nsrf december 2010 newsletter

8/8/2019 NSRF December 2010 Newsletter

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North Suburban Republican ForumDecember, 2010

www.NorthSuburbanRepublicanForum.com www.NorthSuburbanRepublicanForum.org

To register to vote or confirm you are a registered Colorado voter, go to: www.GoVoteColorado.com

Our next meeting is from 9:15-10:15 am, Saturday morning, December 11th featuring our

special year-end breakfast burritos, NSRF Board election and discussion of the Lame Duck

Congress. 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:

January 8 -- Colorados legislative upcoming 2011 session

February 12 Transportation and Budget issues

March 12 How to be informed and involved in Colorado and local politics

April 9 ?

May 14 - ?


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You are cordially invited to attend

Republican Trumpeteers of Adams County

Christmas Luncheon

Saturday, December 4, 201011:30 a.m. 3:00 p.m.

The Ranch Country Club11887 Tejon Street (between Federal & Pecos on 120th Ave.)

Westminster, Colorado 80234

Deli style buffet luncheon

Recognition and Awards

Special Christmas Music

$20 per person

Nonperishable food items for a local food bank will be collected.

Reservations required by November 30

Alice Harrison: (720)[email protected]

13568 Clermont Street, Thornton, Colorado 80241

Please make checks payable to Republican Trumpeteers of Adams County


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In lengthy Statesman interview, Wadhams fends off

critics, weighs future

By Scot Kersgaard 11/24/10 1:01 PM The Colorado Independent

The Colorado Statesman this week published a massive interview with Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams.The reading is good but, for the most part, the informationhe relates is not that new.

Its a good read, and the first major interview hes given since the electionbut theres not much there to makeeitherhis friends or enemies slap theirforeheads with an ahhah.

He does imply that former Congressman Scott McInnis might have been able to win the nominationforgovernor and the general electionhad he not blamed his plagiarism scandalon an elderly researcher working forhim. He also says Jane Nortons original campaign manager gave herbad advice inher primary contest withKen Buckfor the Republicannominationfor the U.S. Senate.

He again discounts the notion that the Democrats utilized a strong ground game in keeping Michael BennetsU.S. Senate seat in Democrats hands.

Instead, he points to Republican Ken Bucks own mistakes and reprehensible ads by liberal groups for turningthe tide toward Bennet in the weeks leading to the election.

the Bennet campaign embarked on a very smart strategy the last three weeks in conjunction with massivespending by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the National Education Association, ASCME,and some other 527s zooming inon a very specific message to attack Buckonhis Personhood support, hisabortion stand, which did not include exceptions for rape and incest, and the fact that he had and they honed

inonthat rape case that became controversial in the end. By doing that, what they did, they made Kenunacceptable to that narrow slice of the electorate that was stillup for grabs. And it is always the demographicgroup that waits until the last minute to decide who to vote for:unaffiliated women, particularly in the suburbsofJeffco and Arapahoe.

While blaming some of the independent liberal groups for making Buck unacceptable to voters, Wadhamsalsonotes that Buck did it tohimselfwithhis own comments.

So what I do know is that the Democrats employed a very smart strategy at the end, taking advantage ofcomments and positions that Buckhad taken. And given the voters that were stillup for grabs, it worked. Andits unfortunate, because I think many of the ads were reprehensible and deceitful and made Buck into

something he is not. But you know what? Unfortunately, Ken gave them a lot of the ammunition to shoot back.

Talking about Bucks support for the Personhood Amendment, Wadhams notes that many prominentRepublicans opposed Personhood, either this yearor when it was on the ballot in the past.

You will recall two years ago, Archbishop Chaput and Bob Schafferbothopposed Personhood. Infact, therewas a huge split within the pro-life community itself. Many pro-life leaders opposed that amendment. Ifhe hadtaken just a few minutes to sit back and make a phone call to somebody or check it out. And so that was toobad.


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On the subject ofRepublicannominee for governor Dan Maes, Wadhams was blunt: Frankly I have nothing tosay to Dan Maes.

Asked ifhe thought Maes had a future in the party, he said he does not. No, I donot. Maybe he does with somepeople, but he doesnt, as far as Im concerned.

