FTS HUMOR: A Day at the U.S. Senate Job Fair

Face The State Humor

By Andrew Ripemoff

The scene: December 2008. Governor Ritter needs to pick a new U.S. Senator. At a large convention hall in Denver, he sits behind a folding table, greeting applicants as the very first "Colorado Open Senate Seat Job Fair" gets under way.

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FTS on the Air: The state's checkbook, online

As first reported by Face The State this morning, Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to announce this morning an initiative to place the state's checkbook online, in effect adopting a legislative effort championed by Sen. Mike Kopp and Rep. Don Marostica. But will Ritter's plan for transparency be as strong as they had proposed? FTS staff writer Rachel Boxer breaks the news on 1310 KFKA's Amy Oliver show.

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Gender politics 101

"In an editorial today that could herald the great advance of Colorado’s upcoming legislative session, the Denver Post lauds a proposal by Rep. Don Marostica (R-Loveland) and Sen. Mike Kopp (R-Littleton) that would place the state government’s check register online. Marostica made a similar legislative proposal in 2007, but was shot down with a ridiculous $2 million fiscal note from legislative staff. (Cost money? It’s much more likely to save taxpayer money.)

One line from the Post editorial jumped off the page when I read it:

9/16: Cary Kennedy vs. TABOR

You can’t make this stuff up – the state Treasurer says she wants to “drive a stake in the heart” of the Taxpayers Bill of Rights.

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Campaigns vie for coveted TV ad space

A Face the State Staff Report

With a November ballot that will see 18 different constitutional questions, a contentious U.S. Senate race, and a presidential race now polling within the margin of error, state and local races are left to figure out how to best reach voters. The smartest way, according to Colorado campaign experts, is also the most expensive: TV advertisements.

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Penn Pfiffner on Amendment 59

Face The State's Brad Jones, sitting in for 600 KCOL's morning team Keith and Gail, speaks with former Colorado legislator Penn Pfiffner about Amendment 59, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff's effort to repeal much of the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights.

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Colorado Supreme Court hears Ritter tax plea

A Face the State Staff Report

Mark Grueskin, an attorney frequently used by Democrats to litigate heated political issues, is at it again. On Thursday, he tried to convince the Colorado Supreme Court to overturn a lower court ruling that a $3.8 billion tax increase, imposed by the state legislature and backed by Gov. Bill Ritter, violated a state constitutional amendment mandating that all tax increases require voter approval.

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"Yes, the Democrats behind Amendment 59 - Andrew Romanoff and Cary Kennedy - want to stick it to the taxpayer in the service of their liberal interest group masters (read: Colorado Education Association). While anyone who has been paying attention understands Romanoff’s and Kennedy’s basic intentions, it is somewhat surprising to see their unguarded opinions reported in black and white."

Petition mania hits Denver grocery stores

A Face the State Staff Report

Faced with an August 4th deadline now just 27 days away, signature gatherers are taking to Denver streets in a mad dash, crowding area grocery stores and malls looking for registered voters willing to lend their support to any one of at least 11 initiatives currently being circulated.

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