Aurora meeting explains how to benefit from economic recovery

Colorado residents can learn how to benefit from the economic recovery at a meeting set for 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 1, in Aurora. That's tomorrow, in case you're scrambling for a calendar.

Last year, President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund the nation's economic recovery and help those communities most in need. People who attend the meeting will learn how increase unemployment insurance benefits by continuing education and getting new job skills, where green jobs are being created and how to get them, and about tax breaks available under the Recovery Act.

The meeting will be at the Living Water Christian Center, 1585 Kingston St. Dinner and child care will be provided. The event is sponsored by FRESC Good Jobs Strong Communities, 9to5 National Association of Working Women and the Colorado Progressive Coalition.

For background on the Recovery Act, check analyses from the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute.

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Governor announces budget-balancing plan

Gov. Bill Ritter announced a budget-balancing plan Monday for the 2010-11 budget that will have a minimal effect on state services.

"The governor's task was eased by better-than-projected June revenue collections, which allowed the state to end the past fiscal year with a larger-than-expected reserve and transfer an additional $76.8 million to 2010-11," said Terry Scanlon a fiscal policy analyst for the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute.

Scanlon continued: "The plan also includes $53.4 million in transfers from cash funds to the General Fund and $6.2 million in actual spending cuts. The biggest spending cut in the governor's plan was $4.9 million from personnel costs, which will be achieved by keeping positions vacant and delaying hiring on other positions. The other cut identified by the governor was $1.3 million from the Department of Corrections. The governor's plan protects Medicaid by using state funds to fill the gap in federal Medicaid funding that created the need for the governor to offer the plan."

More analysis of the state budget is available on the website.

New on the site: Analysis of Amendment 60, Amendment 61 and Proposition 101

The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute is part of the Looking Forward collaboration with the Bell Policy Center and the Colorado Children's Campaign. The group has compiled one-page fact sheets about three measures on Colorado's November election ballot that would cause severe damage to our state.

Amendment 60
Amendment 61
Proposition 101

Recovery Act benefits aren't just theoretical for COFPI analyst

Alec Harris, a policy analyst on the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute team, has been elbow-deep lately in analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. He sent an e-mail and photograph to the staff the other day showing some hands-on experience with the act's benefits:

"It's official …the Recovery Act has broken through all the barriers and into my personal life.

"I just got this from my dad. It’s from my trip to San Francisco a couple of weeks back, on a hike in near the Golden Gate Bridge. I had forgotten about the photo until now."

For all of the Fiscal Policy Institute's analysis of the Recovery Act, check the website.

A more effective way to reduce the federal budget deficit

A commentary in The Denver Post today provides some valuable perspective on the nation's budget deficit and the most effective way of achieving long-term fiscal stability. Headlined "Let tax breaks for the rich expire," the piece notes federal tax breaks for the rich in 2001 and 2003 will account for nearly half of the total deficit between 2009 and 2019.

The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute collaborated with a number of people and organizations to submit the piece after a Post editorial on July 29 mistakenly blamed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for creating an "unsustainable debt load."

Wondering where to find background on public-policy issues? We're your source

One of the cooler things about the Colorado Center on Law and Policy's new website is the ability to tag our publications by subject. That means each publication gets a description of just a few words that we use to keep related material grouped together. You can see all the tags in a cloud on the left side of the screen at our publication library.

Tags also enable us to link from places (like blogs!) to all the publications on a particular topic. You can check out all our publications about taxes, for example, or everything we've done on the Recovery Act. Neat, right? Caveat: I haven't been able to upload all the old publications to the new site yet, so only the most recent ones are available. It should be more than enough, though, to keep you busy if you're looking for a briefing on an important public-policy issue.

Please check out all the features on our new website and let me know what you think.

How extensions to unemployment insurance benefits helped the economy

Extended unemployment insurance benefits have played a key role in keeping Colorado families and the economy afloat in the midst of the Great Recession. That's the conclusions of a paper the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute issued near the end of last month. Check out the full paper, or if you have time only for the takeaway:

• From July 2008 to July 2010, Colorado received $1.5 billion from the federal government to pay for extensions of unemployment benefits.
• Combined, those extensions added 86 weeks of benefits to the standard 26 weeks.
• The extensions were entirely federally funded.
• The additional $1.5 billion in extended benefits for Coloradans translates to $1.6 billion worth of in-state commerce and 12,000 jobs.

And here's a graph showing the state and national unemployment rates during the past decade, along with markers showing the two most recent recessions and the beginning of unemployment insurance benefits extensions. Click the image for a larger view.

Update: House passes state aid bill

An update on the last post: Here's a complete story from Politico.

House passes state aid package -- an important boost for Colorado

The $26 billion bill will save teachers from being laid off and preserve additional funding for Medicaid, the health insurance program for families with low incomes.

The vote happened only moments ago, so there's no news story yet explaining everything in detail. But here's an article in today's Fort Collins Coloradoan explaining some of the context for Colorado. Also check out CCLP's analysis of the importance of extended Medicaid funding.

