North Suburban Republican Forum

January, 2011
www.NorthSuburbanRepublicanForum.com www.NorthSuburbanRepublicanForum.org

Our next meeting is from 9:15-10:15 am, Saturday morning, January 15th featuring Penn
Pfiffner of the Independence Institute talking about “The Citizen’s Budget”. This time,
legislative leaders are not “crying wolf” about the State budget. Learn what you need to
understand the crisis, what citizens should do about it and how you can influence the
debate. Come hear former legislator and current Senior Fellow at the Independence
Institute, Penn R. Pfiffner. He will present “The Citizen’s Budget”. You will be
energized, educated and impressed by the opportunities to be involved and to lead.
Remember to invite somebody new to the NSRF as we discuss politics for the Denver North
Metro area. Please forward this newsletter to other like-minded individuals. We need to
be activists to regain our county and country from progressive-minded Liberals.

NSRF upcoming calendar in 2010/2011:

February 12 – Adams County Republicans Executive Committee Meeting at the fairgrounds
March 12 – How to be informed and involved in Colorado and local politics
April 9 – Colorado’s transportation issues
 May 14 – Colorado legislative session feedback

Citizens’ Budget
September 8th, 2010 by jlongo
The report provides an overview of the structure, timing and size of the State budget. We speak to how the
problems originated and how things have gone wrong in recent years. The Citizens’ Budget includes legislative,
constitutional, and policy recommendations to close the looming state budget gap – without raising taxes – and
move Colorado towards sustainable government for good.

Please share this important project with fellow concerned Colorado citizens. We must tackle this problem sooner
than later. To achieve sustainable government in our lifetime, we need your help. Trust us, your children and your
children’s children will thank you.

Important Links:

The 170 page full-color web version of the Citizens’ Budget document can be downloaded in PDF form. You can
click and read individual chapters from the table of contents on page 2.

Additionally, the full document can be downloaded and printed in this full black and whiteprinter-friendly version.

Full-color six page Executive Summary: Road Map for Sustainable Government

Citizens’ Budget individual chapters, broken down by topic:

Introduction and Overview: The State’s Budget

State Budget Process

Priority-Based Budgeting

Policy Changes to Make a Difference:

• Higher Education Policy

• K-12 Education Policy

• Health Care Policy

• Colorado’s Pension Liability

• Retirement Health Benefits

• Transportation Policy

• CDOT Debt

• Old Age Pension Plan

• Corporate Welfare

• Revenues from Tobacco “Master Settlement Agreement” of 1998

• The Case for Further Sentencing Reform in Colorado

• Lottery Proceeds

• Governor’s Energy Office

Topics Needing Further Study
 Other Operational Savings

Authors Section
http://tax.i2i.org/citizens-budget/

Independence Institute Event: Sentencing Reform In The 2011 Colorado General

Assembly
posted by mike krause on jan 09 2011 |

State spending does not drive the prison population. Rather, just like an entitlement, the prison population drives

state spending. The legislature’s ability to affect the prison caseload, and thus the corrections budget, rests in its

prerogative to write, and when necessary, re-write the state’s criminal sentencing and parole laws and policies.

In 2010, Colorado lawmakers passed and Governor Ritter signed a half-dozen sentencing and other criminal justice-

related bills that were generated out of the work of the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ).

All of these bills were fairly modest in scope (an appropriate enough approach to most criminal justice reform efforts),

but taken together it was the most significant effort at sentencing reform, and thus prison spending reform, in

Colorado in the last twenty-five years. Indeed, the last time the Colorado legislature took this big a swipe at

sentencing was in 1985 with House Bill 1320, which not only increased the minimum sentences for crimes of violence,

but also doubled the maximum penalties for all levels of felony crimes, regardless of the nature of the crime, in

Colorado’s presumptive sentencing range. Colorado taxpayers have been paying the price of runaway prison spending,

with a less-than-clear public safety benefit, ever since.