On Republican Scott Tiptons victory over incumbent John Salazar in the 3rd District, Wadhams said he knewthat ifRepublicans could shift the discussionfrom whether people like Salazar tohow he voted, thenTipton

would have a pretty good shot.

I felt coming into this election year, after watching Salazar stand there and cheerfully vote for the Stimulus Billand thenhe was right he was standing and probably the moment I realized that Salazar was probablyvulnerable was the day after the first health care vote in the House. And there in the photoop was John Salazarproudly standing just behind Nancy Pelosi. And I remember thinking, you know what? Ifwe can move thiselectionfrom whether we like John Salazar tohow John Salazar votes, we can win this thing. Because, ifthequestion was, do we like John Salazar, well, we lose, because everybody likes John Salazar. I like John Salazar everybody likes John. And hes a good person and you know, you cant wonderful personal attributes, allthat stuff. But he honestly was cavalierly voting for this Pelosi/Obama agenda that his district opposed and so Ialways felt And thats why when Scott Tipton called me wheneverhe started to get to wanting to run and

was just asking my opinion, as he was asking many people, ifI thought the race was winnable, I told him Ithought it was. But nobody thought it not many people thought it was at that point. But I said, Scott,because now people are going tobe focusing onhis votes and not whether they like John. And I said, Ifyoucanhammer away on the votes Even Cap and Trade, whichhe voted against, rememberhow he did it? Hewouldnt tell anybody how he was going to vote.

On campaignfinance reform, Wadhams said it wont happenuntil people become more fed up than they arenow, but that when it happens it willbe sweeping.

CS: Full disclosure?DW: Any amount ofmoney from any entity any time withfull, immediate disclosure and let the people decide.

It willbe self-enforcing, we wont have tohave the bureaucracy of the Federal Election Commissionor theSecretary ofStates office telling us what is bad forus. I mean the bottom

CS: And youhave the technology, with the Internet, to do it.DW: Exactly, exactly. And you know what, there willbe enough public scrutiny ofcontributions thatcandidates and parties willhave to say, Do I really want to take this amount ofmoney from this entity? And itwillbe self-enforcing. And then the voters will decide on Election Day. That willbe part of their decisionmaking process. Because these campaign reformers and there are plenty ofRepublicans who voted forMcCain-Feingold they think voters are stupid, that they have tobe protected from themselves. That votersare just not smart enough tofigure this out, tounderstand when a candidate or a party is unduly influenced bycontributions. And its just dumb, its just stupid. So I mean the system is going to continue to get worse and

worse and worse and worse as long as we have any of these campaignfinance laws on the books. My hope isthat it becomes sohopelessly lost and that it might have to reach a totalbreaking point and finally, mycampaignfinance reform plan (laughs) and Im not the only one who talks about this obviously but it willfinally come tofruition. Wadhams also disputes the notion that he or the party should do a better jobofvettingcandidates and denies having any role inforcing Josh Penry from the race for governor.

http://coloradoindependent.com/68483/in-lengthy-statesman-interview-wadhams-defends-state-gop-fends-off-critics-weighs-future


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Colorado GOP Candidates Who Fell Short ButCan See Bright Futures

November 9th, 2010 written by Ben Degrowhttp://bendegrow.com/2010/colorado-gop-candidates-who-fell-short-but-can-see-bright-futures/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=colorado-gop-candidates-who-fell-short-but-can-see-bright-futures

A full weekhas passed since the Election. We all know the results. For the winners its transition time. New

members headed off to Congress at least onepegged with a remarkably bright politicalfuture. Im proud tosee a new secretary ofstate in Colorado, a new state treasurer, not to mention the Mighty Six GOP upstartswho tookoverformerly Democratic seats to reclaim the state house majority.

But what about those Colorado Republican candidates who threw theirhats into the ring, who entered the arenaand did battle, yet came up short? Some of them we wont see on the electoral stage again (in some cases,thankfully). Forothers, a potentially bright politicalfuture remains. Here are a few:

1. Ryan Frazier: A young rising star who tookon the daunting taskofchallenging Rep. Ed Perlmutter, only toprove just how well gerrymandered the 7th District is for the Jefferson County Democrat. Ryanbroughtremarkable optimism, vision and political talents to the stage, and ran a very strong campaign. Along the way

he made himself into somewhat ofa celebrity withhis numerous appearances on Sean Hannity and other cablenews programs. What exactly is next? We certainly havent seen the last ofRyan Frazier. You canbet he willplay some crucial role in continued Republican ascendancy in Colorado.

