House District 2 Monthly Meeting - May 2, 2009

House District 2 Monthly Meeting – Saturday, 5/2/09, 9:30 - 11 am These notes have been prepared by Thyria Wilson and Tom Parson, as an outline of discussions at our monthly meeting. Any corrections or feedback will be appreciated! 

Our meeting this month included a Candidates Forum for the Senate District 31 vacancy election which will take place on Wednesday, May 20th at Morey Middle School, 840 E 14th Avenue (at Clarkson), Denver.  Please note that since our HD2 Forum, two additonal candidates have joined the race.  For further info:

Click here to visit the Senate District 31 Vacancy Committee Election resource page, featuring all available details about the election process and information about the announced candidates.

HD2 Minutes – May 2, 2009

Opening Remarks by Andrea Merida and Tom Parson

Legislative Report – Rep. Mark Ferrandino: Wednesday will be the last day of the legislative session.

• The ’09 Budget includes cuts but metal health and early childhood education were not cut. There was a 1.4 Billion short fall.

• Senate Bill 88 – Benefits for state employees partners is going to the governor.

• Foreclosure 90 day time out should go to governor.

• Death Penalty prohibition and Cell Phone bills may not pass.

• The 6% limit will be lifted temporarily so that Colorado can raise sufficient funds when recovery comes.

HD2A Captain’s Report - Tom Parson

• Movement of HD2 Clusters of Activists during the last 2 weeks in Health Care, Tuition Equity, and Employee Free Choice Act.

• Also activity on Darfur, Development and Housing in Lincoln Park, National Service, Home Energy Audits.

• HD2 has updated the VAN computer data to include all Obama volunteers – lists now can be made available by precincts, for organizing precinct activities.

• HD2 is expanding use of the Web Portal, www.denverHD2.com .

HD2B Captain’s Report – Andrea Merida

• 2B has been looking at Obama activists and putting together a list of activists under 70 who have a record of voting consistently. 2B has a lot of transitional moving

• We all need to connect with activists, elected officials. Get involved in neighborhood associations and identify yourself as a Democrat

Announcements

• June HD2 fundraiser – Baker Bonanza Yard Sale, June 13^th from 8 to 3 at Mark Ferrandino’s house at 217 West 2^nd Avenue. Call Brenda or Barry at 303-777-9497 for more details. Bring items for sale on the 13^th.

• First Friday artists were Claudia Ortega and Richie B.

• Cecilia Flores gave update on grocery store union workers and possibility of lock out. Anticipating that workers will go on strike, Safeway already is preparing to replace workers. King Soopers’ pensions will be cut starting next year. Call Governor Ritter to ask him to support HB 1170 extending unemployment benefits for locked out workers. For more information or to voice support go to www.ufcw7.org.

• Andrea Merida asked for people to donate new packages of socks and underwear to be given to migrant farm workers as a Migratory Worker Participatory Action for HD2 A and B, collection to be at our June meeting. “If you had some salad, bring some socks.”

• Rita Simas reported on Americorp National Service opportunities. Volunteers 55 or older will get $1,000 tuition credit that can be used for themselves or family members.

• Matt Brady announced information about the free symphony put on by the Mexican consulate, with classical mariachi music. Andrea will post on the portal.

Senate District 31 Candidate Forum

Tom Parson introduced the candidates and asked for questions to be submitted by the audience. The candidates are Alex Sanchez 303-263-7788, Ann Ragsdale 303-429-8582, Elmer “Butch” Hicks 720-404-2286, Jill Conrad 720-289-2886, John Maslanik 303-861-8050, Pat Steadman 720-530-7047, Patrick Byrne 720-937-3999.

Introductory remarks by candidates:

• Jill Conrad has served as an at large representative of the Denver Public Schools, serving over 500,000 people as an elected official for the last 4 years. She has been an educational consultant working on state policy matters for over 14 years. She is passionate about public service and balancing progressive values with pragmatic actions. One action needed is to untangle the financial mess in Colorado.

• Alex Sanchez will dedicate himself to having a government that is effective for all from Westminster to Baker and Lincoln Park. He is first generation American and values accountability. He has been involved in health care and education. He wants corporations and DPS to cooperatively ensure that all kids have educational opportunities. Reforms to fix the broken education system must focus on the children.

• Pat Steadman has been a passionate lobbyist for progressive issues in the Colorado capitol for the past 20 years. His first involvement was in the area of lesbian and gay issues. He is an attorney by training and has 20 years experience in how the Colorado legislature works. He has worked on civil rights issues, school finance, health care and a broad range of policies.

• Butch Hicks would represent the whole district. He was the first black Westminster City Council member. He has dealt with a broad range of tough issues on the council. He has been the Colorado state party treasurer and Adams County party treasurer. He was elected to the Jefferson County Youth Alcohol Intervention Program and on the North Metro Alcohol Diversion Board. He has been involved in a number of initiatives with Denver and Colorado.

