general fund.

While the GID is expected to raise more than $12 million in its first year, the levy could be increased at an inflationary rate in future years.

According to representatives from the Colorado Municipal League, the General Improvement District approach for funding a library system is a novel approach and depending on its success in Aurora it could become an option elsewhere in the state. Normally such funding approaches are used for large-scale infrastructure projects.

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Proponents of the measure have said the increase would provide a dedicated funding source for Aurora’s libraries, which face the annual risk of budget cutbacks according to the status of the city’s general fund and the state of the local and national economy. By creating a funding source independent of city sales tax revenues, advocates say, local libraries will be able to have a secure financial stream to pay for staff, book stock and other services.

Supporters of the proposed measure include state legislators, many of whom have held public meetings dedicated to the topic.

"We would expand by 154 hours. What you’re dealing with is a system that’s been cutting, cutting, cutting hours. There is an unmet need, and that’s something we’re trying to respond to," said Democratic state Rep. Karen Middleton in September. Middleton is chairwoman of the Save Aurora Libraries campaign. "If we lose four libraries, we’ll never get them back. Once those outlets are gone, they won’t be very easily returned in the future."

If the GID does not pass this fall, the city’s library system will be subject to millions of dollars worth of cuts spelled out in the city manager’s proposed 2010 budget, which earned initial approval from the Aurora City Council on Sept. 26. Under the proposed budget, the Chambers Plaza, Iliff Square, Mission Viejo and Hoffman Heights branches would be tagged for closure in 2010. The budget would also see the elimination of more than 100 staff positions from the Library and Cultural Services Department.

Opponents of measure 4A have countered with objections rooted in cost. The Citizens for Responsible Aurora Government recently launched an opposition campaign to the ballot question, stating that an increase in property taxes would be too burdensome for many homeowners in the current economic downturn.

"I don’t think that this is the right time to double the taxes for the library," said Greg Golyansky, spokesman for CRAG. Golyansky also serves as the vice chairman of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers.

Opponents have also said they’re suspicious of the amount the mill increase would generate for the city’s library system annually.

"Why do we need $12 million? That’s awfully suspicious," Golyansky said. "We feel that this is simply the city’s Trojan horse, that the city will use $3 million for the libraries and will keep the remaining $9 million."

According to budget officials from the city, the Aurora City Council settled on the General Improvement District approach over other municipal funding mechanisms for several reasons. It would allow the library’s assets to remain largely under the city’s control, with the city council becoming the board of directors for the new district. This is unlike other districts in the state like the Arapahoe and Rangeview Library Districts, which have a separate board of directors

Democrats complained when GOP gubernatorial candidate Josh Penry sent campaign information to state Capitol workers at their work e-mail addresses, but it turns out plenty of candidates are e-mailing voters at their government jobs.

Denver City Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz and Denver City Auditor Dennis Gallagher talked to the legal department after workers received e-mails from Democratic U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.

"I don't think you can use the city's e-mail system for partisan, political donations," Gallagher said Wednesday. "It's clearly an inappropriate use of city resources. We have been cautioned in the past on this, and we are very careful not to let anything political dealing with campaigns go out through the city mail."

And Colorado Attorney General John Suthers, when asked about the legality of the e-mails, noted he has received numerous campaign e-mails in recent days from Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff and Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis.

"I'm pretty confident the candidates are not willfully violating the law," Suthers said, but added that candidates need to be careful.

For some, the issue is whether candidates used inside connections to get government e-mail lists. Bennet used to be the chief of staff for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, and Penry, R-Grand Junction, is the state Senate minority leader.

Most campaigns get their e-mail addresses from a variety of sources, including paid lists and information from friends and supporters.

Suthers suggested campaigns "scrub" their lists.

"Having said that, I know from being a candidate that is easier said than done," Suthers said in an e-mail.

Denver City Attorney David Fine said the city put a block on Bennet's campaign e-mails, which it does when it hears about bulk unsolicited e-mails.

But it's not only government workers who are upset.

Mesa County resident Don Pettygrove last month received an e-mail in support of Bennet that was signed by three leading Democrats: Gov. Bill Ritter, U.S. Sen. Mark Udall and Secretary of State Bernie Buescher.

Pettygrove, a Republican, said the only way Ritter and Udall have his e-mail address is because he wrote to them about policy issues. He wondered whether it was appropriate and legal to have his e-mail address used for political purposes.

In an ironic twist, Pettygrove sent his complaint to Penry.

NAR President Charles McMillan updates you, your staff, and your members on NAR efforts to extend the home buyer tax credit, improve the Home Valuation Code of Conduct appraisal rules, ensure the safety and soundness of FHA, and keep the spotlight on your members' needs as Congress moves forward on health care reform. Also discussed is legislation to create the consumer financial protection agency.

City budget, taxes and experience weigh heavily on public forum

Candidates running for five contested seats on the Aurora City Council this fall addressed a large menu of local issues and outlined their individual platforms during a public forum held on Sept. 30 at the Aurora Municipal Center.

The candidate forum featured both incumbents and challengers running for seats representing Wards I, II and III, as well as two at-large positions. A total of 14 candidates running for the five open positions spoke during the forum, which was taped and will be televised on Aurora Channel 8 through October. The forum was sponsored by the City of Aurora, Aurora Business and Professional Women, The Aurora Sentinel and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.

