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Visit www.leg.state.co.us for a wealth of information on the state legislature. Check out the status of bills that Rep. Welker is carrying, along with bills carried by one or more of the ninety-nine other legislators. Their contact information is available on this site. A schedule of committee meetings is posted and you can listen to legislation being debated live by clicking here

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2005 Legislative Session

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REFERENDUM C AND D:

Referendum C would allow the state to keep and spend about $3.7 billion in excess tax revenue for five years to pay for K-12 education, health care, state colleges, and also pay off the bond from Referendum D.

Referendum D asks voters to allow the state to sell $2.1 billion in bonds to build schools and roads, repair colleges and pay for Colorado's share of the police and fire pension fund.

For more information, go to www.dot.state.co.us and click the Referenda C and D link under Topics of Interest.

Most Republicans are against Ref C & D. In the State House, 19 out of 30 voted NO. Sixty out of sixty-four the Chairmen of the State County Executive Boards are against Ref C & D. Following is a list of prominent Republicans that are against Ref. C & D:


Former Senator Bill Armstrong

Congressman Bob Beauprez running for Governor

Congressman Joel Hefley

Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave

Congressman Tom Tancredo

State Treasurer Mark Hillman

Minority Leader of the Senate Andy McElhany

House Minority Leader Joe Stengel

Former Speaker of the House Lola Spradley

Former Majority Leader of the House Keith King

Former President of the Senate John Andrews

DU President Marc Holtzman - running for Governor

Please read my recent "letter to the editor" (below) concerning Ref C & D. Also after that is a list of 10 reasons why I do not support Ref. C & D.
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August 2005

Letter to the Editor

President Bush led the fight against high taxes by cutting the income tax rate for most Americans. He understands this important Republican principle: tax relief boosts the economy. Under his leadership, our national economy is currently expanding, with a reduction of $80 billion in our deficit.


We need to apply this principle here in Colorado. For about 2/3 of our citizens, money is very tight. For example, July recorded over 2,500 bankruptcies in Colorado. In Larimer County, there are 15 to 20 foreclosures a week. Yet in spite of this reality, many Democrats, and a few Republicans, are trying to convince us that our economy will grow by withholding money from the average taxpayer and giving it to the state government instead. The passage of Referendums C & D would increase the state's budget by $3.7 billion dollars in the next five years.


This is not wise. The state is capable of living within its budget. We can trim spending, consolidate some departments, and enact innovative reforms in prisons, education, Medicaid, and border control. One cost-saving measure would be the securitization of our tobacco payments.


For the next several years, we will receive about $80 million per year from the tobacco companies. However, the four largest tobacco companies are in the lower part of the bond rating system and could qualify to file "Chapter 7." If they do this, we would get littleif anyof the $80 million. Securitization means that we will receive about $1.3 billion immediately, then $3.1 billion in 15 years. I say, get our money while we can.


This $1.3 billion will give us 2-3 years to properly allocate state budget money for higher education, capitol construction, transportation, department of corrections, human services. During the next 2-3 years, we can take the necessary time to use innovative ways to reduce our caseload growth of $330 million every year.


Keep the money in the hands of the people of Colorado. Vote NO on Referendums C & D!


Rep. Jim Welker

HD 51
Loveland, CO

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Referendums C and D are a Problem



REASON I

THERE IS NO "CRISIS" IN STATE GOVERNMENT FINANCING. THE SOLUTION IS TO BALANCE WHERE THE FUNDS GO. Financing for K-12 is robust and actually will be growing too fast as Amendment 23 takes the lions share of funds, and takes away from higher education. The Legislature has almost no control over how higher-ed spends their funds. The state provides less than 10% of the funding for CU.


REASON II


REFERENDUM C WILL EFFECTIVELY KILL TABOR (Taxpayers Bill or Rights) - POSSIBLY FOREVER. Every Colorado household of four will be stripped of an estimated $1,458 over five years, and after that they will continue to be stripped with a much higher base every year thereafter; and that, by a government that does not know how to control spending.


REASON III


TABOR WORKS VERY WELL. Do you realize that TABOR gives the State Government up to a 6% raise each and every year with a healthy economy? TABOR gives raises every year for inflation and population growth added together. That's very generous. Would you like to own a business like that? The General Fund Budget shrank just one-half of one percent for one year because of the 2001 (9/11) recession, however the overall State budget increased that year.


