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LEGISLATIVE ALERT: Committee hearing Wed. Feb. 23, 3 p.m. on HB11-1222, which will give citizens the right to vote on retaining members of the Public Utilities Commission.
Should three appointed people have the total authority to regulate all fixed and transportation utilities in Colorado without any accountability to the voters?If your business, your fixed income, or your employment prospects are limited because of the effects of the increased costs of electricity and natural gas for example, your testimony at the Transportation Committee hearing on HB1222 will be most valuable.
Currently, the three members of the public utilities commission (PUC) are appointed to 4-year terms by the governor with the consent of the senate. HB11-1222 will:
· Shorten terms from four years to two years.
· Make PUC members subject to a retention vote by the citizens for additional terms.
· Limits to 2 the total number of terms that a member is permitted to serve.
· Clarifies that the governor may only appoint PUC members if a vacancy exists.
The original intent of the Public Utilities Commission was to serve as a watchdog over the cost of utility services for consumers. Fixed utilities regulated by the Colorado PUC include electric power utilities, natural gas utilities, and intrastate natural gas. Transportation utilities regulated by the Colorado PUC include railroads, taxis, limousines, shuttles, charters, and sightseeing carriers, pipelines, district heating utilities, drinking water utilities, and telecommunications utilities.
Over the years, the PUC has re-written its charter to give the unelected members more power.
The current three commissioners (and their term expiration dates), Chairman Ron Binz (Jan 2011), Jim Tarpey (Jan 2013), and Matt Baker (Jan 2012) were all appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter.
Last legislative session, the Commissioners lobbied for HB1365 and HB1001, two bills that raised energy costs while cutting supply. And in November, after two and half years through the process, Baker and Tarpey endorsed an administrative law judge's decision to deny 150 taxi drivers the right to provide service in Denver because of the commissioners' concerns for "oversupply and destructive competition" to spare existing cab companies any competition.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
What Should We Look For In A Republican State Chairman?
The qualifications and characteristics that we should look for in a State Republican Chairman discussed here have been gathered from speaking with former State Chairmen and various Party leaders. These are not necessarily the views of CRBC or its board of directors. However, CRBC has provided this posting on its blog as a starting point for discussion among Republicans and party supporters that may be helpful in choosing a State Chairman.
There are at least four areas to consider as if we were interviewing a contender for the top executive and leadership position of any organization; namely, Knowledge, Vision and Focus, Experience, and Personal abilities and character.
Knowledge
We are looking for someone that understands the structure and processes of the party the mechanics of how it works, how decisions are made, how candidates are selected, the caucus system, state conventions, bylaws and the party rules. The successful applicant should have knowledge of Campaign Finance Law and how it applies specifically to both national and state candidates. The applicant must understand the appropriate role of the Party to promote party image, seek candidates and promote candidate campaigns; while acknowledging that each candidate must rise to the occasion and take responsibility for the success of their own campaign.
The applicant should have adequate knowledge of "new media" sufficient to oversee the selection of new media personnel or contract support in what has proven to be a key to successful races in the two recent elections. A knowledge of"old media" is also important particularly in press releases where the State Chairman has an opportunity to exercise a "bully pulpit" and not only articulate a Party position but also educate the general public on Republican principles as they apply to the issue at hand.
Vision and Focus
Colorado has proven time and again that national and state-wide races can only be won by drawing unaffiliated voters to the Republican ticket. This makes sense since the voters are divided roughly 1/3 Democrat, 1/3 Republican and 1/3 Unaffiliated. The State Chairman must recognize this reality and also have a big-picture state-wide vision that acknowledges many differing points of view without getting stuck on details but allowing those expressing themselves to feel they do have a place in the party. The Chairman should have a focus on the unaffiliated that attracts both the fringe moderate Republican, and the Tea Party person both of which may even be disenchanted with the Party in recent history.
The focus required is needed to attract unaffiliated voters to voting for the Republican. The successful Chairman needs to chart a plan to identify the segments of the unaffiliated such as Hispanic voters, suburban women, uninvolved small business I people, elderly, etc. and a program to attract their unaffiliated votes. Of course, the party must also get the base Republican voters out and build with additional unaffiliated voters.