• Patrick Sean Byrne is an expert on tax policy issues - TABOR, Gallagher amendment, Amendment 23, the 6% limit and other taxes that handicap Colorado. He has been a financial advisor on these issues to Mayor Hickenlooper and the Governor. If there is a lawsuit on the lifting of the 6% limit temporarily how will we pay for the lawsuit etc.

• John Maslanik is strong in business, international affairs, and economics. He became an activist in public services when on May 2, 20 years ago, communism fell when the border of Hungary was opened. He was in the Peace Corps in Russia from 1992 to 1993 helping to recover the water system in Vladivostok. He ran for RTD representative and has a broader portfolio of issues than transportation.

• Ann Ragsdale is from Adams County but would represent all and tackle pockets of poverty. She was elected as a Colorado representative and served four terms from 1999-2006. She would visit all schools and look at how to improve education.

Tom asked each to pick out core program that still needs work.

• Butch Hicks got actively involved in stopping John Andrews’ project to expand commercial flights to Jeffco Airport that would fly over multiple schools. Has to continue to watch such activities.

• Patrick Byrne has crunched the numbers for Mayor Hickenlooper on a number of issues including Gates public/private rehab of old plant. He has gone to developers and saved 3 million. Problem of subsidizing Denver at the detriment of public.

• John Maslanik went to Vladivostok to deal with sewer and water development. He had to build trust with the Russians. He had to figure out his own program and determine how a city adjusts to economic pressures. He went to a sister city in the US to learn about the system of a similar sized city.

• Ann Ragsdale became an activist to fix the problem of brown water in Westminster. She organized other city residents, including Hispanics and people of multiple races, to clean the water in the city.

• Jill Conrad feels that we don’t do a good job of in education. We’re set for an industrial era not the 21^st Century and global society. Correlation between low income and low scores. Believes that we must improve civic education, teach what the issues are and how solve.

• Alex Sanchez is interested in health care, he worked at McDonalds to get health care for his family. The system is broken. We have a moral obligation to help.

• Pat Steadman worked against Amendment 2, defining an egg as a person. Feels it is too easy to amend the Constitution. The legislature lacks flexibility. Initiative O failed because of misleading 30 second sound bites.

Tom: When did you come to the Democratic Party and what have you done for the party?

• Patrick Byrne worked 4 years for the government and mayor. Has only been a Democrat for a short time but has progressive values.

• John Maslanik disagreed with Ronald Reagan--government is not the problem but the solution. Must fix TABOR etc. Has been finance chair for HD5B, Rules committee 2006.

• Ann Ragsdale has been a Democrat all her life. Party state offices beginning in 1978. Chairman Adams County Dems in 1977, elected as state representative in 1999 for four terms. Charter member of Downtown Democratic Forum, member Colorado Alliance of Retired Americans. Make sure if strike at Safeway that you do not shop at Walmart.

   

• Jill Conrad grew up in NH. First time could vote she voted for Al Gore, a hero to her for his passion and statesmanship and admires Hillary Clinton, active in 5B, believes in strategic process.

• Alex Sanchez an activist since 2004. Latino initiative 2005-06, member Denver Dems Outreach Committee, Denver Latino Commission, on board of Latin American Research and Service Agency, very active with Denver Dems.

• Pat Steadman is a life-long Democrat; parents were involved in campaign for George McGovern. He was delegate site coordinator for HD6A caucus, 601 forums. On vacancy committee for Jennifer Veiga.

• Butch Hicks was member of state party executive committee, site selection committee, Westminster City Council. His mother was a single mom with 3 children.

All responded with support for same sex marriage and the Employee Free Choice Act.

Tom: What are your top 3 issues and what should we do to fix policy and budget?

• Jill Conrad - we need to untangle the fiscal mess. We have a new opportunity after the Supreme Court ruling on the mill levy rate. Enterprise zones not necessarily effective. We need to look at all the tax credits. Education major issue.

• Alex Sanchez - we need to clear up the Constitutional mess that resulted from the TABOR Amendments. Wants opportunity for vocational retraining. How going to pay with budget limitations to fill education needs. Need all day preschool.

• Pat Steadman - need to clear up tax restrictions so can fund public education which is a priority. Also need health care reform because the system is broken. Need to get rid of tax beaks given 10 years ago. With the money we can fund education, health and senior care. Need to create green jobs and training at community colleges.

• Butch Hicks - we need to deBruce.

• Patrick Byrne - need to replace tax structure and tax oil and gas. Income tax of 5% to have universal health care, funding for children.