The CCJJ is still working, and there will be both more recommendations and more sentencing and criminal justice-

related bills in the 2011 Colorado General Assembly. So the Independence Institute is teaming up with the
 ColoradoCriminal Justice Reform Coalition and the Pew Center on the States to throw a panel event to find out just

what is on tap for sentencing reform in Colorado this year.

The event will be Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 5:00 PM at the University Club, just north of the Colorado State Capitol. Panelists

include State Representative and CCJJ commissioner Mark Waller; State Senator and CCJJ drug task force member Pat

Steadman; Christie Donner, Executive Director of the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition and CCJJ task force

member; Richard Jerome from the Pew Center on the State’s Public Safety Performance Project and yours truly from

the Independence Institute.

Details available here. And after you RSVP, you can get prepped for the event by reading the sentencing reform

section of the Independence Institute’s Citizens’ Budget project.

http://www.joncaldara.com/2011/01/09/sentencing-reform-in-the-2011-colorado-general-assembly/

• REVIEW & OUTLOOK

• DECEMBER 22, 2010

A Nation in Motion
The Census reveals a people who are moving to pro-market red states.
The Census is in. There are now 308.74 million Americans, an increase of 27 million, or 9.7%, since 2000. Americans
are still multiplying, one of the best indicators that the country's prospects remain strong.

About 13 million of that increase were new immigrants. These newcomers brought energy, talent, entrepreneurial skills
and a work ethic. Their continued arrival in such large numbers validates that the rest of the world continues to view the
U.S. as a land of freedom and opportunity.
The Census figures also confirm that America is a nation in constant motion, with tens of millions hopping across state
lines and changing residence since 2000. And more of them are moving into conservative, market-friendly red states
than into progressive, public-sector heavy blue states.

In order the 10 states with the greatest population gains were Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Texas, North Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Colorado and South Carolina. Their average population gain was 21%. In the fast-growing states, the
average income tax rate is 4% versus 6.9% in the slowest growing states.

The average population gain of the bottom 10 states was 2%. They include most of the states now famous for fiscal
distress: Michigan, Ohio, New York, Illinois. Michigan was the one state that actually had a net loss of population in the
past decade.

Particularly troubling is that three of America's traditionally high-octane states—California, New Jersey and New York—
are in the population and economic doldrums.

New York's population grew only 2%, while New Jersey grew at less than half the U.S. average. California's population,
a source of its rising economic prosperity throughout the 20th century, grew only at the national average. For the first
time since 1920, the not-so-Golden State failed to gain a single new House seat, an astonishing event. The place that
once led the rest of the nation in technology, innovation, venture capital and cultural trend-setting is now reaping the
whirlwind of its profligate political regime in Sacramento.

Meanwhile, the West and South continue to gain strength, while the Northeast, a blue state bastion, stagnates. Only
New Hampshire, with the huge advantage of no income or sales tax, is doing relatively well, with population growth
twice that of the rest of the region.

The Census exercise is also about the rise and fall of political clout, and here the runaway winner is Texas. It gets four
new Congressional seats, followed by Florida with two seats, and Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and
Washington gaining one seat. With the exception of Washington, these are all relatively Republican states.

The losers are states the Democrats traditionally look to for support. New York and Ohio lose two seats. Illinois, Iowa,
Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are all down one seat. When combined
with the impact of redistricting within states, Republicans could be in position to gain more House seats in 2012 on top
of their 63-seat gain this year. You'd expect the blue states to undertake economic reform out of simple political self-
interest.

The Census numbers are one way to judge which public policies are working in the country and which aren't. Texas is
looking like the new California. And California, Michigan, New Jersey and New York need to look deep into themselves
to discover a more promising result 10 years from now.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704851204576034071534144888.html?
KEYWORDS=a+nation+in+motion
• WONDER LAND
• JANUARY 6, 2011

Congress's Broken Windows

The president must have power over the budget to make spending reform work.
Here's something most Republicans don't want to hear: There is no way the born-again, straight and sober
Republicans of the 112th Congress are going to get spending under control unless they involve the fellow at 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue.