It would be preferable that the Chairman and the party leaders and legislators in general would focus their campaigns and their rhetoric on the core Republican values of individual rights and economic freedoms, limited government, low taxes and spending, and protection of free enterprise market system and give lower priority to the so-called "social issues" that most likely have no chance of passing a Democrat-dominated legislature as is now being demonstrated in the current 2011 legislative session.
Yet there are many Republican supporters that would like to see a Chairman that might champion the social issues. A stubborn rigid conservative party Chairman "with blinders on" may make many in our party feel good with strong language on social issues; but Republicans may end up losing the political races that are needed to turn the state and the , nation in the right course on the most important priorities.
Others feel that the time is ripe for our most conservative efforts and that eventually they will prevail. History has not proven that to be the case in Colorado and Republicans appear to continue repeating the same mistakes with each election cycle on key races by remaining divided on their favorite issue rather than uniting on the key core principles common to all Republicans. The Chairman should have vision, focus and leadership abilities to help unite Republicans of all stripes.
Experience
The chairman should have experience recruiting candidates that reflect the core Republican principles of the party and that have the communication skills to relate to voters those ideals at the level of the voters is very valuable.
The chairman should have experience in past political campaigns in Colorado e.g. as a campaign manager, as a candidate, as a treasurer or other key campaign position. Significant similar experience in other states should also count.
The chairman should have experience with fund raising making the case for contributions from major donors and also experience with small donor campaigns.
The chairman should have experience interfacing with different factions within the party and experience with Republican county organizations throughout the state.
A past history of involvement and participation in Republican activities, programs, and efforts over a significant period of time is valuable. Presence in Colorado for a number of years may be viewed as more favorable than a relative newcomer to the state.
Personal Abilities and Character
The chairman should be politically savvy regarding various political developments as they occur and having the flexibility to deal with the unexpected.
Integrity is important. The chairman must be thoughtful about forming convictions and then defending them when challenged, rather than waffling back and forth or back-peddling; no shady deals; be upfront and honest. There is particular abhorrence to a Republican campaigning on core and non-core Republican values, but then governing or acting in the opposite direction once in power; and that consistency of speech and action should be sought in the State Chairman as well as candidates for public office.
The chairman must be proud of the superiority of American culture ingrained in the constitutional system, individual freedom and American free enterprise system that does not exist abroad to the same degree.
The position requires exceptional communication skills i.e. the ability to explain anything to people at their level of understanding, including what the role of the State Chairman should be. The chairman needs the ability to develop and nurture relationships with key supporters and donors toward common goals.
The chairman should have organizational skills to motivate people and provide leadership on major initiatives. Provide not only political leadership but have the ability to put in place administrative oversight including proceedings minutes and financial reports at the appropriate levels of the party.
If the State Chairman is to be compensated as a full-time Chief Executive of the Party, be willing to accept a modest base salary and have sufficient confidence to be compensated on a performance incentive basis as is done in a business, for example, on set goals for an elected Republican governor, U.S. Senators, U.S. House of Representatives; state governmental officers, and control of legislative houses.
Conclusion
It is apparent that if we could find such a Chairman, the Chairman could also walk on water; we know that's not possible, but we should try to get as close as we can anyway.
Joseph Chavez, former Treasurer, Colorado Republicans
There are at least four areas to consider as if we were interviewing a contender for the top executive and leadership position of any organization; namely, Knowledge, Vision and Focus, Experience, and Personal abilities and character.
Knowledge
We are looking for someone that understands the structure and processes of the party the mechanics of how it works, how decisions are made, how candidates are selected, the caucus system, state conventions, bylaws and the party rules. The successful applicant should have knowledge of Campaign Finance Law and how it applies specifically to both national and state candidates. The applicant must understand the appropriate role of the Party to promote party image, seek candidates and promote candidate campaigns; while acknowledging that each candidate must rise to the occasion and take responsibility for the success of their own campaign.
The applicant should have adequate knowledge of "new media" sufficient to oversee the selection of new media personnel or contract support in what has proven to be a key to successful races in the two recent elections. A knowledge of"old media" is also important particularly in press releases where the State Chairman has an opportunity to exercise a "bully pulpit" and not only articulate a Party position but also educate the general public on Republican principles as they apply to the issue at hand.
