IMMIGRATION & PUBLIC SAFETY WORKING GROUP MEETS TUESDAY

A working group convened by Gov. Bill Ritter to examine public-safety and immigration-enforcement gaps in local, state and federal laws will hold its first meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008).

 

The meeting is scheduled for 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the training room at the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, 500 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden.

 

Gov. Ritter directed Colorado Department of Public Safety Executive Director Pete Weir to establish the working group last month following two traffic crashes in Aurora, including one crash that resulted in the deaths of three people. Both crashes involved drivers residing inColorado in violation of federal immigration laws. 

The 31-member panel of law enforcement officials, policymakers and community stakeholders will meet at least five times through Nov. 17. A report from the working group is due to Gov. Ritter by the end of December. 

Members of the working group include: 

Chief Dan Brennan, Wheat Ridge Police Department 
Lt. Col. Doyle Eicher, Colorado State Patrol 
Troy Eid, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado 
Capt. Kevin Eldridge, Colorado State Patrol 
Sheriff Doug Darr, Adams County 
Chief Dennis Harrison, Fort Collins Police Services 
Sheriff Stan Hilkey, Mesa County 
Roxanne Huber, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Revenue 
Hon. Jim Kerr, Representative, Colorado General Assembly 
Hon. Steve King, Representative, Colorado General Assembly 
Maj. Brenda Leffler, Colorado State Patrol 
Sheriff Terry Maketa, El Paso County 
Patricia Medige, Colorado Legal Services 
Hon. John Morse, Senator, Colorado General Assembly 
Chief Dan Oates, Aurora Police Department 
Sheriff Grayson Robinson, Arapahoe County 
Hon. Andrew Romanoff, Speaker, House of Representatives, Colorado General Assembly 
L. Antoinette Salazar, Salazar & Associates 
Kathy Sasak, Deputy Director, Colorado Department of Public Safety 
Hon. Dave Schultheis, Senator, Colorado General Assembly 
Ron Sloan, Director, Colorado Bureau of Investigation 
Hon. Scott Storey, District Attorney, 1^st Judicial District 
Hon. John Suthers, Colorado Attorney General 
Amber J. Tafoya, Esq., Colorado Immigrant Rights 
Ann Terry, Colorado Department of Public Safety, Executive Director's Office

Hon. Nancy Todd, Representative, Colorado General Assembly 
Sheriff Lou Vallario, Garfield County 
Stephanie Villafuerte, Deputy Chief of Staff, Governor's Office 
Peter Weir, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Public Safety 
Chief Gerald Whitman, Denver Police Department

Ari Zavaras, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Corrections 

The group will work to identify solutions that can be enacted at the local and state levels, including:

 

·         Identifying the problems faced by local and state law enforcement relative to the enforcement of the state and municipal criminal laws involving illegal immigrants.

 

·         Identifying information gaps and barriers to sharing criminal justice and immigration status information among local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

 

·         Discussing whether there are specific statutory or other changes that might address some of the problems.

 

·         Facilitating a discussion of policy recommendations to the federal government to address the problems identified by local and state law enforcement.

 

Following Tuesday's meeting, the working group is tentatively scheduled to meet:

 

A.    Oct. 31, 1 to 5 p.m.  

Jefferson County D.A.s Office – 500 Jefferson County Parkway

 

B.     Nov. 6, 1 to 5 p.m.  

Jefferson County D.A.s Office – 500 Jefferson County Parkway

 

C.     Nov. 13, 1 to 5 p.m. 

NETI – 12345 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood

 

D.    Nov. 17, 1 to 5 p.m.  

Jefferson County D.A.s Office – 500 Jefferson County Parkway

 

 

GOV. RITTER TO CAST EARLY VOTE TODAY (MONDAY, OCT. 20, 2008)

 

Monday, Oct. 20, 2008

 

11 a.m.                        Gov. Ritter will join state Sen. Ken Gordon at a news conference encouraging Coloradans to vote early or by mail to reduce pressure on state and county election systems on Nov. 4. Gov. Ritter will then cast his own early vote.Location: Wellington Webb Municipal Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver.

 

GOV. RITTER ANNOUNCES $36 MILLION COST-SAVING MEASURE

As Gov. Bill Ritter prepares to submit next year's budget proposal to the legislature's Joint Budget Committee in November, he announced today he will recommend that state employees not receive performance-pay salary increases in fiscal 2009-10.