The spending reforms that Speaker John Boehner and his counterinsurgency lieutenants have proposed—spending
reductions to offset any mandatory increases or stated budget limits for the current fiscal year—are terrific. But if you
think Congress, by itself, is going to sustain this discipline over time, I have a bridge in Alaska I'd like to sell you.

Congress is a legislative body. Like legislative bodies from ancient Rome till now, its DNA is not to forgo things but to
do stuff. Everyone agrees that Congress holds something called the "power of the purse." And don't they know it.
Nowhere in the Constitution will you find that phrase. Nor in the Constitution that they are reading on the House floor
Thursday will you hear the words "spend," "programs" or "outlays." All this, though, is what Congress has been about
since anyone can remember.

The reform groups and blogosphere are threatening hellfire for any Republicans who cross them on spending, but take
my word for it: Once any Congress makes it to the budgeting "out years," all that hellfire will be just a puff of smoke.
James Buchanan, the father of public choice theory, won a Nobel Prize for unraveling this reality.

It is not hopeless. The locus of hope, however, lies with the Executive, a word at least nominally associated with
responsibility. In an article on these pages recently ("Time for Emergency Economic Reform"), a successful political
executive, Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, identified the sine-qua-non reform to sustain spending discipline: presidential
impoundment power.
However you define the idea—impoundment, rescission, the line-item veto—it is the power of a president or governor
to zero out some of the spending pile that a legislature dumps on the front lawn. It is executive pushback against
wretched legislative excess.

"Presidents once had the authority," Mr. Daniels wrote, "to spend less than Congress made available through
appropriation. On reflection, nothing else makes sense."

Ask New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie about the impoundment power. He has it, and he'll tell you it is indispensable to
what he is trying to do in his hopelessly profligate state. Absent that impoundment power, a lot of the Christie pitch
would be just rhetoric.

Before getting into why 43 governors, but not the U.S. president, have this power, a comment on those who say that
impoundment is a pop-gun, that it can't control entitlements or mega-programs.

The Roman Senate contemplates bankrupting the empire.

Perhaps you have heard of the "broken windows" theory of urban chaos.
It says that in a neighborhood wracked with murder and mayhem, it is
important to repair broken windows. The idea is that leaving small
matters like broken windows unrepaired tells criminals that no one cares
if they break the neighborhood further, and it tells the people there is no
hope of fixing the big things. In New York City, this worked.

Earmarks, pork, corporate carve-outs and all that are Congress's broken windows.

Every knowing article written on this subject points out what a "small" percentage of spending this stuff is. But the
behavioral incentives for big-time criminals in the Bronx and big-time spenders in a legislature like Congress are the
same. An annual federal budget of $3.5 trillion is a towering monument of broken windows. Federal highway spending
has been on automatic pilot for nearly 20 years. Sen. Tom Coburn has a long list of programs uselessly duplicated
across the government; nine agencies run 69 early-education programs.

Here is a list of U.S. presidents and public figures who have used or supported the impoundment power: Abe Lincoln,
Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, JFK, LBJ, Bill Clinton, the Bushes, John McCain, John Kerry, Al Gore, Pat
Buchanan, Jeb Hensarling, Russ Feingold, Joe Lieberman, Judd Gregg, and not least both Paul Ryan, the new House
Budget chairman, and Barack Obama.

This crucial executive ballast does not exist mainly for two reasons.

In the early 1970s, Richard Nixon tried aggressively to impound spending, touching off a war with Congress's
"prerogatives." Then Watergate broke. In a fury, one of the most liberal Congresses passed the Budget Control Act of
1974 (which should be repealed). It transferred most spending "control" to Congress, which one commentator at the
time called "congressional government—and chaos."
 Second, the Constitution is ambiguous on how to divide this authority, and the Supreme Court, in coin-flip decisions,
has sided with Congress.