2. Dr. Mike Fallon: Sadly, very few in Colorado were used to seeing a Republican provide a liberal DenverDemocrat Congresswoman a serious challenge. But Dr. Fallon did so with consistent passion and dedication,with grace and courage and common sense. His hard-working grassroots campaign wonhim no attention atfirst, but before long he was impressing some of the masters of the talk radio airwaves. Yes, he came up wellshort of the ultimate goal. And yes, he insisted this was his one moment on the political stage to make adifference. But shrewd Colorado Republicans ought tobe clamoring for Dr. Fallon tofind some otheropportunity to run and serve.

3. Owen Hill: He emerged in2010 freshon the scene with a stellar resume and a photogenic young family (thatnow includes 4 kids). Neverbacking downfrom the challenge of taking on the state senate majority leader, hecame up a mere couple hundred votes short. Thoughnew to the world ofpolitical campaigns, Hill demonstratedsome natural abilities and took to the challenges offundraising and coalition-building with aplomb. What futureopportunities might await? A run at a Senate District 11 seat in2014, or something sooner? Ifhe wants to take acrack at it, Owen Hill justly has earned a lot of respect within the party ranks.

4. Lang Sias: His decision to enter the 7th Congressional primary probably didnt help eventual Republicannominees chances. Yet in spite ofcoming out ofnowhere and being handicapped with the John McCainlabel,he outperformed expectations. As I understand it, he is now enrolled in the Leadership Program of the Rockies

which should only enhance his future chances. Depending onhow redistricting plays out, he might end upinside Senate District 19. Would he be interested in taking on this challenge in2012?

5. Christine Mastin: Prominently featured among the legislative candidates at the GOP State Assembly andfrequently touted by State Party chair Dick Wadhams, Mastinbrought a favorable profile as a young, successfulHispanic woman who already earned a spot inDenver Business Journals Forty under40. Her campaign inHouse District 3, which mostly includes south Denver along with parts ofEnglewood and Cherry Hills Village,broadened support. While she ran into the Democratic buzz saw, Mastin did increase party performance by


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more than7 points from 2008. Im sure that any future decision she made to runforoffice would be received aswelcome news in GOP circles.

Honorable Mention: Stephen Bailey (CD-2); Danny Stroud (HD 1); BrianVan de Krol (HD 34); Bob Boswell(HD 50).

Adams County assessor insists politics plays no role

in his minimizing donors' property taxes

By David Olinger

The Denver PostPosted: 11/28/2010 01:00:00 AM MST

Total donations:$2,800 in2002 and2006 Locationofproperty: Luxury-home

development nearRiverdale Roadoverlooking SouthPlatte River.What happened:Taxable values ofhomes owned by LloydLand and his daughterhave beenunchanged


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since 2005, while neighbors' homes grew $200,000 and $350,000 in taxablevalue. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post-)

BRIGHTON The Adams County assessorhas slashed millions ofdollarsfrom the taxable value ofproperties owned by the largest contributors tohiselection campaigns, a Denver Post investigationfound.

As a result, the county is losing hundreds of thousands ofdollars in revenue

each yearon properties where records list Assessor Gil Reyes as the accountmanager whoopted to "adjust" their values downward.

The review ofassessments on properties owned by top contributors to Reyes'campaigns found that his leading donor, a California-based warehousecompany, has won reductions in taxable value totaling $23 millionon 11buildings. Those reductions saved the company more than $800,000 in

property taxes this year

Total donations: $2,000 in2002 and 2006 Locationofproperty: East ofColorado Boulevard and southof

Thornton Parkway What happened: Land was reclassified from residential to agricultural, reducing taxablevalue by 99 percent. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post-)alone.

The assessor's office reduced values ofvacant land owned by other contributors as much as 99 percent. Itcurrently classifies a patchofasphalt and acres ofweeds as qualifying forlow "agricultural" rates.

And Reyes kept the values ofcustom homes owned by a leadingcontributor and his daughterunchanged since 2005, while their immediateneighbor Colorado Rockies starTodd Helton saw the taxable value

ofhis house grow almost $350,000.

