US Senator Michael Bennett

Please join Josh Lautenberg, Michael Johnston, Dan Gibbs, Millie Hamner, Curt Cerveny, Aron Ralston, Jill Ryan, Peter Runyon, Jon Stavney, Pat McConathy, Rebecca Hernreich, Susan & Harry Frampton, Debbie Marquez, and Beth Slifer for a reception in support of Sal Pace Democratic Candidate for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District
Monday, February 20, 2012 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
The French Press 34295 Hwy 6 Edwards, CO 81632 (in the Riverwalk Plaza in Edwards)
Contributions to Sal’s campaign are encouraged $100 ? $250 ? $500
RSVP to Scott Hanley at Scott@PaceForColorado.com or (719) 778-1058

Town Hall Meeting with State Rep. Hamner and Eagle County Commissioner Jon Stavney

This town hall will focus on what is happening down at the Capitol and issues that are important to the constituents of Eagle County.
Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m
Colorado Mountain College Edward’s Campus Common Area 150 Miller Ranch Road Edwards, CO 81632

Town Hall Meeting with Rep. Roger Wilson

Join Rep. Roger Wilson for a town hall meeting. He will be giving an update about the legislative session and taking questions from constituents. Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 from 10:30 a.m. to Noon.
Bonfire Coffee
433 Main Street
Carbondale, Colorado 81623

Progressive Thoughts from Commissioner Jon Stavney

Jon Stavney

There is a lot of rhetoric these days about the size and role of government.  Hear the national drumbeat for “limited government” ?
Locally, I’m proud to have quietly reduced county government by 30% to match our revenues, showing that fiscal responsibility doesn’t require drama, or headlines.
Under a pure “limited” argument, we would not have national rail or interstate highway systems that make possible rocky mountain living.  Modern supply chains make the market more reliant on government infrastructure than ever.
Best summed by President Reagan’s, “government isn’t the solution, it is the problem,” the limited argument goes south when you ask citizens if they like good roads, strong public schools, and clean air & water.
Speaking of water, massive federal vision and investment built the dams and reservoirs that make living in the arid west possible.  A lack of water storage would have kept Colorado, Arizona, and Southern California populations closer to the Dakotas.
While one anti-tax advocate would like to shrink government to a size where it can be “drowned in the bathtub”, I don’t think many citizens fantasize life as The Road Warrior, with anarchy on a backdrop of crumbling public infrastructure.
So dismiss the fringes on both sides.  Nationally we need a stronger moderate leadership that appreciates the interrelationship of government and the marketplace.  Locally, I think we strike a decent balance.

Eagle County Democrats Fundraising Dinner January 28, 2012

3rd CD candidate Sal Pace

Eagle County Democrats Co-Chairs Jill Hunsaker Ryan and Harvie Branscomb

State House District 26 cadidate, Diane Mitsch Bush and Colorado Democrats Chair, Rick Palacio

CU Regent candidate Jessica Garrow

Important Upcoming Dates

Precinct Map 2012

Edwards resident, Jill Ryan, 43, has announced her candidacy for Eagle County Commissioner, running for the seat of the term-limited Peter Runyon. Ryan is Co-Chair of the Eagle County Democrats and a member of the Eagle County Planning Commission. “I care deeply about the future of the county, particularly given the economic down turn,” says Ryan. “We have a unique opportunity to be intentional and collaborative in planning for a vibrant recovery, and I want to be a part of that process.”

January Meeting Eagle County Democrats

The next meeting of the Eagle County Democrats will occur on Tuesday, January 17th at 6pm in Glenwood Springs at the Glenwood Canyon Brew Pub.

•    March Caucus and Assembly Planning
•    January 28th Annual Dinner and Fundraiser
•    February 11th Jefferson Jackson Dinner in Denver
•    Update: Organizing for America-Obama Campaign
• Attendance by and Updates from Candidates for DA and House District 26

We hope to see you there!

Diane Mitsch Bush (D), Steamboat Springs announces her candidacy for Colorado HD 26

Meet Two-Term Routt County Commissioner Diane Mitsch Bush (D), Steamboat Springs who is announcing her candidacy for Colorado HD 26 to represent all the people of Eagle and Routt Counties on January 18.