All the congressional names above, especially Rep. Ryan, have tried to thread this legal needle. But it doesn't exist
because the bipartisan pig-out caucus—in hiding now—won't let it happen.

Yes, this week the GOP Congress is talking about a lollapalooza annual budget cut of $100 billion. Go for it! But let's
hear Barack Obama put the impoundment power back in play in his State of the Union address—for this presidency
and however many presidents are left in the future of our broken-windows capital.

Write to [email protected]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704723104576062180953503612.html

Four years of Democratic leadership in the House added $3.66

billion of debt per day
January 7th, 2011

The national debt as of 10:43am MST on January 7, 2010. (USDebtClock.org/)

The economy and more specifically the national debt was a key factor in this past November’s elections.
The American people have grown weary of a government that refuses to live within its means, something
which we all individually do. Analysis of the national debt since Democrats took over the House of
Representatives in 2007 provides for some interesting reading.
According to CNS News, under the leadership of a Democratic controlled Congress (remember – they are
the ones that set spending) the national debt increased $5.3.43 trillion or $3.66 billion per day!

Putting that in perspective, in the 1,461 days Nancy Pelosi served as Speaker of the House the nation
amassed more debt than under all other Speakers in history – COMBINED.

Is it any wonder why people are upset with our government?

Falling in the category of ‘people in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks’ full disclosure mandates that
Republican leadership certainly had their hand in a ballooning national debt as well.

Under House Speaker Dennis Hastert the national debt increased over $3 trillion from 1999 to 2007. Prior
to Hastert, the debt increased $812 billion in the four years under Speaker Newt Gingrich.

However, it is worth noting that while Republicans did their fare share previously, under a Democrat
controlled House the debt increased more than three times as fast.

Let us hearken back to Nancy Pelosi’s inaugural address:

“After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go,
no new deficit spending. Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not
burden them with mountains of debt.”
~ Nancy Pelosi, January 4, 2007

It would appear the Democrat’s definition of a ‘mountain of debt’ is much different than that of the
American people.

http://www.tonysrants.com/national/four-years-of-democratic-leadership-in-the-house-added-3-66-billion-of-
debt-per-day/

A Quiet Legislative Session For K-12? Transformers Still Must Make Noise
by Eddie | 12:13 pm, January 10, 2011 |

Well, it’s that time of year again….

Hey, stop giving me those blank stares!
Time to preview Colorado’s upcoming legislative session and the debates over bills and policies that could
affect K-12 education in our state. Session starts in two days, and Ed News Colorado has posted
the annual preview by Todd Engdahl — a must-read for local education transformers.

Of course, anyone who has been paying attention or reading what I have to say, knows what the driving
theme will be. Engdahl’s story hammers it home:
“The budget is the big elephant in the room,” said Vincent Badolato, public affairs vice president for the
Colorado League of Charter Schools.
He and many others identify budget cuts as the overarching education issue of 2011 – as they were in
2009 and 2010. “It’s budget, budget, budget,” said Moira Cullen of the lobbying firm Capstone Group.
State K-12 support and higher education funding consume 55 percent of the state’s $7 billion general
fund. Continued budget belt-tightening for education is a given because state revenues remain fragile and
because the legislature must approve a balanced budget, can’t increase taxes without voter approval and
also faces spending demands for Medicaid and other human services programs.

In some ways, it’s not a whole lot different than the prospects facing the opening of last year’s session.
But this time around there is no Race to the Top, no big reform bill push, a divided legislature, and a
governor without a focus on significant changes to education. Twenty-eleven also isn’t an election year
(we’re not counting school boards here).

Still, Ed News Colorado reports on a couple intriguing ideas:

Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, has an administrative idea that likely will make districts nervous. She
said in December that she’s planning legislation that would require school districts to seek requests for
proposals from private companies for outsourcing non-instructional services such as transportation,
janitorial, food service and similar functions. Districts then would be required to hold public meetings to
inform citizens about the comparative costs of outsourcing a service as opposed to providing it with
district employees….

