Former Brighton Mayor Jan Pawlowski is hoping to return to life in public office.

Pawlowski, a Republican, is challenging embattled County Commissioner Alice Nichol, who has been linked to a scandal involving Quality Paving. Nichol, who was first elected county commissioner in 2004, is up for re-election this fall.

Pawlowski served as mayor of Brighton for eight years before leaving because of term limits. Prior to becoming mayor, she also served six years on Brighton’s City Council.

In a statement, Pawlowski said she hopes to restore integrity to the office of county commissioner.

“Adams County has been my home for the past 45 years, and it distresses me to see the negative publicity the county is receiving,” Pawlowski said. “We need change and I feel my political and community experience will bring a positive change to the board of county commissioners.”

Nichol, a Democrat, would be seeking her third term as county commissioner in District 2. She was elected to the Board of Commissioners in November 2004, re-elected in November 2008, and currently serves as vice chairman.

http://yourhub.denverpost.com/adamscounty/former-brighton-mayor-jan-pawlowski-runs-county-commissioner/o1IbGvo49R06TwSXNbcpSL-story

HERE’S HOW TO FIND

YOUR NEW PRECINCT NUMBER AND

YOUR CAUCUS LOCATION

Go to www.caucus.cologop.org

Follow the step by step instructions.

Voila!!  You’ll find what you need to know.

Once you fill out the form and get your 10 digit precinct number, here's how you break down the digits. The first digit is your CD-number, the next four is your Colorado State Senate district followed by your Colorado State House district, the next two are 01 (meaning Adams County since alphabetically we're the first county in the state), and the last three is your precinct number. If you want to print out your precinct map, go to http://apps.adcogov.org/gis/staticmaps/precinctmaps/precinctmaps.htm   Make sure you attend your precinct caucus on Tuesday, February 7th 

_______________________________________________________

Important Caucus Information:

1)  The straw poll for President is just that – a straw poll.

     Its results do not bind any delegates to the National Convention.

2)  All assembly fees must be paid at the caucus.

Bring either your checkbook (best) or cash.

Fee for County Delegate $20

Fee for County Alternate $15

(You cannot “run for” Alternate.  You run for Delegate, and

Alternates are decided by the number of votes for Delegate.)

Delegates and Alternates for State and Congressional Assemblies

will be elected at the County Assembly.

However, you must declare your intention to run AT YOUR CAUCUS

and you must pay the (non-reimbursable) fee:

Candidate for State Delegate $20

Candidate for Congressional Delegate $10

If elected, you owe no further fees (even tho the state fee, eg, is $60.)

You can run for State and/or Congressional Delegate if you are

EITHER a County Delegate OR a County Alternate.

You have an equal chance of being elected,

but you must be a County Delegate or Alternate in order to run.

For more clarification, if you’ve not already done so, please take our

online caucus training:  http://react.MDL2.com

 Republican Rep. Kevin Priola also is ready with a bill stemming from personal experience. Priola, an off-road-vehicle enthusiast who represents House District 30, wants to allow the titling and plating of such vehicles so they can be used on dirt roads in the wilderness.  As the situation exists now, an off-road vehicle rider can go four or five miles along a permitted trail, then be legally prevented from riding a short distance to the next trail. "It's a real barrier to access," Priola said. "Look at the map. It's almost like a Swiss cheese effect."  "I've personally dealt with this up where I like to go hunting and camping," said Priola, who like many Coloradans was reluctant to give the locations of his favorite getaway spots.  Off-road vehicles would still face restrictions on paved streets and in cities or counties of a certain size, and farmers could still exempt themselves from plating vehicles. But for others, Priola said, his proposal would be a boon to tourists; would make the theft of such vehicles more than just a personal-property case; and would address a basic equity issue.  "We've got a situation where a 1974 Gremlin car can legally drive on mountain dirt roads," he said, "but a brand-new four-wheel-drive ATV with knobby tires, braking, and independent suspension legally can't drive on that same road."