• Basalt: 7:30 to 9:30 am at the Upper Crust Bakery, 400 E Valley Road, Basalt, 81621, 970-963-9169

• Edwards: noon to 2pm at E-town in Riverwalk, 295 Main Street, Edwards, 970-926-4080

8th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner

Join featured speaker former Denver Mayor, Wellington Web at the Garfield County Democrats‘ 8th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tonight, January 16th at Rivers Restaurant 2525 Grand Ave. Glenwood Springs, CO.
Tickets: $30.00 per person,
PLEASE NOTE! Advance Reservations REQUIRED tickets will NOT BE SOLD at the door
For information and reservations, please call Cheri at 970-319-4005, or Paul and Bobbi at 970-285-7791

Eagle County Democrats Annual Dinner
Saturday, January 28th at Balata, Singletree, Edwards

Guest Speakers

Rick Palacio, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, and Alec Garnett, Executive Director of Colorado Democratic Party. State Senator Gail Schwartz and Representative Millie Hamner will be joining us as well. Several candidates will comment on their races:

Rep. Jared Polis, 2nd CD, US House of Representatives
Sal Pace, candidate for US House of Representatives in CD3
Diane Mitsch Bush (D), Steamboat Springs candidate running for the new State House District 26 which represents Eagle and Routt Counties
Todd Barson & Bruce Brown, candidates for District Attorney
Jill Ryan, candidate for Eagle County Commissioner

6:00 – 7:00 Reception includes dinner ticket, cocktails and appetizers: $100, $250 or $500.

7:30- Dinner includes a three course dinner with choice of entrees and beverage: $50. Cash bar.

This fundraiser will help raise the funds needed for our activities in this important election year.

Contact

JaneLowery@aol.com , or

970-926-1181

at Balata, Singletree, Edwards

Let’s launch this 2012 election season with a bang!

Guest Speakers

Rick Palacio, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, and Alec Garnett, Executive Director of Colorado Democratic Party.  State Senator Gail Schwartz and Representative Millie Hamner will be joining us as well.  Several candidates will comment on their races:

• Sal Pace, candidate for US House of Representatives in CD3
• A Democratic candidate running for the new State House District 26 which represents Eagle and Routt Counties (TBA)
• Todd Barson & Bruce Brown, candidates for District Attorney
• Jill Ryan, candidate for Eagle County Commissioner

6:00 – 7:00 Reception includes dinner ticket, cocktails and appetizers: $100, $250 or $500.

7:30- Dinner includes a three course dinner with choice of entrees and beverage: $50.  Cash bar.

This fundraiser will help raise the funds needed for our activities in this important election year.

Contact

JaneLowery@aol.com , or

970-926-1181

Congressional redistricting has moved  many Eagle County residents from Democrat Jared Polis’ 2nd Congressional district into conservative Republican Scott Tipton’s 3rd Congressional district. Map

Democratic 3rd CD candidate Sal Pace will hold meet and greet events this Wednesday Jan. 4th in El Jebel and Edwards.

• El Jebel-  El Korita Restaurant, Willits Town Center 1-2pm
• Edwards- Cafe Milano 429 Edwards Access Rd. 8-9:30am

Save the Date Saturday, January 28th!  Eagle County Democratic Fundraising Dinner

Let’s launch this 2012 election season with a bang at our annual Eagle County Democratic Dinner @ Balata, Singletree, Edwards.  Several local and statewide candidates will comment on their races.  We are also expecting State Senator Gail Schwartz (SD5). Our special guest speakers will be Rick Palacio, Chair of the Colorado Democratic Party, and Alec Garnett, Executive  Director of Colorado Democrats.  Tickets start at $50, and include a three course dinner with choice of entrees and beverage.  Cash bar. This fundraiser will help raise the funds needed for our activities in this important election year.  Contact  JaneLowery@aol.com

79th Jefferson Jackson Dinner Saturday, February 11, 2012

The 79th annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner will be held Saturday, February 11, 2012  at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel Plaza Ballroom.  This dinner is the Colorado Democrats’ yearly gathering and celebration.  Eagle County will have a table and we invite you to join us.  Who knows who may be the speaker this year?  Colorado is a swing state and national attention is focused on our Presidential race.