• John Maslanik - need to get rid of TABOR and sales tax exemptions. Businesses get around the taxes. Need to restructure the funding of education. Defederalize the Nation Guard that was only federalized in 1980s.

• Ann Ragsdale - need to DeTABORize, it is a horrible mantle that damages school districts, cities and counties. Douglas Bruce paid people 3 times to pass amendment. Need to show people that it comes down to basics, that they want roads, education, etc. so need to pay for it.

Tom Parson - question on tuition equity, how to deal with issues when immigrants and other groups are easily demonized?

• Alex Sanchez - kids are our moral responsibility. Build democracy from ground up, our responsibility how to advocate for kids. Government must protect basic human civil rights.

• Pat Steadman - Colorado school counselors say students are impacted, there is dead end and students don’t know where can go from high school. Need economic justice, make money available to all. Give voice to the truth. Has made a career of explaining policy issues and build greater support.

• Butch Hicks - need to fund all education programs, need quality education and health care for all.

• Patrick Byrne - also first generation American, need to let people come in, need comprehensive immigration reform.

• John Maslanik - the senate bill needed to go further, tuition equities, should be able to go to any state and get federal dollars.

• Ann Ragsdale - after three years in high school, Americans for all intensive purposes, should be offered in-state tuition.

• Jill Conrad - to vote no on tuition equity is morally wrong. Need to make sure the students get good jobs, hardest workers. Feels that supporters did not do the ground work on political support in the legislature and community.

Tom - positions on single payer health care.

• Pat Steadman - supported the HB, health care is a basic human need that should be available to all. Need universal health care in states and then Congress can make the right decision federally.

• Butch Hicks - if the bill comes back needs some small changes. Need also to look at workers who have health care but can’t afford the insurance.

• Patrick Byrne - studies show that employer based care is driving middle class into bankruptcy. Government must go to single payer system. Would go further to have state enterprise of developing new drugs and selling them at cost.

• John Maslanik - part of the cost of health care is that uninsured people are using the emergency rooms. Need more vigorous primary care and research to improve on the front end. State needs to invest on primary care side.

• Ann Ragsdale - if concentrated on preventative care rather than acute care people would not have to go to emergency room.

• Jill Conrad - House bills 1273 and 1383 were both killed because insurers and advocates of single-payer would not agree on a solution. To get to universal coverage and single-payer, we need to do political work to get broad support. Need to balance progressive values with practicalities.

• Alex Sanchez - health system rewards sickness not wellness. Bills not comprehensive, need to help most vulnerable. Problem with greedy pharmaceuticals. Need wellness focus.

Tom: a choice of remaining questions - about infrastructure for light rail, marijuana, how to improve our school system where half our kids are dropping out.

• Butch Hicks - has more information on web site. Need new way to manage. Light rail keeps air clean. Need rail to north and northeast and Golden. Will produce jobs, take cars off the road, provide transportation in different areas. Need to repair the system. Would approve marijuana for medical purposes only; would not legalize. We need to appreciate teachers and pay them what they are worth.

• Patrick Byrne - prohibiting use of marijuana is wrong. It militarizes the police, spends money on enforcement and incarceration that could be used to secure our ports. Should legalize and get non-violent drug users out of prison.

• John Maslanik - strong supporter of light rail but need to change from sale tax funding. Laws on marijuana and other controlled substances are a curse; creates military police partnership, supports drug money. Need to have drug prevention and get non-violent out of prison. 50% drop out rate of drop outs is appalling. Need to give tools to succeed.

• Ann Ragsdale - one of only two Democrats who supported T-rex and allowed the transportation to go through. RTD needs to be forward thinking. Supports raising license fees for funding for transportation, will require sacrifice from all. Doesn’t want anyone to smoke at all, but should study, legalize and tax.

• Jill Conrad - need modern infrastructure, need bold vision for comprehensive system. On marijuana there are points on both sides, but we are wasting tax money. Should legalize and tax. Yes for medical marijuana but implications, substance abuse can hurt others. Need education to be transformed to be more relevant and inspiring. HD2 has the highest dropout rate. Need to have 21^st century, not industrial age education. Need to get all agencies together for success, balance values with pragmatism.

• Alex Sanchez - there are rights and responsibilities. More Latinos and poor in prison for drugs, own father and brother in prison for non-violent drug violations. For education: need to focus on the kids, it is not about the adults. Need all sides to come together. Has worked in the community, look at needs of entire district.

• Pat Steadman - support for light rail and public transport, less impact on environment. RTD needs to articulate how it can be accomplished. It is a state issue because all are connected. Marijuana is a racial and economic issue. We are warehousing people, need sentencing reform. Public education is a budget problem, would want full day schooling and mentoring, tutoring. Education for all, opportunity for future and life. Has 15 years experience at the capitol, broad range of policy issues.