Democratic Sen. Lois Tochtrop is passionate about her consumer-protection bill focused on unscrupulous roofers.  Colorado gets a lot of hailstorms, bringing out "these travelers who come in and promise to fix the roof," said the lawmaker from Senate District 24.  Some roofers promise to pay a homeowner's insurance deductible, then build the deductible into the price, Tochtrop said. "The roofs are often shoddy," she added.  "You don't know where these roofers are and this type of thing," said Tochtrop, who was still ironing out specifics last week.

Republican Rep. Don Beezley of House District 33 wants to see a "parent trigger" for families whose children attend low-performing schools.  Under current law, it takes five years of low rankings before the state board of education will step in to review a school. Beezley's proposal would change that, giving parents the power to hold a vote after three years. If a majority voted to call in the state board, the review would begin then.  The proposal would "give parents a voice" and shed light on the law, he said.

Democratic Rep. Judy Solano, a retired teacher serving House District 31, has a proposal to better serve poor students.  "I have one bill that will be looking at making sure that our most high-risk kids in the lowest-performing schools get the most effective teachers," she said.  A teacher-evaluation law opened the door to Solano's plan, which would tackle the problem of children in high-needs schools being taught by a revolving cast of first-year teachers.  Solano's bill would set up an incentive compensation fund for teachers to work in the neediest schools, and the highest-rated teachers would be offered jobs first.  "If I can get some private support or donations for a compensation fund, that's kind of what I'm looking at," she said. "High-poverty schools often get the short end of the stick."

Democratic Rep. Cherylin Peniston, another former teacher, also is keeping a light on education. "Children are my passion," she said.  Peniston is a member of the legislature's early childhood and school readiness commission. "That commission is about ready to sunset," she said. "I'm carrying a bill to repeal the sunset provision for that bill and also to make it an official interim committee so it has a higher lever of stability and focus."  The move would give the committee more resources and a staff member, raising its profile and bringing in more collaboration from others, Peniston said.  "Our mission is to promote the understanding that early childhood is where we need to concentrate our resources to give kids the kind of start they need so they don't fall behind from the very beginning," she said.  Children who fall behind early in school have a hard time ever catching up, said Peniston, who believes her proposal would help ensure "that we not drop behind in that progress we've made in early childhood and continue pushing forward."

http://www.great8newspapers.com/Articles-Adams-County-News-c-2012-01-12-223477.114125-sub17478.114125-Lawmakers-share-ideas-for-session.html#print

Adams County Commissioner Skip Fischer announced this week that he will not seek reelection for a third term.   One of two commissioners now on the board with ties to the county’s scandalous history, Fischer saw the writing on the wall and will slip into history rather than go down in defeat in November.

As a commissioner representing the county’s District 1, Fischer did manage to avoid many of the scandals that plagued current commissioner Alice Nichol and former commissioner Larry Pace.  Fischer however was intimately involved and voted on many questionable deals that have come to light.

The list of scandals that have disgraced the county in recent years is long and not-so distinguished.  While Nichol and Pace were truly the bad seeds on the board, Fischer found himself caught in the middle.

Fischer was aware of what was going on and he certainly was complicit, casting votes without dissention on many key issues like the no bid contracts received by Quality Paving.  However it is our impression that he wanted to do the right thing but simply did not know how to or did not have the guts to take a stand.

Following on Pace’s loss in November 2010, Erik Hansen assumed a seat on the dais and has been working on pushing through reforms to clean up county government.  The moves are commendable but have been slow to take shape and not as extensive as what they should be – likely due to the old guard Fischer and Nichol still maintaining control.

Fischer’s exit opens the door for Adams Count y voters to continue the process of cleaning up the mess in Brighton and install politicians that are worthy of the office.  Voters will need to be wary of who they cast their vote for as they are plenty of members of the Adams Family waiting in the wings to take Fischer’s place and this cannot be allowed.

Will Alice run?

There has not been any official word as to whether or not disgraced Commissioner Alice Nichol will seek reelection.  The rumor mill has it that she is seriously considering running, apparently thinking that Adams County voters are stupid enough to return the ethically challenged commissioner to office.

Challengers are already lining up to knock Nichol off should she decide to seek a third term.  Hanging over her head as well is an investigation being conducted by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office into her dealings.