For reservations and hotel info contact: Carole at conderdonk@centurytel.net

2012 will be an exciting election year in Colorado

Eagle County Democrats will be very active this year with fundraisers, caucuses, voter registration drives,  door knocking, phone calling, poll watching…We need your help.  Contact info@eagledems.org to volunteer!

Some progressive thoughts from Doug’s Mom

-Carol Tucker
The GOP?  The GOP has become the GOOP–the Grand Old Obstructionist Party:  the glue in which all action, or even thought, to improve our perilous situation becomes stuck.
Consider the climate-change deniers among them.  The NOVA program “Extreme Ice” (Public Broadcasting System and PBS.org website)  makes it clear that warming is happening faster than previously predicted and that nonhuman causes are way too small to account for what has happened, with glaciers vanishing and polar ice going into seawater.  You might write a placard, “Ice Melt WILL Occupy Wall Street.”
But the unregulated-market true believers will not even consider the message, instead blaming the messenger and seeking to eliminate it from the airwaves. They will not accept information from any but their own, making a closed circle into which contrary facts cannot penetrate.  Ironically, one of Extreme Ice’s sponsors is one of their own:  a David H. Koch science fund.

Three new Districts for Eagle County-  all new House District 26, Senate District 5 and some of us now live in CD3

Eagle and Routt counties now share a new House District 26 and the seat is open for a Democrat to win and Routt County Democrats are reportedly very happy to be teamed with us for that campaign.  All of us should be looking for excellent candidates to run for this important position.  Please contact co-chairs@eagledems.org if you have an interest or a suggestion.  Our new Senate District is already represented by Democrat Gail Schwartz from Snowmass Village near Aspen. Her seat is not up for election this year.  For Congress, we’ll be one of the counties with two Congressmen- both Democrat  Jared Polis in CD2 everywhere East of Eagle Vail and we have Republican Scott Tipton to beat in CD3 representing the West part of Eagle County.  Sal Pace is running for the CD3 seat and we are expecting to see him in the Eagle River Valley on January 4th, Wednesday at 8AM at a location to be determined. We are expecting to see him in the Roaring Fork Valley as well.  Again, if you are interested to join Sal contact co-chairs@eagledems.org .

Upcoming caucus and conventions

Our presidential election year is almost upon us and that means a grass roots caucus on the evening of March 6.  We plan to have caucus locations in Vail, Edwards, Eagle and El Jebel. The Republicans are having theirs a month early.  We are looking for a great turnout to support Democratic candidates for County Commissioner, District Attorney, State Representative, U.S. Representative and of course our candidate for President.  Also look forward to a County Convention of Democrats sometime in March and then the State Convention in Pueblo Friday evening April 13 and all day Saturday April 14.  You have to attend a caucus to be a delegate to the County Convention. You have to be a delegate at the County Convention to be a delegate at the CD or State Convention- but we will have plenty of opportunities for people to go.  From the CD and State Conventions you have a chance to become a delegate to the national convention – Charlotte North Carolina- the week of September 3, 2012. http://www.demconvention.com/about.asp

Democratic seasons greetings to all! Grassroots influence is what our party is all about.  Let’s make plenty of noise next year.

Message from State Rep. Roger Wilson

We received below letter from Roger Wilson. In case you have not received one, below is an excerpt.

State Representative Roger Wilson

Reapportionment and the 2012 Election The Colorado Supreme Court approved the most recent plans from the Colorado Reapportionment Commission on Monday, December 12.  Click here to access the final maps. During 2012 I will proudly serve out my term for House District 61. In the final maps my residence no longer falls within House District 61. All of Garfield County will be part of House District 57. After consulting with my family, friends, and advisors I have decided  not to seek elected office for either House District 57 or Senate District 8. I am  humbled by the support I have received and by those who believe I should  continue to serve Colorado in the Legislature after 2012. I will instead seek other positions and roles to represent and work for the interests of the people, the land, and the water of Western  Colorado. The new HD 61 for the next election in November 2012 will include Summit, Lake, Pitkin, and parts of Gunnison and Delta counties. I will be supporting Millie Hamner (D) of Summit County for election to HD 61. The new HD 61 no longer includes some other county precincts that had been included. Eastern Garfield County will be part of the new HD 57 which includes all of Garfield, Rio Blanco, and Moffat Counties. Southwestern Gunnison County (including the town of Gunnison) and Hinsdale County will become part of HD 59. And all of Eagle County joins Routt County to form HD 26.   Happy Holidays! My wife Kris and I wish you a very joyous, exciting, and fun filled holiday season. Amid the hustle and bustle we also wish you times of peace and reflection. The new year will certainly be filled with politics. For each of us it can also be a time of growth and redirection. Good luck and good fortune as you take on whatever challenges and opportunities the new year brings.   Roger Wilson Colorado State Representative House District 61 roger@rogerbenwilson.org PO Box 955, Glenwood Springs, CO 81602 Cell: 970-274-4645 or 303-579-5521 www.rogerbenwilson.org

