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Normally, it's easy to predict what will happen during an even-year short session of the Colorado General Assembly, such as the convocation which looms imminently.
The Democratic governor presents a list of measures to increase our taxes. The Republican legislature opposes tax increases but favors laws to reduce our freedoms. Eventually they compromise and agree on schemes to raise taxes and further limit various inalienable rights.
Complicating matters this year, though, is the anticipated resignation of Lt. Gov. Mike Callihan, who has plans to enter the poultry business.
Gov. Roy Romer gets to appoint a replacement, but that replacement must be confirmed by the state senate. The Republicans fear this scenario:
Romer appoints, say, Ken Salazar in early 1994. In the summer of 1994, Romer accepts a federal patronage job and resigns. Salazar becomes governor, and he's a strong candidate in November for a term of his own.
To prevent that, the Republicans want Romer to appoint a lieutenant governor who is blatantly unelectable in November. I happen to meet that qualification so well that I wouldn't even vote for myself; I hope they keep that in mind if there's a snag in finding someone to collect $50,000 a year for doing next to nothing -- I'm qualified for that, too.
Beyond that, there are other measures certain to emerge during this session:
· Great Indoors Colorado Anti-Crime Act of 1994. A minor revision to current laws, mandating that lottery money currently dedicated to parks and open space be temporarily transferred to corrections construction and operation for a period not to exceed 50 years.
Voters won't notice because they'll be enchanted by the hard-core anti-crime posturing as the legislature and the governor compete to demonstrate who can be toughest.
· Realty Economic Development Encouragement Fund. A small tax of 0.1 mill will be levied on every breath inhaled in Colorado. It goes into a fund administered by the Colorado Board of Realtors to assist developers in promoting new subdivisions, laden with amenities and offering an enhanced quality lifestyle.
This way, we'll feed the goose that lays the golden
eggs,
a lobbyist explained, and we think we can get
Doug Bruce on board, since he's in the real-estate business
too.
· Iterbasin Water Transfer Enabling Act. The problem is that some mountain counties have been using their zoning powers, granted by the state, to hamper the diversion of water from rural areas to Front Range real-estate developments, vital to the process of turning Colorado into California.
While we say we believe in local control,
a
suburban senator said, that holds only as long as we can
control the locals. They're acting uppity out there, and so
we're removing all county authority over dams, reservoirs,
canals, aqueducts, conduits, pumping plants and the like.
In a democracy, why should a growing city with hundreds of
thousands of people should pay any attention whatsoever to
the whims and caprices of a few hundred rubes?
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