Reyes says campaign donations never influenced the decisions he made.

"I don't care if they donated or didn't donate. I don't care ifthey'reRepublicans or Democrats. I'm the assessorfor Adams County," he said."Once you're here, there is no politics."

Nonetheless, he acknowledged that properties owned by some ofhiscampaign supporters may be taxed at unjustifiably low rates. In somecases, his office is already moving to revoke agricultural-land

classifications in response to questions from The Post.

"Ifwe're wrong," Reyes said, "we'llfix it."

Other assessors in the Denver area said they rely on their staffto take appeals and rarely, ifever, serve as theaccount manager in an individual property owner's case.


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Alice Nichol, chairwomanof the Adams County commission, said she "would be extremely disappointed" ifany campaign contributions had influenced county assessments.

But the assessor is "an independent, elected office," she said. "I have no authority over it."

Commissioner W.R. "Skip" Fischer, the previous Adams County assessor, expressed confidence in Reyes'work.

"I don't think there's anything wrong. I thinkhe's done a good job," Fischer said. And Reyes was electedwithout anopponent this year, "which tells me the public thinks he's doing a good job."

Colorado imposes strict limits on individual campaign donations in state races $525 per primary and $525per general election to gubernatorial

Total donations: $2,000 in2002 and 2006 Locationofproperty: SouthofE-470, near intersectionofColorado Boulevard and East 152nd Avenue Whathappened: Land valued as agricultural since 2003; one parcel is mostly anasphalt turnaround, another is overgrown with weeds. (Andy Cross, The

Denver Post-)candidates; $200 per primary and general election tolegislative candidates and limits those candidates to two terms inoffice.

No such limits for county races

Suchlimits donot apply to county races. Reyes, a Democrat, was elected to a third four-year term this month.

In Reyes' prior campaigns, officers and limited-liability companies associated with Majestic Realty Co. in CityofIndustry, Calif., gave him $14,000 in a series of$1,000 checks.

The company's Colorado project is Majestic Commercenter, a 1,000-acre warehouse development nearInterstate 70 and Tower Road, southofDenver International Airport.

In2003, nine of its warehouses were notified ofproposed increases in their

Total donations: $14,000 in2002 and 2006 Locationofproperty: NorthofInterstate 70 and east ofTower Road What happened: Appeals to AdamsCounty assessor reduced taxable value of11 warehouses by a totalof$23million. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post-)taxable values, according to records provided toThe Post. The owners

appealed to an appraiser and lost, appealed to the Adams County Board ofEqualization and lost again, and their taxes increased.

Two years later, they appealed directly to Reyes, and in a series of2005 reviews, the warehouse values wererolled back to2003levels, a cumulative reductionof$17 million. All remain at 2003 values today.

Every review lists Reyes as the account manager who adjusted their taxable values downward.


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Property taxes on that $17 million would total about $622,000 this year alone.

This year, Majestic Commercenter also won reductions in taxable values ofabout $3 million eachon twonewwarehouses and property-tax reductions totaling $212,000. Assessor records contain this April 8 note onbothnew warehouses: "Adjusting the 2008 value to market per GR."

Inhis office, Gil Reyes looked at copies ofhis own campaign records and said he never knew the warehousedeveloper was a major contributor.

"My treasurer, who's my girlfriend, does this," he said.

Reductions based on financial data

Reyes said he reviewed the Majestic Commercenter appeals with experts inhis office before the warehousevalues were reduced in2005 and that he was listed as account manageronly because the owners sent appealsinformation directly tohim.

"Anybody who comes through the door and wants to see me, my name willbe put on it," he said.

Reyes said the reductions were based onfinancial information supplied by the owners, information that isproprietary and, therefore, confidential.

Commissioner Fischer, as assessorfrom 1998 to2002, alsohad a direct hand during his term in settingwarehouse values at Majestic Commercenter, a $500 contributor tohis campaign, county records show.

Fischer said that as assessor, he gathered more detailed financial informationfrom those and other commercialproperties, enabling the office to change its evaluation method to an income-based approach.

As a result, "ifthe income stream was the same" from year to year at a warehouse withlong-term leases, "thevalue stream should be the same."