So I’ll be honest? didn’t really know what to expect when I took on the responsibility of being your State Representative. Like you, I see the divisive partisan climate on the news that impacts our ability to accomplish big things. While we have not yet had the great budget debate this year, I’ve learned that there is a remarkable amount of cooperation that will serve us well as we take on these challenges.

In the last few weeks, I have presented all five of my bills to committees and three of them have been argued on the floor of the House. While I did withdraw one bill because of the need to develop greater understanding and support, I feel like I’ve actually had some appreciable success with the others! Each of these four received unanimous support in committee. Yes, that’s right, unanimous, bipartisan support. To be sure, there were some no votes on the floor of the House, but I’m still pretty pleased, and I will be anxious to see if these bills receive similar support in the Senate.

Below, I will expand on what happened with each of my bills, and I will also talk about some of the other issues that have come up so far this year.

Four Out of Five Ain’t Bad

As a former teacher, I don’t generally use “ain’t,” but in this case, I’ll make an exception. I’m also going to start by talking about my least successful bill. After conversations with the Eagle County commissioners, I supported their interest in providing a level playing field for businesses in cities and unincorporated areasalike.

Eagle County also wanted to collect business data to help with their economic development and planning. Well, as it turns out, businesses were not terribly fond of this idea, and by extension, neither were the majority of members of the House Local Government Committee. I decided that I needed to take more time to work with all interested parties and figure out a solution that works for everybody, so I withdrew the bill and I plan to resume conversations with the counties and the business community prior to next year’s session.

I’m proud of all of my bills, but coming from the education world, I think I’m most excited about one that passed unanimously out of the House Education Committee on Monday. This bill is designed to help address the huge backlog of qualified teachers that cannot get through the red tape to get their licenses renewed. Unlike other professions, educators are currently required to jump through several hoops to confirm that they received the correct continuing education credits and to prove their legal residence in Colorado (even though they proved their residence upon first getting their license). My bill cuts through this red tape and puts educators on the same level as other professionals, while of course still ensuring the highest standards of quality. Not only will this bill significantly reduce waiting times for license renewals, which will help schools hire the highly qualified teachers they need, but it will actually save money by making government more efficient and effective!

Over the last three days, the House of Representatives voted on my three remaining bills, all of which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and will soon be heading over to the Senate. First was my bill to protect peace officer service animals by making sure criminals convicted of harming these animals will be held responsible for paying damages for veterinary care. Second was my bill to help Eagle County’s own Roundup River Ranch, a free, medically-supported camp for children with life-threatening illnesses, raise voluntary contributions through Colorado’s Tax Check-Off program. Third was my bill to focus more effort on short-term solutions to the congestion on I-70?he mountain communities understand this problem all too well?y requiring the Colorado Department of Transportation to report back to the legislature on things we can fix in the next few years, rather than waiting for the billions of dollars required for the comprehensive, long-term solutions.

Colorado is facing a lot of big problems right now, and I’ve been putting a lot of time and energy into helping prioritize these issues in the midst of our $1 billion revenue shortfall, but I feel that each of my four bills will make a positive difference for the people of Colorado, and I’m proud of that.

And now, on to other news.

The Beginnings of the Budget Debate

Before getting to work on next year’s budget, we must first take on the challenge of balancing the current year’s budget. While many difficult and painful cuts had to be made, we House Democrats are proud to have fought for our priorities, and in one case at least, we were able to save two programs that will significantly benefit Colorado’s students. First, we were able to make sure that low-income kids continue to get the benefit of reduced cost breakfasts before starting their school day. Second, my colleagues Matt Jones and Andy Kerr included an amendment to ensure that all surplus revenue in our budget will be directly invested back into Colorado Schools, and they were able to convince a majority to support it. We also worked on an amendment to preserve the School Counselor Corps program remains fully funded, but unfortunately we were outvoted. Education is now and must continue to be among our top priorities, because we must provide a first-class education to build a first-class workforce for the industries of the 21^st century.