The outcome of the investigation matters little as Nichol’s role has been well documented.  She would do well to step aside and save voters the trouble of kicking her butt out.

http://www.tonysrants.com/thornton/old-regime-county-commissioner-to-leave-office-rather-than-face-voters-again/

At its Annual Meeting last Friday, the TABOR Committee reaffirmed its support for the defense against the ongoing lawsuit, Lobato v. Colorado.  The TABOR Committee has retained pro bono council to file an amicus brief making The TABOR Committee "friends of the court."  Due to a recent ruling by the Court, filing is being held in abeyance.

 “The TABOR Committee is eager to become a part of this very important lawsuit,” declared Penn Pfiffner, a former state legislator who was re-elected Chairman of the TABOR Committee.  “The Directors voted unanimously to vigorously oppose this potentially very damaging case.  It is wrong constitutionally for the judicial branch to take over education funding, and would do great mischief to overturn the voters’ longstandingwishes to control the size of government and its rate of growth.”

 According to the Attorney General’s website, “Plaintiffs argue that K-12 funding is underfunded by $3 billion…”  If they win the case, taxpayer funding K-12 operations would leap annually by that amount.  They also want the state to provide an additional $17 billion for school buildings. “If Plaintiffs were to win, to meet this obligation, the state would either have to raise taxes by at least 50 percent or have to devote 89 percent of the general fund budget to K-12 funding.” (http://www.coloradoattorneygeneral.gov/departments/state_services/education/lobato)

  Of perhaps greater concern was that the state Supreme Court could put itself in a position to determine the outcome even though the state legislature and the voters have determined funding to be adequate.

The timing of an amicus filing has been a major consideration.  The judge in the case recently rejected another group’s amicus filing. The TABOR Committee is following advice of counsel to wait on filing for now.  Matters will be better served to file during the appeals process.

  “The TABOR Committee is watching developments closely,” said Bob Foland, the organization’s ExecutiveDirector.  “  At the appropriate time, we do intend to make our voice heard.”

November 7, 2011

Contact Information

Robert Foland, Executive Director

303-771-4727

ColoradoTABOR@hotmail.com

I am letting you know of a People's House Round-Up that is going on in Westminster. Many have already occurred in Colorado and the Westminster one is scheduled for November 9th. These are great events that allow local folks to talk with their legislators as well as meet members of the Colorado House Leadership team. The small donor funds raised at the event will help expand our majorities in 2012. Since the energy and turnout has been so great, this is one of three additional locations to be added. 

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any and all of the Republicans in our part of the Front Range.

Regards,

Rep. Priola

Kevin Priola

State Representative

House District 30

12255 Ursula St. Henderson CO. 80640

303.882.5486

www.kevinpriola.com

Join members of the Colorado House Republican Leadership and your local State Representatives for food, drink, and conversation.

Fundraiser benefitting The People's House, small donor committee

Dedicated to Expanding our Republican Majority in 2012

Suggested Contribution $50 per person

Please make checks payable to “The People’s House SDC”

If you have any questions or would like to RSVP please send an email to peopleshouseroundup@gmail.com

Visit www.peopleshouseroundup.org to donate online.

Colorado House Representative (HD-31) Kevin Priola  is raising money for the House Leadership Fund on Wednesday, November 9, 6:00-7:30 p.m., at The Ranch County Club (Tejon/120th) in Westminster. The small donor contribution to this event is $50.

Not only are we are hoping for 100 attendees who will hear about the House's plan to increase its slim one-vote majority but also urging contributions from those unable to attend the event.

Thank you for your assistance in supporting this extremely important part of our House leadership's role in keeping the Colorado House of Representatives! 

RVSP to : kpriola@hotmail.com

 FOR ALL REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES and their supporters

Join us for a Municipal and School Board Elections Victory party!!!

Let's get together on election night, Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

Space has been reserved at The Outback Steakhouse, 497 E 120th Ave, Thornton, CO,  (http://g.co/maps/3pr7d)

beginning at 7:00pm

We will monitor the AdCo Clerk Website for returns!

See you there!

Patty McCoy, Adams County Republicans chairwoman