Reyes said the recent value reductions onnew Majestic Commercenter warehouses stemmed from "an equityissue" they were being taxed at a higher rate thanother warehouses.

Assessor records show, however, that in Denver, similar warehouses northofInterstate 70 near Peoria Street arenow valued 60 percent to70 percent higher per square foot than the Majestic Commercenter warehouses.

Reyes estimates he served as account managerlast yearfor about 30 property owners who wanted to deal withhim personally, and more in prior years.

In metro Denver, that's unusual.

Paul Jacobs, Denver's appointed assessor, said he could not remember the last time he reviewed and adjusted anindividual property owner's value.

On Jefferson County reviews, elected Assessor Jim Everson said, "I donot appearon that screen as theresponsible party. It's always an appraiser."


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Corbin Sakdol, the elected assessor in Arapahoe County, said that "sometimes, taxpayers insist on working withan assessor. It's fairly rare." He estimates he served as manageroffewer than 10 accounts in recent years.

In Adams County, Reyes also served as account manageron appeals involving a pairofmillion-dollar customhomes built on a bluffoverlooking the South Platte River.

Farm owner Lloyd Land and his wife ownone. The other, adjacent house belongs to their daughter Marcie andherhusband.

Together, they donated $2,800 to Reyes' campaigns in2002 and 2006.

Last year, bothhomeowners were notified that the Adams County assessor's office proposed increasing thetaxable value of theirhomes by about $200,000. Lloyd Land appealed to the assessorhe had supported throughtwo campaigns. Reyes, as account manager, canceled the increases onbothhouses, records show.

As a result, bothhouses remain at their2005 values: $1.078 millionfor Lloyd Land's seven-bathroom, five-bedroom house on 5 gated acres, and $980,000 forhis daughter's house.

Lloyd Land declined to comment. But his son-in-law, Shane Olson, said they received a recent appraisalof

$800,000 for a refinancing loanon the house valued by the assessor at $980,000. "Ifanything, we're getting hita little harder than we should," he said.

Meanwhile, the taxable values of the two closest houses keep climbing. One, owned by Rockies first basemanTodd Helton and his wife, Christy, has increased almost $350,000 since 2005. The other, owned by Lotis andDale Short, has grown $200,000 infive years.

The assessornow values Helton's house halfa million dollars higher than Lloyd Land's, although Helton'sresidence is slightly smaller and sits on a 2-acre lot.

Reyes said home values cannot be judged by square feet alone.

"Todd Helton's house is newer," he said. "It has all the top upgrades. It's a very, very nice house."

Lloyd Land's house, built in 1994, "is anolderhouse. Yeah, it looks impressive," he said. "I don't believe it'sworth a million dollars."

Reyes said he could not find recent sales that would justify increasing the value ofLand's house by nearly$200,000, sohe asked Land whetherhe would be willing "to keep the value as is. And he said, forhis home,'Yes.' "

The assessor said his office may have been wrong to raise the value ofneighboring homes at the same time,

"but they didn't protest. That's the system."

Helton and Lotis Short declined to comment on the assessments in theirneighborhood.

The Post's review ofassessments on properties owned by Reyes campaign contributors alsofound developmentlands taxed as agricultural, althoughno crops grow there, and vacant land classed as residentialbut valued atagricultural rates. In some cases, that brought a 99 percent reduction in taxable value.


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InThornton, for example, 35 acres ofvacant land in a residential area east ofColorado Boulevard passed fromone residential developer to anotheruntil they were purchased last Novemberby a company called 104th andPotomac LLC.

State records list Clarke Carlson, one memberofa prominent family ofAdams County developers and farmers,as the company agent. The Thornton planning department has a pending applicationfor a 138-housedevelopment, called Cherry Lane, on that vacant land.

Yet the county assessor's office, which classified some of that land as residential since 2006 and the rest since atleast 1996, just reclassified it all as agricultural. That dropped its taxable value 99 percent, to $2,371 from$280,000 requiring $7,729 in property-tax refunds, records show.

Neighbors said nothing has been grownon that vacant land for at least a decade.

"There once was a farmer there who raised miniature donkeys, but the farmhouse and barnhave beendemolished," said Jim Martin, whose house overlooks the field. "For about 10 years, it's just been dead land."