Keeping DUI Offenders away from the Wheel

I recently signed on as a co-sponsor to a bill designed to make Colorado’s streets safer by mandating harsher treatment for repeat DUI offenders. My colleague Rhonda Fields introduced House Bill 1189, which requires people convicted of a third DUI to attend alcohol treatment programs and submit to alcohol testing and electronic monitoring. This bill passed out of committee this week, and when it becomes law, it will lower the risk that our friends and neighbors will be harmed by drunk drivers.

Keeping Colorado Families in their Homes

As we work through this long, slow economic recovery, many Coloradans are still struggling to stay in their homes, but we can help by expanding access to foreclosure counseling services.  These services are incredibly effective, with a success rate upwards of 85%, but our current resources are spread too thin to meet the high demand. To expand these services, my colleague Representative Angela Williams has brought a bill that would collect a small fee from banks during foreclosures sales that will go to fund these home owner services.House Bill 1136 was heard in the House Economic and Business Development Committee yesterday and passed!

If you or someone you know is facing home foreclosure, click here for help.

Helping Those Who Have Lost Their Homes to a Wild Fire

With the increasing number of wild fires over the last several years, many Colorado residents have lost their homes, and we must stand with these people as they try to pull their lives back together. One way we can do this is by helping them avoid an unintended consequence of our current property tax laws. According to the state constitution, higher property taxes are assessed on vacant land than on land containing a home, so when a family’s home burns down, their property taxes suddenly increase. That’s just not fair, and that’s why I’ve co-sponsored a bill that was introduced by my colleague Claire Levy. House Bill 1042 makes sure that the families who have lost their homes are not penalized with higher property taxes and helps them get through their tough times.

Helping Small Businesses Grow

What does a small business need to thrive in Colorado? My colleague Max Tyler, a former small businessman himself, says that every small business needs financial, human, and information resources, and he is working on a bill to address the third of these. By helping small businesses access legal advice, marketing resources, and general help, this bill will ensure that anyone with a good idea and the drive to work can succeed in Colorado.

House Bill 1147 was heard earlier this afternoon in the House Economic and Business Development Committee, but unfortunately it did not pass.

Dome, Sweet Dome

As is the case with all historic buildings, the Colorado State Capitol requires periodic maintenance and renovation. This month the Capitol restoration project will begin work on restoring the Dome, which has fallen into disrepair caused by years of water and weather damage. In partnership with the State Historical Fund a restoration campaign called Share in the Care Colorado has been established by the non-profit Colorado Preservation, Inc. to raise the funds necessary for the renovation project.

An estimated $8 million must be raised between now and June 2012 to complete the restoration. By working together, in a public-private partnership, the funds can be raised to repair the Dome while preserving heritage funding that is so important for every community in the State. Many local businesses and nonprofit organizations have already stepped up to help including AngloGold Ashanti, AT&T Colorado and HistoricDenver. Since the launch of the program we have seen an overwhelming interest from members of the public, and in response to this we would like to provide information on the ways you can contribute.

For more information or to make a donation to the Share in the Care Colorado campaign you may visit the campaign’s website at www.shareinthecarecolorado.org.

You may also make a $10 donation by simply texting the word DOME to 50555 from any mobile phone.*If you wish to donate another amount you may do so by sending a check made payable to Colorado Capitol Dome, c/o CPI, 2100 Downing St., Suite 300, Denver Colorado 80205.

(*Following a text to DOME at 50555, a one-time $10 donation will appear on your next mobile bill as a separate line item, recognized as a tax deductible donation. The mobile bill can be used as a tax receipt or you can view and print one at mGive.org/receipt. There are no extra or hidden fees, but message and data rates may apply. Full terms at mGive.org/T)

Thanks for reading, and as always, please feel free to write or call my office to share your concerns! I am here to represent you, after all.

Representative Millie Hamner
Colorado House District 56
ph: (303) 866-2852
em: RepHamner@gmail.com
web: www.MillieHamner.com

Be a summer intern for Organizing for America