Freshman Rep. Don Beezley, R-Broomfield, said, “You’ll find me pretty focused on charter schools and
parent empowerment. I’m looking at a couple of charter-related bills.” Specifics remain to be fleshed out;
“We’re working on it.”
Beezley said he’s interested in the “parent trigger” idea, referring to a California law that allows organized
parents to take over a failing school and have it turned in to a charter, its teachers and principals
replaced.

And we can always hope for a surprise or two that includes broader support for bold, outside-the-box
thinking — like the creation of a cost-saving tuition tax credit program that expands private school choice.
That’s what my Education Policy Center friends have researched and proposed in the K-12 education
chapter of the new Citizens’ Budget.

Some lawmakers and interest groups may insist on a quiet session. But no matter what, I’ll still be out
here making noise for some meaningful K-12 policy changes that provide choice and accountability,
changes that empower families. I hope more of my education transformer friends will join me.
http://www.peoplespresscollective.org/2011/01/a-quiet-legislative-session-for-k-12-transformers-still-must-
make-noise/
 This newsletter has a Republican viewpoint but may or may not reflect the
views of the NSRF Board of Directors. It is intended to inform and for the
thoughtful consideration of our members and as potential discussion
starters.

Penn Pfiffner is a former state representative, having served eight years in

the legislature. His major bills included the enhanced sentences for
dangerous pedophiles and the state’s first full-restitution policy. He
authored the repeal of the capital gains tax, and wrote the major
deregulation bill of the decade.

He has a financial and managerial consulting practice, Construction

Economics, LLC.

He taught college Economics at night school, at both the graduate and

undergraduate level, for thirteen years. Penn earned a Masters in Finance
from the University of Colorado at Denver.

He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Independence Institute and served

for six years as the President of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers; he
continues to serve on the Board.

Penn and Karen are the parents of three adult children. He is a veteran,
having served as an officer in the Navy until the end of 1979.
Underlying
At the center of the problem lies an unwillingness
to address how, and how much, the State spends.
Colorado state government has lived too close to

Causes
the
limit, creating a structure and a process that
cannot be sustained. It is not prudent to design

The demand for government services is future budgets based on an unsupported hope
nearly infinite. There is always a handy that times once again will be economically
explanation for someone who must be robust.
helped by expanding a current program or
instituting a new one. Our elected leaders
and Colorado citizens have not demanded
that difficult decisions be made, choosing
instead to expand State services in a futile
effort to satiate the insatiable.

When one-time or short-term funds

became available, the legislature
applied them to fill holes for
budgeted government services
without looking ahead to meeting
the demand for the services in out-
year budgets.

We cannot place the health and well-

being of government above the health
and well-being of citizens. Coloradans
watched as the recession removed
171,400 jobs in the economy. Citizens’
personal income shrank 3.3 percent over
two years, while combined state and
local government grew. Families
dependent on the private sector for
income tightened their budgets, saw
colleagues furloughed from businesses,
yet watched as an increasingly
unresponsive government sector
continued growing. The burden of public
spending at the federal and state level is
becoming too great for the productive
sector to support.
 The answer given so far by the majority of the

Proposed
General Assembly and the executive branch is that
taxes and fees are simply inadequate to support
necessary State services. The structural changes they
seek are potential new taxes and increases in

Solutions
A range of potential solutions was
existing taxes, coupled with higher fees.