Neighbor Dwight Compton said he had watched residential-development plans for the land come and go. Anyfarming? "I've beenhere 11 years, and no," he said.

Campaign records list $2,000 in contributions to Reyes from Carlson Associates, a family business, and afamily member.

Reyes said he received an abatement claim from the Carlsons contending the land should be reclassified, and hegave it tohis agricultural assessor, Ron Millar, who approved the value reduction.

Millar said the Carlsons were right to appeal. "We had it as ag, we took it out and found out we shouldn't have,"he said.

He produced a 2004 aerial photoof the land that showed rectangular patterns characteristic offarm fields. And

today, he said, its bare ground appears tobe planted with a winter-wheat crop.

Millar added that assessors statewide share concerns about what canbe called agriculturalland under Coloradolaw.

"Our definitions for agriculture are so general, it's unbelievable," he said, requiring "no minimum acres, nominimum days oflivestock grazing, no minimum income."

Ag land valued at a deep discount

In Colorado, agriculturalland is valued at a deep discount to preserve its use. To qualify, owners are supposed

to show they grow crops or graze animals on theirland.

"The land is supposed tobe used for agricultural purposes. Youneed to prove two-plus years ofuse," saidJoAnn Groff, Colorado's property-tax administrator.

Yet the law also gives considerable flexibility to county assessors, she said. "The assessor can say, looks like agto me, feels like ag to me, tastes like ag to me it's ag. They have a lot ofdiscretion in classification."


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In east Brighton, 10 acres ofvacant land southwest ofBridge Street one of the city's main roads and 50thAvenue also are classed as agricultural, although the land is overgrown with weeds and saplings, and a hillofdirt has been dumped at one end. The owner, S3L Holdings, paid $3.60 in property taxes for a 1.3-acre lot there

On the north side of the street, 20 more acres owned by S3L Holdings are classed as residentialbut valued at theremarkably low rate of$100 per acre. The 2009 property taxes for a 1-acre residentiallot: $3.60.

Other vacant residential tracts on Bridge Street in east Brighton are valued at $10,000 to $20,000 per acre

100 to200 times as much.

S3L Holdings is headed by developer Robert Lembke, the second-largest contributor to Reyes' campaigns and amajor player in Colorado water markets.

In2002 and 2006, S3L Holdings and three other Lembke companies donated a totalof$7,500.

Assessor records show a 99 percent drop in the value ofS3L Holdings' land in2005. Reyes said he did notknow why and did not know that S3L Holdings was one ofLembke's companies.

Lyle Pearson, who worked as Lembke's construction managerfrom 2001 to2009, said he recalls no agricultural

productionon S3L Holdings land.

"No way you can . . . farm that land"

Some of the land along Bridge Street "was actually designated for a King Soopers shopping center," he said,and the dirt hillon the south side was dumped during constructionofa residential development nearby.

"There's no way you can actually farm that land or keep it in agriculture," he said. "It's not leveled enough to dothat."

AfterThe Post questioned the assessments, the agricultural assessor concluded that the tilled S3L Holdings land

northofBridge Street, classed as residential, actually qualifies as agricultural, while the overgrown acres southofBridge Street, classed as agricultural, donot.

Lembke willbe notified ofan intended change ofclassification, which canbe contested, Millar said.

Allof that land was poised for development when Brighton was booming five years ago, Millar said, and "weforgot about it because it didn't get developed."

Lembke said the parcels in question "had been in continuous agriculturaluse since the 1980s," and the rough-looking land southofBridge Street "is stillunder agriculturallease." After reviewing his own records, he saidthe assessor's office apparently raised the land value when it was subdivided, then reduced it again without any

appealfrom him.

He plans eventually to develop the land commercially the asking price for 8 acres southofBridge Street is$2 million, or $250,000 an acre, according to the listing agency but until then, he said, it should beagricultural.

Lembke also said he had never spoken with the assessor about the S3L Holdings land. He said he regularlycontributes to "competent, capable people" inboth parties.


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"In the realities of the political world, contributions don't buy you anything except the chance to chat onoccasion," he said.

In2002 and 2006, Reyes accepted $2,000 in campaign contributions from Larry Gayeski and his daughter,Michelle. Today, Gayeski Capital Associates alsoowns weed-covered land that the assessor classes asagricultural.

