2011 Legislative Notes

 Public Policy Committee

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PUBLIC POLICY STUDY GROUPS UNDERWAY

Starting July, 2011, the Platform Committee has been meeting to craft suggested Planks which will be made available for public vote at the March 6, 2012 Democratic Caucus. 

July 8, 2011 || Join a Study Group on Public Policy Issues

If you would like to contribute to in-depth studies of public policy issues, you are invited to join one of the Study Group subcommittees of the Public Policy Committee now being formed. These subcommittees will meet informally at the convenience of the participants over a period of time, to consider in depth specific issues about which legislation at the local, state, or national level is anticipated in the near future. Previous participation with the Public Policy Committee is NOT required.

Below are listed the five Study Groups currently in formation, and the nature of the questions that each will be dealing with. If you are interested in joining one or more of these groups, please let Lou Irwin, Chair of the Public Policy Committee, know atLnirwin@comcast.net

Potential Study Groups

Immigration
Bills can be expected that will be aimed at strengthening laws against undocumented residents (“illegal aliens” – note the use of language), as well as reintroduction of some version of the ASSET bill. What will conservatives do to make the former more palatable to liberals, and what can liberals do to make the ASSET bill acceptable to conservatives? Is there a way to combine the two that allows both liberals and conservatives to claim they have upheld their respective principles? Can states which have passed, or attempted to pass, comprehensive immigration legislation serve as models for what can be done at the state level, or should all political energy be directed at federal legislation?

Taxation
With Rollie Heath‘s initiative on raising the sales tax slightly to cover the shortfall in education spending likely to be voted on this fall, is it time for a more comprehensive study of Colorado’s various sources of revenue? Government costs money, just as all the necessities in life do. Even the most die-hard conservative acknowledges that some government is necessary, and that it therefore needs to be funded. What is the fairest way of doing this, and is there a way to frame the challenge of generating adequate revenue for government in a way that gains broad enough support for successful passage of the Heath initiative, and for comprehensive revenue reform extending into the future?

Health Care
Senator Aguilar’s bill to study the feasibility of a statewide health care cooperative for all Colorado citizens is sure to be re-introduced. On the opposite side, attempts to opt out of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care act can be expected as well. The increasing cost of Medicaid to the states has been handled in Colorado by reducing reimbursement rates to providers below a sustainable level. Is there a way to turn the Medicaid funding crisis into an opportunity to expand access to health care while bringing down costs? What is the effect of the growing number of “health care homes”, both in hospitals operating for profit, and in the non-profit sector? Can more extensive use of school and community health clinics be part of the solution?

Education
The recurring issue in education, apart from the constant struggle for funding, is the question of local versus state control. School boards exist for a reason: to incorporate local conditions and perspectives into the educational system. On the other hand, statewide standards for administrators, teachers, and students are reasonable and necessary. Is the right balance between local control and state oversight presently being achieved? What can be done to better address the number one challenge in education: reversing the deplorably high dropout rate? And what needs to be done by all parties – parents, teachers, and administrators – to graduate more competent students?

Criminal Justice
Despite some improvement, our prisons remain overcrowded with non-violent offenders, while violent criminals occasionally go free. How can we better ensure that dangerous criminals stay behind bars, while non-violent offenders are provided with alternatives to incarceration that promote rehabilitation and reduce recidivism? How can we make better use of restorative justice programs, and minimize the collateral consequences of convictions. And isn’t it time to seriously reconsider the “war on drugs”? While conservatives view criminality as behavior that needs to be punished, liberals see criminality as behavior that needs to be rehabilitated. Can common ground be found between these two perspectives?

June 17, 2011