How we got in this mess, and how we can get out

Economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman offers a good capsule of the sad shift in public thinking about public-sector investments during the past few decades in a column published Sunday, headlined "America Goes Dark."

Along with some discouragingly sharp analysis of the problem, though, Krugman points to the solution: More investment in the structures that could make our society work for everyone. That means adequate funding for government so it can maintain roads, keep the lights on, and maintain educational opportunities for children and adults.

Where's the Colorado news roundup?

If you've been visiting this blog for the past six months or so, you probably did so for the collection of links each weekday to public-policy news reports around Colorado. That was my best shot at keeping the blog active during my initiation as communications director of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy.

Well, today is a new day. You can still get the Colorado news roundup each weekday, but now it's available as an e-mail. To sign up, visit the e-mail subscriptions page on our new website. You'll also have the option of signing up for all the other e-mail newsletters produced by the Colorado Center on Law and Policy and its project, the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute.

And that leaves me wondering about the best way to keep this blog active and useful. I've got a few ideas, and I'll be testing them out here over the next few weeks. Please keep checking back and tell me what you think. Also, please contact me if you have any ideas for content that would make this blog a must-read. And, by the way, if I get a bunch of messages asking to continue posting the news roundup here, I'll be happy to do it.

Thanks for reading.

Officials in Routt, Pueblo and Mesa counties report more people seeking public assistance

Good morning. Here's a look at news reports from around the state on issues of interest to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy for Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010. Listing does not imply endorsement of the content.

ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo welfare numbers surge
Social Services says 13,000 are collecting food stamps. The director of Pueblo County’s Social Services Department says that the agency is weathering the downturn in the economy, “but we’re waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

Grand Junction Sentinel: Schools serving more breakfasts in summer
The number of lunches served each day at District 51 extended learning sites dipped this summer, as did the number of sites offering meals, while breakfast numbers increased.


FISCAL POLICY
Denver Business Journal: Colorado spared loss of Medicaid funds
Colorado health-care activists and business leaders haven’t teamed up on a lot of things this year. But on Wednesday, both groups got some news they could cheer.
Also: Durango Herald: Senate eases pain for budgets

Durango Herald editorial: Reimbursing FLC
A bill introduced by Rep. John Salazar would provide federal funding to cover tuitions for Native Americans from out of state attending Fort Lewis College. It is a good idea that would save Colorado taxpayers millions of dollars.

Fort Collins Coloradoan: Tax credit could be put on hold
Budget shortfalls might force the state to suspend its 50 percent tax credit for child- care programs, a big selling point for nonprofits seeking contributions.

Summit Daily News: BOCC to hear revised Keystone tax-increase proposal on Tuesday
Harsh criticism led Keystone residents to reduce by half a tax-increase proposal for the November ballot to beautify the Highway 6 corridor.


HEALTH CARE
Grand Junction Sentinel editorial: A mandate for high-court action
The individual mandate — that controversial provision of the new health care law that requires nearly every individual to have health insurance or pay a fine — suffered two significant setbacks this week. The mandate is far from dead, however. But the confusion over its status makes it imperative that the U.S. Supreme Court resolve the issue, sooner rather than later.

Steamboat Today: Medicaid numbers rising in Routt County
More people in Routt Coun­ty are receiving public health care benefits this year as the cost of private health insurance premiums increases and unemployment numbers remain high. According to the county’s Department of Human Services, the number of Medicaid recipients in the county has increased 41 percent during the past 18 months.

Colorado's higher ed system needs more money, panel says

Good morning. Here's a look at news reports from around the state on issues of interest to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy for Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010. Listing does not imply endorsement of the content.

GENERAL
Colorado Springs Gazette: Community centers blossoming under nonprofit management
The city’s community centers have come a long way since late last year when the city cut budgets and gave a harsh ultimatum: come up with operating money or face closure.


FISCAL POLICY
Pueblo Chieftain: Panel: higher ed funds must improve
A commission seated by Gov. Bill Ritter to find ways of improving the state’s higher education system first must come up with the means. Budgetary shortfalls on the horizon threaten a rainy day for which the state isn’t prepared. Consequently, colleges in Colorado must identify sustained funding streams. Otherwise, reduced services or even closure of institutions could result.

Colorado News Agency: GOP lawmakers top group’s annual taxpayer-friendly score card again
A taxpayer-watchdog group released its annual report card for state legislators  Monday–no sliding scales allowed–doling out seven A+’s and numerous failing grades.  Of the seven perfect scores, five of the lawmakers had previously taken the the group’s pledge to “oppose any new net tax increases.”

Durango Herald: Bill: Feds would aid tuition waiver
U.S. Rep. John Salazar has introduced legislation that would provide funding for Fort Lewis College's Native American tuition-waiver program. Passage of the bill would help ease Colorado's budget woes and preserve the tuition waiver in the future, proponents said Tuesday.