Vision and Focus
Colorado has proven time and again that national and state-wide races can only be won by drawing unaffiliated voters to the Republican ticket. This makes sense since the voters are divided roughly 1/3 Democrat, 1/3 Republican and 1/3 Unaffiliated. The State Chairman must recognize this reality and also have a big-picture state-wide vision that acknowledges many differing points of view without getting stuck on details but allowing those expressing themselves to feel they do have a place in the party. The Chairman should have a focus on the unaffiliated that attracts both the fringe moderate Republican, and the Tea Party person both of which may even be disenchanted with the Party in recent history.
The focus required is needed to attract unaffiliated voters to voting for the Republican. The successful Chairman needs to chart a plan to identify the segments of the unaffiliated such as Hispanic voters, suburban women, uninvolved small business I people, elderly, etc. and a program to attract their unaffiliated votes. Of course, the party must also get the base Republican voters out and build with additional unaffiliated voters.
It would be preferable that the Chairman and the party leaders and legislators in general would focus their campaigns and their rhetoric on the core Republican values of individual rights and economic freedoms, limited government, low taxes and spending, and protection of free enterprise market system and give lower priority to the so-called "social issues" that most likely have no chance of passing a Democrat-dominated legislature as is now being demonstrated in the current 2011 legislative session.
Yet there are many Republican supporters that would like to see a Chairman that might champion the social issues. A stubborn rigid conservative party Chairman "with blinders on" may make many in our party feel good with strong language on social issues; but Republicans may end up losing the political races that are needed to turn the state and the , nation in the right course on the most important priorities.
Others feel that the time is ripe for our most conservative efforts and that eventually they will prevail. History has not proven that to be the case in Colorado and Republicans appear to continue repeating the same mistakes with each election cycle on key races by remaining divided on their favorite issue rather than uniting on the key core principles common to all Republicans. The Chairman should have vision, focus and leadership abilities to help unite Republicans of all stripes.
Experience
The chairman should have experience recruiting candidates that reflect the core Republican principles of the party and that have the communication skills to relate to voters those ideals at the level of the voters is very valuable.
The chairman should have experience in past political campaigns in Colorado e.g. as a campaign manager, as a candidate, as a treasurer or other key campaign position. Significant similar experience in other states should also count.
The chairman should have experience with fund raising making the case for contributions from major donors and also experience with small donor campaigns.
The chairman should have experience interfacing with different factions within the party and experience with Republican county organizations throughout the state.
A past history of involvement and participation in Republican activities, programs, and efforts over a significant period of time is valuable. Presence in Colorado for a number of years may be viewed as more favorable than a relative newcomer to the state.
Personal Abilities and Character
The chairman should be politically savvy regarding various political developments as they occur and having the flexibility to deal with the unexpected.
Integrity is important. The chairman must be thoughtful about forming convictions and then defending them when challenged, rather than waffling back and forth or back-peddling; no shady deals; be upfront and honest. There is particular abhorrence to a Republican campaigning on core and non-core Republican values, but then governing or acting in the opposite direction once in power; and that consistency of speech and action should be sought in the State Chairman as well as candidates for public office.
The chairman must be proud of the superiority of American culture ingrained in the constitutional system, individual freedom and American free enterprise system that does not exist abroad to the same degree.
The position requires exceptional communication skills i.e. the ability to explain anything to people at their level of understanding, including what the role of the State Chairman should be. The chairman needs the ability to develop and nurture relationships with key supporters and donors toward common goals.
The chairman should have organizational skills to motivate people and provide leadership on major initiatives. Provide not only political leadership but have the ability to put in place administrative oversight including proceedings minutes and financial reports at the appropriate levels of the party.
If the State Chairman is to be compensated as a full-time Chief Executive of the Party, be willing to accept a modest base salary and have sufficient confidence to be compensated on a performance incentive basis as is done in a business, for example, on set goals for an elected Republican governor, U.S. Senators, U.S. House of Representatives; state governmental officers, and control of legislative houses.
Conclusion
It is apparent that if we could find such a Chairman, the Chairman could also walk on water; we know that's not possible, but we should try to get as close as we can anyway.
Joseph Chavez, former Treasurer, Colorado Republicans
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