Colorado’s constitution requires the legislature to do but a few things: balance the budget and, every 10 years, redraw the state’s congressional boundaries.
If you want to be kind, you can say they batted .500 on those requirements, which would earn them MVP status in baseball. But this ain’t baseball, and in any school in Colorado, 50 percent means failure.
After days of tug-of-war, Republicans and Democrats stood together earlier this spring to announce a bipartisan budget deal. For the first time since 2002, a divided legislature, with Republicans controlling the House and Democrats in charge of the Senate, had to reach a compromise on a budget. While we would have liked to have seen more money pumped into K-12 education, compromise, in this case, meant not everyone was happy but the greater good was served and the legislature did its job.
On redistricting, it was just the opposite. Republicans and Democrats couldn’t draw a map, and will now force a judge to do their job. Given the drastic maps first offered by Democrats, we’re guessing that’s what they had hoped for all along.
Overall, it was a huge failure of leadership from both sides of the aisle and, unfortunately, only added to the perception many already have about the ineptness of government.
Here’s a quick look at other issues Colorado’s divided statehouse took on in 2011:
A not-so-civil union. Six Republicans etched their names onto the wrong side of history when they killed a bill that would have allowed for civil unions in Colorado. Civil unions — and we’ll go a step further and say gay marriage — are about equality, and their time is coming. The tide of public opinion is turning, and it’s turning quickly.
The measure deserved to be debated on the House floor by 65 representatives. And we were disappointed that gays and lesbians must wait, again, until they are recognized as equals in the eyes of Colorado law. That day may come sooner than later, because the bill’s defeat only ensures that activist Tim Gill will pour money into campaigns to defeat House Republicans.
The permanent underclass line starts here. Lawmakers killed a bill to allow students who are in the country illegally, but have graduated from Colorado high schools, to pay in-state tuition when they go to college. Their rate would have been slightly higher than Colorado residents, but much lower than out-of-state rates.
Lawmakers shouldn’t drop the fight. In-state tuition is a relatively small expense that would pay off in the long run by paving the way for productive members of society. It serves no one’s interest to continue to create a pool of young people who face a future with few prospects.
Know when to say when. Another huge waste of breath this year over beer sales. As we’ve said repeatedly, it’s time to form a panel with all of the interests represented — liquor, convenience and grocery stores, along with wholesalers and consumers — to find the best way to level Colorado’s uneven playing field.
Got a cold? You’re still in luck. If you get a nasty cold in Colorado, it’s still safe to head to the pharmacy for some Sudafed. Senate Bill 196 would have made some 15 popular cold and allergy medications available only by prescription. The idea was to crack down on methamphetamine users and sellers by making a whole swath of over- the-counter decongestants that are used to make meth prescription-only. The products, now kept behind the pharmacy counter, contain pseudo- ephedrine. As it stands, you have to request these products from pharmacy staff and show identification.
Is meth production such a growing problem in Colorado that it justifies such drastic measures? We weren’t convinced, and fortunately neither was the legislature.
Of course I’m a rancher. I have a horse. Developers and corporations that do little in the way of running cattle or growing wheat have been saving millions on their property tax bills by getting an agricultural tax rate. House Bill 1146, already signed by the governor, took a baby step toward rectifying the situation. It would allow assessors to tax homes at the higher residential rate. However, acres and acres of land in otherwise residential areas would still qualify for advantages under a law intended to protect farmers and ranchers. Just having a horse doesn’t make one a rancher or farmer.
If you want Arizona-style laws, go to Arizona. Sen. Kent Lambert’s Senate Bill 54 would have allowed police to arrest illegal immigrants who are facing deportation or have been indicted or convicted for serious felonies. Of course, police can already do so. Lambert told The Post his bill went a step further than earlier Colorado laws by allowing police to arrest people if there is probable cause to believe they are in the country illegally or if they have committed serious crimes or are facing deportation. It was wisely postponed indefinitely.
Go buy a lotto ticket instead. A proposal to essentially allow up to 5,000 “video lottery terminals” anywhere in the state was a loser, and it eventually died. Even though the goal was worthy — raise money for higher education — the bill was a stinker and a constitutional dodge. An expansion of gaming should go before voters.
Reading, writing and running. Who can argue with kids getting more exercise? Well, we can. The governor already has signed a bill that mandates minimum amounts of physical activity in public elementary schools. However, most schools already ensure that their students get the amount of exercise stipulated in the bill — about 30 minutes a day. Why mandate something that for the most part is already practiced?
The last thing local school officials need is an additional directive from micromanaging state lawmakers.