 

The move would save taxpayers $36 million and affect more than 26,000 state employees.

 

"Colorado's overall economic outlook remains healthy and we have much to be optimistic about, especially when compared to other states and relative to national and international economic challenges," Gov. Ritter said. "But these challenges require us to plan prudently for the future so that we are protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring state government is able to continue providing essential public services.

 

"By withholding performance-pay increases, tens of thousands of state employees are being asked to help serve as responsible stewards of taxpayer funds. This is a pro-active and precautionary step that will give us even greater flexibility should we need to take additional budget-saving measures down the road."

 

Performance-pay increases, first initiated in fiscal 2002-03 by the legislature and former Gov. Bill Owens, are based on employees' on-the-job achievements. They supplement more standard salary increases that are based on market surveys.

 

Prior to 2002-03, employees received annual pay increases based on the market surveys, plus an automatic 5 percent increase after five years of service and another 5 percent increase after 10 years of service.

 

Since their inception, performance pay increases have not been granted for budgetary reasons in FY 2003-04, FY 2005-06 and FY 2006-07. In the years that performance-based pay increases were granted, they have ranged from 0.5 percent to 5 percent (in FY04-05). Salary-survey-based pay increases have ranged from 2 percent to 3.8 percent during the past few years.  

 

Gov. Ritter's Office of State Planning and Budgeting estimates a general fund savings of $21 million, plus another $15 million from outside the general fund, by forgoing performance-based pay increases in 2009-10, which starts July 1, 2009.

 

Gov. Ritter's FY09-10 budget proposal is scheduled to be submitted to the Joint Budget Committee on Nov. 1. Gov. Ritter and Budget Director Todd Saliman will present budget highlights to the JBC later in November. 

 

GOV. RITTER'S HEALTH CARE OUTREACH MEETINGS CONTINUE ACROSS STATE

Seven additional statewide community outreach meetings scheduled

 

Members of Gov. Bill Ritter's administration are scheduled to visit Steamboat Springs on Monday, continuing a statewide outreach tour to engage Coloradans in a discussion about health care reform.

 

The outreach meetings on health care reform began in Salida on Sept. 19. Meetings have also been held in Grand Junction and Durango.

"The best public policy is developed when all stakeholders are invited to the table to share their perspectives," Gov. Ritter said. "I look forward to learning even more about Coloradans' priorities for health care reform in our state."

 

The remaining meetings are:

8:30 – 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 20
Steamboat Springs
Yampa Valley Medical Center, Conference Room 1
1024 Central Park Drive

 

9:30 – 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21

Greeley Area

Monfort Family Clinic

2930 11^th Ave., Evans

 

9 – 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 23

Limon

Limon Community Building

477 D Ave.

3:30 – 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23

La Junta

Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center, Medical Education Center

1100 Carson Ave.

 

8:30 – 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 24

Alamosa

Valley Wide Health Systems, Training Rooms 1 & 2

128 Market St.

 

8:30 – 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 6

Colorado Springs

Peak Vista Dental Health Center, Bonanza Conference Room

2828 International Circle

 

10 – 11:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 7

Metro Denver

Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library

Links Conference Room

2401 Welton St.

 

These fall 2008 meetings follow the "Governor's Dialogue on Health Care Vision and Values" sessions held statewide in November and December 2007.

 

GOV. RITTER'S P-20 EDUCATION COUNCIL MEETS IN PUEBLO TOMORROW

Gov. Bill Ritter's P-20 Education Coordinating Council will hold its next meeting tomorrow starting at 10 a.m. at Colorado State Universityat Pueblo, Occhiato Student Center, 2200 Bonforte Blvd.

Gov. Ritter established the P-20 Council last year to create a seamless education system from pre-school to grad-school that provides Colorado students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in a 21st century economy. Visit the P-20 Education Council's website for more details.