REASON IV


SPENDING IS THE PROBLEM. A responsible government should cut millions of dollars in spending. Caseloads keep going up every year in our Department of Corrections (prisons), Human Services, and Medicaid. We need innovation and creativity on how to solve the increasing caseload problem without raising taxes.


REASON V


REFERENDUM C IS A GIANT TAX INCREASE.

The refunds that would be denied the taxpayers of Colorado would be at least $3.1 billion and possibly up to $3.7 billion!!! Tax increases cripple our economy. Tax increases take away jobs. Tax increases take badly needed money from your home budget and businesses. Your refunds could be used for your children, for your healthcare expenses, for your house payments, and perhaps for your retirement.


REASON VI


Referendum D, a companion of C is a Bond issue for OVER Two Billion Dollars. before the debt is paid off it will cost three billion dollars.


REASON VII


Fundamentally this is a struggle of LIBERTY vs TYRAnNY.

Giving liberal Democrats control of the House and Senate is practically a blank check. Colorado could become the current California, which was hurt severely by former Governor Gray Davis and the Democrats.


REASON VIII


AMENDMENT #23 IS A BIG PROBLEM

Amendment 23 mandates yearly increases that destroy the balance of funds for other programs like transportation, Medicare, and higher education. Amendment 23 allows K-12 spending to raise dramatically. We are increasing this part of the budget by 7.9% and it is $61 million over the allowed Amendment 23 budget.


REASON IX


REFERENDUM C IS NOT A COMPROMISE AT ALL. They call it a compromise because Democrat Romanoff originally asked for 10 years for Referendum C, then compromised it to five years.


REASON X


THE SOLUTION TO THE CONUNDRUM OF TABOR VS AMENDMENT 23 IS AS FOLLOWS:

1.Change Amendment 23. The Governor offered a compromise on 23 and TABOR 2 years ago, and it did not pass. We need to run it again.

2.There are many areas that the State can cut costs to relieve spending.

3.We need to brainstorm this area more and give Colorado Citizens a plan for the future of Colorado.



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2004 Legislative Session

HB 1034 by Rep. Jim Welker (R-Loveland)/Sen. Stephanie Takis (D-Aurora) allows Internet renewal of driver licenses for drivers aged 21 to 60. Signed by the governor on 5/28, effective upon the governor's signature. Previously, amended version had been passed 49-16 by the House on Third Reading on 4/16, amended version had been passed 34-1 by the Senate on Third Reading on 4/30, and the House had concurred with Senate amendments and passed the bill 42-22 on 5/3.

HB 1042 by Jim Welker (R-Loveland)/Sen. Ed Jones (R-Colorado Springs) reestablishes the requirement that drivers show proof of insurance when registering a motor vehicle. Signed by governor on 2/20, effective upon the governor's signature. Previously, amended version had been passed 62-0 by the House on Third Reading on 1/19 and had been passed 35-0 by the Senate on Third Reading on 2/3.

HB 1112 by Rep. Jim Welker (R-Loveland)/Sen. Paula Sandoval (D-Denver) reauthorizes the licensing and regulation of money order businesses by the Colorado Division of Banking and Banking Board for nine years. Signed by the governor on 4/16, effective upon the governor's signature. Previously, had been passed 64-0 by the House on Third Reading on 1/21, amended version had been passed 35-0 by the Senate on Third Reading on 2/3, the Senate had adopted the conference committee report and repassed the bill 35-0 on 3/23, and the House had adopted the conference committee report and repassed the bill 53-11 on 3/26.

HB 1254 by Rep. Jim Welker (R-Loveland)/Sen. Steve Johnson (R-Fort Collins) prohibits the state from telling parents that a day care center is being investigated for child abuse until the severity of allegations is determined and the allegations are confirmed. Signed by the governor on 6/4, effective upon the governor's signature. Previously, amended version had been passed 50-12 by the House on Third Reading on 4/13 and had been passed 34-1 by the Senate on Third Reading on 4/28.

HJR 1022 by Rep. Jim Welker (R-Loveland)/Sen. Bruce Cairns (R-Aurora) urges the U.S. Congress to pass the English Language Unity Act of 2003, which would establish English as the official language of the United States. Passed 39-25 by the House on Third Reading on 5/3 and passed 24-11 by by the Senate on Third Reading on 5/5.

