Arrive early to sign in and get a seat. If you don’t want to testify, please come to provide moral support and critical mass. 

TESTIFY Wed. Jan 27 on Bills that will raise taxes on small business and families. 1:30 pm, Legislative Service Building at 14th & Sherman, room LSB-A, across the street from the capitol.  Also, public hearings on PERA (Public Employee Retirement Assn.) funding begins at noon in the same place. 

Arrive early to sign in and get a seat. If you don’t want to testify, please come to provide moral support and critical mass. 

No tax increases during a recession! DEMS push anti-small business and anti-family legislation without clear advance notice on House Calendar.  This is a deliberate attempt to stifle debate and ram these tax-raising and job-cutting policies through without the public’s attention. All Republicans on House Finance will be opposed.  It is a 6-5 committee; so ONE Democrat vote against can kill a bill.

House Bill 10-1189

Eliminates Sales Tax Exemption on Direct Mail 

House Bill 10-1190

Temporarily eliminates the sales tax exemption on storage, use or consumption of electricity, fuel and other energy products.

 HB 10-1191

Eliminates the sales tax exemption on candy and pop.  By the definition included in this bill, even honey-roasted nuts are candy.

 HB 10-1192

Eliminates sales tax exemption on some software products. 

 HB 10-1193

Requires out of state retailers to collect sales tax on Coloradoan’s purchases. Affects those with a website link to sell online.

 HB 10-1194

Eliminates sales tax exemption on non-essential items such as plastic ware, condiments, napkins, bags and other items.  (When you buy a burger, the packaging will be taxed separately.)

HB 10-1195

Suspends sales tax exemption on products used to care for livestock and crops.

HB 10-1198

Suspends the Alternative Minimum Tax credit.

 HB 10-1199

Reduces net operating loss carryover to $250,000 for businesses.

House Finance Committee

Rep. Joel Judd 303-866-2925 (D-5 Denver)
Rep. Debbie Benefield 303-866-2950 (D-29 Arvada)
Rep. Jerry Frangas 303-866-2954 (D-4 NW Denver)
Rep. Cheri Gerou 303-866-2582 (R-25 Evergreen)
Rep. Daniel Kagan 303-866-2921 (D-3 Denver)
Rep. John Kefalas 303-866-4569 (D-52 Ft. Collins)
Rep. Jeanne Labuda 303-866-2966 (D-1 SW Denver)
Rep. Ellen Roberts 303-866-2914 (R-59 Durango) 
Rep. Ken Summers 303-866-2927 (R-22 Lakewood)
Rep. Spencer Swalm 303-866-5510 (R37 Centennial)
Rep. Brian Delgrosso 303-866-2947 (R-51Loveland)

If you plan to testify, be prepared, to the point & respectful.  No colorful language or insults — NO signs or flags permitted unless you want to stay on the sidewalk outside of the venue.  But, we need people inside to hopefully fill the room that holds 100 and as many as possible to speak.  Since there are 12 bills, people should spread their signing up across the sheets so there are a decent number speaking for each bill.  You can speak about more than one, but it would be better to have several people speak about each rather than the same handful of people speaking about each. These hearings will run late; so consider a “tag-team” approach with a friend who can sign you in early to speak later.

Why do you want to be a Colorado’s next governor?

What is the most pressing problem facing our state and how do you plan to address it as Governor?

Our statewide economy and unemployment is the greatest problem. Even though it is better than some, it should be even better. We should be the leader in a Clean Energy Economy starting with the expanded exploration and harvesting of our natural gas, other legacy energy, in addition to new energy.

What specifically would you do to make the state more business friendly?
I would start a proactive campaign making it clear that Colorado wants new businesses in our state while creating a more business friendly regulatory environment. I would expedite the discontinuation of the personal business property tax and explore a cutting edge trial of a FairTax structure in Colorado.

What do you think is the most egregious thing Governor Bill Ritter has done that you plan to change if elected in 2010?
His empowerment of the GOGCC to modify the oil and gas regulations and the resulting damage to the energy industry tops my list; though the mill levy freeze supported by the state supreme court is a close competitor.

Has the Republican Party failed to live up to its stated ideals in the past several years? If so, how?
Yes. At the state level the backing of Amendment C and the image of not being the standard bearer of fiscal conservatism was a failure to honor our platform. At the national level we fed at the public trough as badly as any liberal could have and members of our party continue to make foolish choices with their personal lives.

As Governor what specifically would you do to help the state recover from the recession?
Echoing the above, I would send a loud and clear message that Colorado will be the leader in energy development and small business growth. We will cut business taxes and create a regulatory environment that creates a more business friendly environment. That is what creates jobs.

What do you bring to the job of Governor that your primary opponents do not?
I bring a quantifiable track record of business development, administrative leadership, and managerial history unique to a person that has built companies, turned around failing offices, and started from scratch and sold a company in today’s difficult economy. There is a skill set and savvy that creates wealth where there was not previously.

What should the state’s role be in reducing the cost of healthcare? What specific things would you propose or support? What kind of laws would you oppose?
Again, a regulatory environment that pushes costs down is the states role. I would support tort reform, cost reductions in Medicare and Medicaid, and implementation of efficiencies that would reduce costs over the long haul. I would oppose any laws that would increase the cost of healthcare on business.

How are you going to deal with the state’s declining tax revenues? What specifically would you cut to balance the state budget? Would you raise taxes?
Assuming the solutions discussed above would actually stop the declining revenues we should not have the same problem as we have under our current governor. With that said, I would cut staffing first, programs second. I would not raise taxes across the board but I would consider the reduction in tax exemptions if the above solutions did not bring about the desired results.

Do you think there is a Constitutional right to abortion? Explain your answer? Would you vote to make abortion illegal if you could?
No. I do not see a right to any such services in our constitution nor anything even resembling such a practice. I recognize the current laws as they are.

Do you think government has an obligation to legally recognize same-sex relationships with a marriage license or some other form of official recognition? Explain your reasoning.
No. Marriage, and the corresponding privileges (not rights) that accompany it, are reserved for a man and a woman in marriage. Certain civil rights could be assigned to same sex relationships.

Do you think gun ownership in Colorado is over regulated or under regulated? Explain your answer.
I think it is regulated just right as it is.