Candidates for the Ward I seat included incumbent Deborah Wallace and challengers Kim Harrell, Melissa E. Miller and Francis Peter Maks, Jr. Wallace cited improvements in the city’s image and economic redevelopment in north Aurora despite a down economy. Harrell stressed the need for continuing successful programs like the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Neighborhood Stabilization Act.

Miller cited the need for maintaining public safety and code enforcement, while Maks laid blame for many of the city’s current problems on high water rates and lax code enforcement.

The Ward II candidate forum included incumbent Renie Peterson and challenger Randy Reamey, while the Ward III forum featured incumbent Larry Beer and challenger Marsha Berzins.

Reamey offered suggestions for drumming up business in the city, such as encouraging green industry, as a way to combat the growing gap between revenue and expenditures. Peterson, citing her experience on council as her main qualification over her opponent, suggested implementing a lodger’s tax to fund an outside agency to promote tourism in the city.

Berzins called for a closer inspection of the city budget, maintaining that excess expenditures could be cut in lieu of implementing more taxes. Beer said he supported the upcoming ballot question that would implement a higher mill levy to support the city’s libraries, and said that the solution to the present shortfall in the city’s budget would have to come from a combination of raising revenue, cutting costs and growing the city’s tax base.

The two open at-large seats drew the largest field of candidates. Incumbent Bob FitzGerald and challengers Pam Bennett, Barbara Cleland, Bob LeGare, Alfonso Nuñez and Bob Roth are in the running for the two open spots.

Cleland, who cited her previous experience on the council as a main qualification, called for a return to a line item review of the city’s budget, while LeGare, who also previously served on council, stressed a re-examination of the city’s current policy regulating police staffing at two officers per 1,000 residents. Nuñez said passing the library district question was a key to providing some flexibility for the strapped budget, while Roth said that the at-large councilmember should play a more transparent role in the community. FitzGerald cited positive economic signs despite the national and local economic downturn, and said that projects like a possible race track and new recreation facilities could help speed recovery in the city.

Aurora voters will receive their ballots by mail. Ballots have to be received by Nov. 3. Voters serving overseas in the military can have their ballot postmarked by Nov. 3 and received eight days after the election.

One citizen group is voicing its opposition to a proposed hike to property taxes that would go to help fund the city’s library system.

The Citizens for Responsible Aurora Government recently launched an opposition campaign to ballot measure 4A, an initiative that will go before Aurora voters this fall. The Aurora Public Library general improvement district ballot question asks voters to create a new general improvement district to secure money for the city’s libraries. The proposed levy would be an added 4.29 mills, which would translate into an extra $5.69 a month on a $200,000 home.

"We are now in a depression; the fact of the matter is, it’s a depression," said Greg Golyansky, spokesman for CRAG. Golyansky also serves as the vice chairman of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers. "I don’t think that this is the right time to double the taxes for the library."

Golyansky said the group is also suspicious of the amount the mill increase would generate for the city’s library system annually. According to the city, the proposed GID levy would create an estimated $12.5 million annually to cover the cost of the city’s libraries. The libraries draw $6 million a year from the General Fund.

Backers say the funding amount asked from voters more accurately match the needs associated with running the city’s library system.

"Why do we need $12 million? That’s awfully suspicious," Golyansky said. "We feel that this is simply the city’s Trojan horse, that the city will use $3 million for the libraries and will keep the remaining $9 million."

But supporters of the measure have pointed to the proposed GID as a dedicated funding source, a way to provide money to Aurora’s library system during tough budget years and save them from the constant threat of cuts.

"We would expand by 154 hours. What you’re dealing with is a system that’s been cutting, cutting, cutting hours. There is an unmet need and that’s something we’re trying to respond to.," said state Rep. Karen Middleton. Middleton is currently the chairwoman of the Save Aurora Libraries campaign. "If we lose four libraries, we’ll never get them back. Once those outlets are gone, they won’t be very easily returned in the future."

Currently, four of the city’s libraries are threatened by cuts that could come during the city’s fall budget workshop scheduled for Sept. 26, as leaders are poised to snip millions from the budget in the wake of a structural gap between revenues and costs.

While the GID is expected to raise more than $12 million in its first year, the levy would be adjusted for inflation, an element that’s drawn concerns from the opposition, who say that such an allowance circumvents the restrictions of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights.

"If it’s really for the library, why does it also have to be a de-Brucing measure? We don’t believe it’s about the libraries," Golyansky said.

But backers of the proposal say the allowance for inflation is common.

"The General Improvement District (would be) capped," said state Sen. Morgan Carroll said during a community meeting in August. "It’s not uncommon to adjust for inflation. It doesn’t mean you can adjust it for anything you want to ... It’s tied to the consumer price index."

Golyansky would not detail his group’s plans for campaigning against the measure in the coming months.

"We’d like to keep our opposition guessing," he said.

Colorado Democrats cheered after the past three election cycles, but Republicans increasingly believe they'll be the ones celebrating in 2010.

Republicans are converging on Keystone for two days of meetings, the highlight of which is expected to be a straw poll in the U.S. Senate and governor's races taken after the candidates speak.

One is a perceived spending spree by a Democratic-controlled Washington, including health care reform. The other is Democrats' intraparty fight after Gov. Bill Ritter tapped political neophyte Michael Bennet for a Senate vacancy. Bennet now faces a primary challenge from former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff.

Many pundits, including political consultant Katy Atkinson of Denv