SB 26 by Sen. Ed Jones (R-Colorado Springs)/Rep. Jim Welker (R-Loveland) increases the time period in which the insurance commissioner must hold a hearing about the cancellation of motor vehicle insurance. Signed by the governor on 3/23. Previously, had been passed 32-0 by the Senate on Third Reading on 1/20 and had been passed 53-10 by the House on Third Reading on 2/27.

For more information on the bills of 2004 click here


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Letters to the Editor

JANUARY 2006

Dear Editor,

Colorado's 65th legislative session began January 11th. The following day, Governor Bill Owens delivered his "State of the State" address from the speakers' podium at the front of the House of Representatives. The floor of the vast chamber and the gallery above were filled with legislators, interested citizens, cabinet officers, state elected officials, and members of the media. As I listened to our Governor highlight the accomplishments in his seven years in office and outline the challenges in the coming year, I thought about how exciting it is to be back at "the people's business."

This is my third session in the legislature. Every day my focus is to better understand the issues that confront us so that I can represent your concerns in a responsible manner. By e-mail, through phone calls, and stacks of letters you continue to let me know what those concerns are. These include highway safety, such as the dangerous interchange at I-25 and Highway 34, and the strength of our economy. The quality of education, the reinstatement of a local drivers license office, escalating energy and health care costs, water storage concerns, and illegal immigration are often mentioned . . . the list is long.

I am pleased to announce my recent appointment to the Business Affairs and Labor Committee. This will give me more influence in taking measures that will strengthen our economy. For example, I will promote small business development and push for laws that are truly fair to both employee and employer. I will continue to serve on the Transportation and Energy Committee, and lead the Task Force to improve the overall efficiency of the legislature, which saves taxpayers' money.

This session I will sponsor at least two bills. The first will help protect the privacy of our social security numbers. Another bill will help assess the extent of illegal immigration here in Colorado. According to national Gallup polls, more than 80% of the public believe that this problem needs to be addressed. This view is also expressed by the majority of local people who have talked to me about this issue. For example, when Gary Lovato wrote me, he identified himself as a single Hispanic parent. He told me that he works hard to pay for health insurance and other needs, and believes that it is unfair that illegal immigrants receive benefits free of charge--that they make the legal Hispanic community look bad.

Securing our southern border is a very urgent matter. According to Time Magazine, more than three million illegal aliens cross our southern border every yearthat's more than 8,000 every night. The federal government must fulfill its responsibilities in this area. We secure our cars and our homes when we leave themwe need to secure our borders as well.

For more information on this issue, and other problems that confront us, you can check out my Web site, www.jimwelker.com. You will also find my personal, weekly updates of the session as it unfolds. In my first update, I highlighted the need for new bridges and lanes for our highways, and how we could get the necessary funds. I also talked about the high cost of our exploding prison population. I will continue to do my best to present information on topics that deserve attention and action.

Please contact me with your comments and concerns. My e-mail address is: jim@jimwelker.com. You can reach me by phone by calling 970.667 5227 or 303.866.2947. My addresses are: 2641 North Taft Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538 or State Capitol, 200 East Colfax, Room 302, Denver, CO, 80203. Please contact me often . . . I want to hear from you.

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Dear Editor,

I have a real concern in our state about the fact that "caseloads" keep going up in several areas of our state government that cost all of the taxpayers. I am referring to the caseloads going up in Medicaid, human services, youth correctional facilities, and in our state prisons.

We have approximately 20,400 adults in our state prisons at a cost of $26,500 each per year. Of this, we have over 1,600 illegal aliens. To get a ticket to prison, the average adult has nine felonies that are usually plea-bargained down to keep our court costs lower. Plus, there is the large costs of public defenders. I am very concerned about the number of victims left behind directly and indirectly from those that commit crimes.

Our federal government must do a better job of protecting our southern border from illegal aliens. According to Time Magazine, we have over 3,000,000 illegal aliens coming across our southern border per year. This is costing our country a very large sum of money in our hospitals, jails, and schools. In fact, many hospitals in southern California are closing down due to the massive amount of illegal aliens using the emergency rooms of the hospitals.

I am studying legislation that I can introduce during our 2006 session that will help the state of Colorado concerning illegal aliens. I encourage you to call, write, fax or email other elected officials to activate solutions to this very real problem. Please feel free to contact me at 970 667 5227 or email me at jim@jimwelker.com.


Best regards,


Rep. Jim Welker
2641 N Taft Ave
Loveland

970 231 4716
jim@jimwelker.com


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"2004 Taxpayer Champion"
- Colorado Union of Taxpayers