 

The agenda for tomorrow's meeting:

 

10 to 10:10 a.m.          Welcome and Overview

                                    Lt. Governor Barbara O'Brien

·         Introductions of new members: Dr. Matt Nehring, Dr. Nate Easley, Ms. Donna Souther

·         Council updates

·         Discussion of day's agenda

 

10:10 to 10:20 a.m.     Host Welcome

                                    President Joe Garcia, Colorado State University - Pueblo

 

10:20 to 10:30 a.m.     Discussion of CDHE's Plans to Implement Senate Bill 212

                                    David Skaggs, Executive Director, CDHE (by phone)

 

10:30 to 11 a.m.          Discussion of CDE's State Survey on Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness

Dr. Ken Turner, Deputy Commissioner, CDE

 

11 to 11:30 a.m.          Update on CDHE's Faculty-to-Faculty Conference

Vicki Leal, Academic Policy Analyst, CDHE

Dr. Jett Connor, Academic Policy Consultant, CDHE

 

11:30 to 11:45 a.m.     Elements of "Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness" in Extant Colorado Law and Rule

                                    Dr. Matt Gianneschi, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of the Governor

           

11:45 to 12:15 p.m.     Lunch

 

12:15 to 2:15 p.m.       Updates on Subcommittee Work and Recommendations

All Subcommittee Chairs and Staff

 

2:15 to 2:30 p.m.         Public Comment

                                    President Joe Garcia, Colorado State University - Pueblo    

 

Next P-20 Meeting:   Metropolitan State College of Denver

                                    Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008

St. Cajetans Conference Center

 

COLORADO MAKES FITNESS MAGAZINE'S 'FIT 50' LIST

Lt. Gov. O'Brien attributes it to the state's beauty & commitment to health

 

Colorado will be featured in Fitness Magazine's November/December issue as it announces its Fit 50—the 50 biggest fitness, health, and wellness superstars of today who have made real changes in women's lives. The magazine says that the bright minds and groundbreaking ideas included in this first-time list have made 2008 the best year yet for health.

 

"Colorado is one of Fitness Magazine's "Fit 50" because people just enjoy being outdoors in the centennial state," Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien says.  

 

Lt. Gov. O'Brien is quoted in the magazine's November/December issue, which is being released later this week.  The list of 50 winners was compiled by the magazine's editors and advisory board and included individuals and places that have made significant contributions to health and wellness over the past 12 months.

 

Colorado is featured for being the "slimmest state" for 18 years, as documented by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Every year, the CDC ranks the states by their percentage of obesity. Colorado is the only state with an obesity rate under 20%. 

 

Lt. Gov. O'Brien chairs the Metro Denver Health & Wellness Commission and is a board member of LiveWell Colorado, a statewide nonprofit organization to fight obesity. She is an advocate for making healthy food choices and increasing physical activity.

 

Fitness Magazine cites Colorado residents' physical activity as one of the key reasons for its low obesity rate.

 

"It's so beautiful here – who wants to stay inside?" said Lt. Gov. O'Brien.

 

While Colorado claims the lowest obesity rate in the country, its obesity trend is upward. As a result, Lt. Gov. O'Brien notes that the state's culture and a continued emphasis on health and wellness will be important in turning around that trend. "We need to keep walking, biking, hiking, skiing and take advantage of the outdoor opportunities and gorgeous year-round Colorado weather to maintain a healthy population," O'Brien said.

 

 

GOV. RITTER SCHEDULE FOR TODAY & THURSDAY

Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008

 

12:30 p.m.                  Gov. Ritter will deliver remarks and present outstanding-service awards to state employees during the annual State Top Achievement Recognition (STAR) Awards Luncheon. Awards will be presented for outstanding service, supervisor of the year, employee of the year, citizenship, greening government and efficiency. Location: ArvadaCenter for the Arts, 6901 Wadsworth, Arvada.

 

6:45 to 8:45 p.m.        Gov. Ritter will watch the third and final presidential debate. He will be available for media interviews  prior to and following the debate. Location: 635 Williams St., Denver.

 

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008

 

9 to 9:15 a.m.             Gov. Ritter will be announcing that the state Capitol building has received a unique national certification for energy efficiency. Location: West Foyer, State Capitol.

 

1:30 p.m.                    Gov. Ritter will join the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar as well as other federal, state and local officials to celebrate the near-completion of the Animas-La Plata Project. The project includes Lake Nighthorse, which will store 120,000 acre-feet of water. Location: County Road 211, RidgesBasin Dam, near Animas Air Park, Durango.