Fort Collins Coloradoan: Budget cuts could limit access to special classes
Elementary school students will have between 45 and 60 minutes each week of instruction in art, music and physical education classes this year, according to estimates released on the Poudre School District website. As the school district struggles with cutting $12 million from its 2010-11 budget, these classes, known as specials, are subject to reductions, too.

Grand Junction Sentinel: Board talks Amendment 61 what-ifs
District 51 may join the growing November ballot in an effort to offset the effects of another ballot measure. The district has a handful of options for handling the effects of Amendment 61 if it passes, District Support Services Executive Director Melissa Callahan DeVita told the board Tuesday at a retreat.

KUSA: County residents asked to pay to fix community's crumbling roads
This week, thousands of Boulder County property owners will be asked to pay thousands of dollars to fix their crumbled roadways. In 1995, the county passed a law requiring subdivision homeowners to take care of their own roadways. Up until now, their roads haven't been too bad. On Tuesday, the Boulder County Highway Department sent ballots to 10,200 residents asking them if they would consider paying for the projects.


ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY
Steamboat Today editorial: Lunch cost hike supports key program
The Steamboat Springs School District is increasing lunch prices at the high school and the middle school next school year, and that’s likely to make buying lunch more difficult for some local families. But the price hikes are meant to make the meal program self-supporting, and that’s key to ensure that the new locally focused, healthy menu remains sustainable.

Prop 101 is bad medicine, Douglas County sheriff says

Good morning. Here's a look at news reports from around the state on issues of interest to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy for Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2010. Listing does not imply endorsement of the content.

FISCAL POLICY
The Denver Post: Sheriff outlines woes of Prop 101 at meeting where Tancredo speaks
Prop 101 is one of three companion measures on the November ballot. Douglas County Sheriff Dave Weaver sounded the alarm about what would happen because it reduces taxes, and he said his office already has way too few resources.


ECONOMY
Durango Herald editorial: Job worries Coloradans expected improvement by now
That should come as no surprise; figuring out how to pay for such necessities as housing, food and health care supercedes almost all other concerns. That was the top choice of all three political groups - liberal, moderate and conservative. Other issues weigh heavily as well, but without a crisis, they are not likely to trump financial concerns.

Colorado Springs Gazette: Local homebuilding slows again in July; foreclosures decline
The pace of local homebuilding fell in July, the second straight monthly decline after a year of gains.

Anti-health reform advocates turn in signatures; Aurora Sentinel calls measure misguided

Good morning. Here's a look at news reports from around the state on issues of interest to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy for Monday, Aug. 2, 2010. Listing does not imply endorsement of the content.

GENERAL
The Denver Post: Poll places jobs first among Coloradans
A whopping 58 percent of Coloradans say jobs and the economy are the most important issues facing the country — an increase of 3 percentage points from six weeks ago. All other issues combined — from immigration to the federal deficit — don't come close to equaling how many Coloradans put economic issues first, according to a Denver Post/9News poll.

Denver Post commentary: The cost of sidewalk democracy
Backers of the measure to block the federal government from requiring Coloradans to buy health insurance are confident they will have more than enough signatures (76,047) by Monday to put the question to voters.


FISCAL POLICY
Denver Post editorial: Wise investment in small business
Timing is everything where the nation's economic recovery is concerned. Whacking spending — which needs to be done to address the runaway federal deficit — cannot be undertaken too soon or else it could push the country into further economic distress, some economists say. Wait too long, however, and you risk racking up insurmountable debt that will drag the country deeper into economic trouble.

Colorado Springs Gazette commentary: Only crazies back Proposition 101
Proposition 101 is one of three torpedoes that have been fired at Coloradans by a gang of fringe political sociopaths. Voters will see the troika (Amendments 60 and 61 are the other two) on the general election ballot, but many may not see any danger because the measures are dressed up like Christmas gifts.

Colorado Statesman: State personnel job losses feared amidst recovering economy in the future
The state of Colorado may face a host of disconcerting personnel problems in the coming year while the economy begins to recover — the end of federal stimulus funding, massive budget cuts and the resulting possibility of lay-offs — all coming at a time when 30 percent of experienced state employees are eligible to retire and others may be looking for better opportunities in a recovering market.

Steamboat Today: Steamboat Springs School Board to consider opposing measures
The Steamboat Springs School Board tonight will consider a motion to oppose three anti-tax ballot measures that will be posed to Colorado voters in November. The measures, Proposition 101 and Amendments 60 and 61, are citizen-led initiatives aimed at decreasing taxes and government spending.


HEALTH CARE
Denver Daily News: ‘ObamaCare’ initiative
Libertarian Jon Caldara on Friday submitted more than 130,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office seeking to place a question on the November ballot asking voters to exempt Colorado from major portions of federal health reform signed by President Obama in March.
Also: Colorado Independent: Caldara submits signatures to land anti-‘Obamacare’ initiative on Nov. ballot

Aurora Sentinel editorial: The right choice is saying 'no' to Caldara's misleading initiative
Voters need to be warned that a gravely misguided group of right-wing political fringe are flirting with disaster in their latest attempt to disrupt Colorado government services.