Monday, the AP reported that former Colorado state Senate President Peter Groffpaid his staff $30,000 in bonuses before he left office, despite a statewide hiring freeze and a budget crisis that could mean furloughs for thousands of other workers.
At the end of the legislative session, Groff left the Colorado Senate for a position in the Obama administration as director of the Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Center. He is an outspoken supporter of school choice, an opponent of the business personal property tax and a respected leader by Democrats and Republicans alike. It is hard to say anything bad about him.
Remember the Weekly World News? You know, the tabloid that regularly ran headlines like this:
ALIEN GIVES BIRTH TO 300 POUND BABY – ELVIS IS THE FATHER
I think The Denver Post has hired some of those writers. One of the paper's recent front-page headlines may not have been as tantalizing as a tabloid, but it sure caught my attention.
"Several days ago Senator Nancy Spence told me that Groff’s parting gesture as Senate President before heading off to work for the Obama administration in Washington D.C. would be to appoint her — a Republican — to an interim committee on school finance. It didn’t really surprise me, but I didn’t want to spoil the surprise for everyone else either."
"The White House Media Affairs Office has issued a press release confirming the buzzing rumors that Colorado Senate President Peter Groff has been tapped to head the Obama administration’s Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Center."
Already two weeks behind schedule, Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, has ordered that this year’s budget bill, better known as the Long Bill because of its length, sent back to the Joint Budget Committee where members are being encouraged to rethink the current proposal to cut significant funding from Colorado's higher education institutions.
This Twitter craze is sure sweeping the country. But to people like me who are really old, (over 30), it seems sort of cold and mechanical. My generation prefers to communicate with our friends the good old fashioned way, through more personal, intimate means, such as e-mail.
March is coming to a close and that means the introduction of the state’s annual budget bill - known around the Capitol as the Long Bill - is on on its way. This year, however, it will come at least a week later than expected.
The good news is that the legislature is halfway done with its work. The bad news is that there are still more than 50 days for lawmakers to brainstorm ways to boss you around. Hold on to your wallet as we review the first half. Drumroll please...
FTS staff writer Rachel Boxer has the latest from the Colorado General Assembly. House speaker Terrance Carroll has implored colleagues to be more formal when addressing one another, but is anyone heeding his call? Also, county Republican parties across the state are tapping new leaders to help turn the tide in 2010.
Okay Dems, you now have it all. The Colorado House & Senate. Both houses of Congress. The White House. And as far as I know, the regional superintendent in charge of sewage disposal for La Plata County.
Colorado’s top legislators are loving life in 2009. Senate President Peter Groff and House Speaker Terrance Carroll, both Denver Democrats, have been featured on CNN twice in just the last two weeks.
With the General Assembly’s top Democrat leaders hailing from urban Denver, the party is now tipping its hat to rural Colorado by selecting Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, as the next House speaker pro tem. The choice has rural leaders questioning how it will impact issues important to their districts.
The statehouse has nominated its leadership team, and it appears that the genial and well-liked Terrance Carroll will became the next House Speaker. Just in case you weren’t aware, The Denver Post wants to make sure you know that Carroll is black. On the Senate side, Peter Groff was re-elected as Senate President. And in case you weren’t aware, the Denver Post wants you to know that Groff is black, too.
This year's newly minted state House and Senate Democrat leaders have given school choice supporters a reason to be cautiously optimistic, as the two men slated to lead their respective chambers have often split with their union-backed party to support school choice.
Gosh, did the year really go by that fast? We've had such an awesome time working together on the Face The State High School yearbook committee. Our advisors from the CSU and CU student newspapers really helped keep things in good taste. (Thanks, guys!) Congratulations to the winners in this year's list of superlatives. See you next session and have a great summer vacation, okay?
Colorado Senate Democrats have stepped up to the plate and have finally begun addressing a very serious problem facing our state. Trial lawyers, who clearly do not make enough money, can count on Dems for the recent passage of Senate Bill 164, or as it's officially called: "The Trial Lawyer-Lexus Purchase Assistance Act of 2008."
In the aftermath of last week’s shocking resignation by state Rep. Michael Garcia, D-Aurora, due to allegations of sexual misconduct, capitol insiders are now questioning the environment the allowed his behavior to flourish.
It was (YAWN), an exciting two day start of the 2008 legislative session last week. It began with Speaker Romanoff oddly devoting an entire speech to a baby, and ended after Governor Ritter’s 174 hour, 28 minute State of the State - a speech in which he promised not to raise taxes, “..for at least a hour. Maybe two.”