While potentially solving the near-term budget

shortfall, increas-ing revenue fails to address the true
considered. No strategy was ruled out based systemic problem regarding how and how much the
simply on political ideology. Solutions were State spends. Adopting this approach will place
assessed on their potential for placing the Colorado on the same path as California, New York
State on the road to regain long-term, and New Jersey—states that have repeatedly
sustainable government. addressed budget shortfalls through increased taxes
and fees. Each of these states now faces a budget
Elected officials gladly will tell you they have crisis significantly greater than that faced by
cut all the fat out of pro-grams and if we cut Colorado. We have the opportunity to learn from their
back any more, we will be cutting out sinew mistakes and follow a differ-ent, sustainable path.
and bone. We did not look to close the $1
Colorado must budget within anticipated revenues,
billion shortfall through focus-ing on “waste,
an approach that will require structural and policy
fraud and abuse,” for that would have been
changes. This report recog-nizes a few broad
beyond our means to investigate each
spending categories and confronts how we spend
division and each branch office, as the new
our funds there. Not only can we meet the
governor should do. Further, focusing on
challenges for next year, but the legislature could
trimming the fat fails to address Colorado’s
prepare during the next session for further changes
systemic budgetary problems. to be voted on in the 2012 election.
Proposal Highlights
The report provides an overview of the structure, timing and size of the State budget. We speak to
how the problems originated and how things have gone wrong, emphasizing that too much focus is on
the costs that make up the spending total, such as number of leased vehicles, number of employees,
office supplies and imputed value of leased space. Almost no emphasis is placed on outcomes for the
spending. We urge greater attention to measuring and managing the services provided in terms of
benefits received. We take a strong position in favor of a new legislative process to place government
services into a priority list.

Pension benefits
PERA’s problems were reduced but not fixed with recent legislation.
End the guaran-teed pension to new hires in favor of defined
contribution plans and separate the $23.4 billion liability for benefits
owed to retirees and current workers from the cost of pro-viding
benefits to newly-hired workers who didn’t contribute to that deficit.
Raise the minimum age to receive benefits to the same as Social
Security. Replace the taxpayer’s unlimited exposure for investment
results with a responsibility by the beneficiaries.

Implement a defined contribution plan for retirement

benefits provided to both the State government and local
governments for the Health Care Trust Fund. Next year’s
savings to the State would be $10.1 million. More
importantly, it would save local districts (including
schools) $43.6 million and would close a gargantuan
unfunded liability of $1 billion.

Holding onto a state-based social security system is indefensible,

since a qualifying beneficiary may never have contributed a single
cent to qualify. Other elderly direct assistance programs cover basic
needs. Ours is the last state with a system left over from before the
federal Social Security program began its distributions. Repeal of this
program could be done in two to three years, freeing up about $105
million per year.

K-12 Education
The largest single area of State spending is Kindergarten
through 12th grade education. Taxpayers would be able to
fulfill the constitutional mandate while taking pressure off the
budget by encouraging families to seek alternatives outside of
current government offerings. Using a national think-tank’s
education financing model, we see that tax credits to
encourage new switchers would save $21.3 million for the
State in its first three years and would take an additional $53.8
million off local school districts’ burdens during the same span.
Ten-year savings are projected to be even greater on an
annual basis. A bigger annual savings to restrain teacher
salary increases by eliminating the ineffective “masters degree
bump” would save $137.6 million every year. A study would
likely illumi-nate why Colorado is far outside other states’
expenditures for “other business services.” Adjustment just
halfway towards the norm would save another $112.3 million
per year.
Higher Education Corrections
Colorad higher education institutions to

o is one operate as government enterpris-es

of the under TABOR will introduce market

states changes.

to rely
on
tuition
increas
es to
grow
higher
education
spending.
Better
outcomes
will result
from
expansion
of the
stipend
pro-gram,
phased in
over five
years, to
end direct
funding of
state col-
leges and
universities
. Requiring
average
yet realistic
productivit
y
improveme
nts will
make $50
million
available.
Freeing all
state
R ent
e offend-
d ers.
u Correcti
c ons’
e portion
of 9
i percent
n of the
c budget
a would
r drop
c modest
e ly back
r in the
a directio
t n of the
i historic
o al level
n of 3
s percent
, . A one
percent
b savings
u would
t be $78
million
o per
n year.
l Parole
y violations
that do
f not
o involve
r
committi
ng
n
another
o
crime
n
cost the
-
State
v
$40.1
i
o million. If
l we could
cut that
i imposed,
n Colorado
might
h save
a about
l $20
f million
, per year.

e Healt
v
h
e
n
Spen
ding
within
i the
f
Depa
rtmen
o t of
t Healt
h
h
e
Care
r
Polic
t y and
y Finan
p cing
Taxpay
e
er
s
suppor
ted
o
health
f
covera
ge has
c
underg
o
one
s vigoro
t us
s expans
ion
w and
e enorm
r ous
e spendi
 ng increases an
that are extra
unsustainable. $18
Returning million
Medicaid a year.
eligibility levels A
to those system
prevailing in FY -wide
2006-07 could change
produce savings from
on the order of third-
$218 million. party
Reversing payer
another change to a
in eligibility, progra
this for adults m that
qualifying under resem
the Children’s bles
Basic Health health
Plan, saving
another $140.5 s
million by 2012- accoun
13. Correcting t
Children’s spendi
Benefit Health ng will
Plan enrollment save
fees for inflation about
and bringing 5
them up to the percen
levels charged t, or
in states like $28
New Hampshire million.
would bring in
accounting tricks and

Conclusi raiding cash funds. The

servant of the people
must address problems
on with difficult, adult
Citizens must have a discussions, fully aware
government that has of potential problems. If
pulled back from the the federal
edge. No more growing government’s unfunded
as large as possible and liabilities will squeeze
then surviving on the economy a decade
before predicted, if the
federal government’s
massive borrowing dries
up, if we get a double-
The U.S. Constitution
dip recession, or
demands self-
unforeseen problems
governance by the
arise, we need the
states. Just as
flexibility to respond, not
families successfully
to be so close to the
budget so that they
fiscal edge that further
are not living on the
adjustment becomes
edge or perennially
implausible.
dependent on
bailouts, our state
government must, as
well.

The
legislature
must be
prompted
by the
people to
end
Colorado’s
habitual
over-
spending.

Our Road Map can place us on a path to

sustainable government.
 Legislative Changes for Sustainable Government
Action Savings (millions) Department
Conform half way towards normal admin services cost 112.3 School Finance Act
Tuition tax credits 21.3 K-12
Eliminate teachers’ master’s degree “bump” 137.6 School Finance Act
Return to 2007 eligibility requirements 218.0 Medicaid
Return to 2007 spending levels 25.0 Medicaid mental health
Repeal expansions for population that already can afford private
insurance 15.0 CHBP
Raise enrollment fees for inflation 18.0 CHBP
Reverse Executive Director’s Office increases 21.0 DHCPF
Modify 3rd party payer to health savings account – like spending
(take care not to double count) 28.0 Medicaid, CHBP
Reduce incarceration of non-violent offenders 78.0 Corrections
Cut in half technical parole revocations 20.0 Corrections
Institute defined contribution plan for retirement health benefits 10.1 Other Retirement Benefits
Faculty productivity 50.0 to 67.0 Higher Education
Miscellaneous savings 4.0 various

Policy changes that the Legislature should offer to the people,

who must approve in changes to the constitution:
S a v ing s
Action (millions) Department
Roll the State’s own Social Security System into welfare 105.0 Off-budget
Redirect COGO funds to the General Fund 137.0 Off-budget
Permit managed competition for internal operations that mimic private business System wide
Repeal Amendment 23 School Finance Act

Policy changes that would have long term effects:

Action Savings (millions) Department
Copy other states’ commissions to consider opting out of Med-
icaid; let federal health care program pick it up; about 60% is
future cost avoidance 1,000.0 Medicaid
Institute defined contribution plan would allow the State to fully
fund the Health Care Trust Plan, closing a $1 Billion unfunded
liability Other Retirement Benefits

Policy changes that avoid future costs:

Action Savings (millions) Department
Reverse eligibility for adults under the Children’s Benefit 140.5 Medicaid
 Policy changes that have important budgetary impacts,
although not quantified in this report:
Action Department
Change PERA for new hires to a defined contribution plan PERA
Separate PERA fund balances into new and old PERA
Conform retirement ages for all PERA enrollees to match Social Security guidelines (these
three moves could contribute as much as $300 million per year to plug the $23.4 billion
unfunded liability) PERA
Sunset the AED and SAED payments to make PERA accountable for reaching fully-funded
status. PERA
Relieve taxpayers from the responsibility of future bailouts PERA
Move to higher education subsidies through only student stipends; ending direct subsidies to
state colleges and universities Higher Education
Reform the power of higher education institutions to operate as independent entities with
new and flexible funds generating activities Higher Education
Enhance the budget process by adhering to Priority-Based methods System-wide
Enhance the budget process by focusing on outcomes rather than only inputs System-wide
Governor’s Office of
Prevent further damage to the economy by corporate welfare Economic Develop-
(This will immediately save between $4 million and $18 million per year) ment; others
Reverse the Bridge Enterprise Fund power to incur debt without a vote of the people Department of Revenue
Develop goals for expansion of tolled traffic lanes; consider how to develop separate tolled
lanes for trucking Transportation
Fund only mass transit that relieves congestion; re-balance the Denver-metro split between
highways and mass transit Transportation
Reform the make-up of the Colorado Transportation Commission Transportation
Enhance how highways are funded, through greater privatization Transportation
Public Utilities Com-
Deregulate transportation of people to introduce market reforms mission
Consolidate the Governor’s Energy Office into executive agencies GEO

Policy changes that would affect local governments:

Action Savings (millions) Department
Institute defined contribution plan 43.6 Other Retirement Benefits

institute.org
NSRF Board of Directors Email Address Telephone
John Lefebvre President [email protected] 303-451-5558
Jerry Cunningham Vice President [email protected] 303-439-8228
Jan Hurtt Treasurer [email protected] 303-451-0934
Phil Mocon Secretary [email protected] 303-427-5453
Wanda Barnes Planning [email protected] 303-451-
5838
Dana West Communications [email protected] 303-280-
0243
Leonard Coppes Planning [email protected] 303-287-
9145
Dick Poole Planning 303-373-1521

Join the North Suburban Republican Forum on the Internet and Facebook:
http://www.northsuburbanrepublicanforum.org/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=95611986640&_fb_noscript=1

NSRF MEETING TIME AND PLACE

We will be at Gander Mountain, 9923 Grant Street, Thornton, CO from 9:15-10:45 a.m. on the
second Saturday of each month in the employee training room. If you live in Adams County or
Denver's northern suburbs, come join us for lively spirited debate and to meet Republican movers
and shakers. Any candidate in attendance will always be given speaking time.

Directions to Gander Mountain:

Gander Mountain is a huge sporting goods store in the old Biggs, now Wal-Mart/Home Depot
shopping center just east of I-25 and south of 104th Ave. Just go in the front door, turn left at the
first aisle and follow it to the employee meeting room on the far left.

Yearly membership dues are $20, while a couple is $30. Make checks payable to NSRF. It
only costs $3 per person to attend the monthly meeting and a continental breakfast and
beverage (coffee, tea, orange juice or water) is included. A membership application is
located on the last page. Fill it out and bring it along with you.

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 The North Suburban Republican Forum
1149 W 102nd Ave
Northglenn, CO 80260
Membership Application

This application is for:

Annual Regular Membership (individual)
$20.00 fee
Annual Regular Membership (couples)
$30.00 fee
Annual Regular Membership + all 2011 monthly meetings cost
$56.00 fee

Please Print.

Last Name:_____________________________First:_________________________MI:_____

Last Name: ____________ First:__ __ MI:_____

Address:___________________________________________________________________

City:___________________________________________Zip Code:____________________

Telephone:(________)____________-_____________________

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E-Mail Address:_______________________________________@_____________________

Signature

Signature

Payment by: Cash Check

Date:__________________________
2nd VP Treasurer

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