A one-sixth-acre parcel, bought from the E-470 highway authority after the toll road was built, consists mostly

ofan asphalt turnaround at the northern tip ofa street that now dead-ends southof the highway. Its 2009 taxes:$1.12.

Immediately southof the asphalt parcel, Gayeski alsoowns a 4.5-acre patchofland overgrown with weeds.That land, also classified as agricultural, is valued at $96 per acre. Its 2009 taxes: $14.64.

By comparison, 4.7 acres ofland belonging to an elderly homeowner across the street are classed as residentialand valued at $11,440 per acre nearly 120 times as much.

The assessor's office also plans tonotify Gayeski that it intends to reclassify land he has owned for seven years."He willbe getting a letter," Reyes said. "Are you going tofarm this?"

The asphalt parcel and the 4.5-acre parcel were part ofan 8-acre purchase Gayeski made in2003from thehighway authority for $306,000.

Gayeski said he did plant winter wheat on those 4.5 acres in2008 land that alsohelps control drainage fromfarmland he owns on the other side of the highway. "We've farmed them every other year," he said.

His long-term planfor those slivers ofland, like "my intent on all my farms, is to eventually sell them" asdevelopment approaches, he said. Meanwhile, "we're continuing tohold onto the stuffand waiting."

Research librarian Barbara Hudson contributed to this report. David Olinger: 303-954-1498 or

[email protected]

About assessments

Every two years, employees ofColorado assessor's offices review and reset the taxable values ofpropertiesthroughout their counties.

Property owners who appeal a proposed value must start at the assessor's office, which may deny the appealoradjust the value.

Appeals ofassessor-level decisions go to a county board ofequalization. In Adams County, those boardstypically consist of two referees from a list ofpeople appointed by the county commissioners as boardmembers.

A property owner who disagrees with a decisionby a county board ofequalization can appeal to the state BoardofAssessment Appeals.


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About the assessor

Gil Reyes, a Democrat, was elected without opposition to a third four- year term as Adams County's assessorthis month, after defeating a Republican candidate in2002 and 2006. He previously served as the county'sdeputy assessor and as president of the Colorado AssociationofTax Appraisers. Reyes has lived in AdamsCounty for more than40 years

Read more:Adams County assessor insists politics plays no role inhis minimizing donors' property taxes -The

Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_16725740#ixzz16baNfgy6

Steele's tenure as GOP chief may be nearing endNovember 27, 2010 By The Associated Press PHILIP ELLIOTT (Associated Press)A significant bloc ofRepublican National Committee members wants embattled chairman Michael Steele tostep aside, but the rank and file have failed to settle on a clear alternative, according to Associated Pressinterviews with committee members.

More thanfour dozen interviews with members of the 168-member centralcommittee found fear that a badly damaged Steele could emerge from thewreckage ofa knockdown, drag-out fight tohead the party as it challengesPresident Barack Obama in2012. While most agree that Steele's time hasb

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hipfight could overshadow gains that Republicans made in the midterm

elections.

Withballoting set to take place in just two months, many just want Steele to go.

"You can't keep spending the kind ofmoney they're spending every month just tooperate the RNC," saidcommittee member Ada FisherofNorth Carolina. "I would hope he would step aside."


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"The question is who should be hired for the next two years, It's not a matteroffiring anybody," said JamesBopp, a committee memberfrom Indiana whoholds great sway among social conservatives on the panel. "I justdon't think Steele has performed at the level we need for the presidential cycle."

In interviews with 51 committee members, 39 said they preferred Steele not be on the ballot when they meetnear Washington in mid-January to pick theirleader.

Forhis part, Steele hasn't said whetherhe will pursue the 85-vote majority needed for a second term. Already,

members have beenhearing from others interested in that quest.

Michigan committeeman Saul Anuzis has announced his candidacy. Former RNC strategist Gentry Collins, anoperative who is warmly regarded among RNC members, has formed a committee to explore a chairman's race.So, too, have Missouri chairwoman Ann Wagner and former Bush administrationofficial Maria Cino.

A group ofcommittee members, meanwhile, is courting Wisconsin GOP chairman and RNC lawyer ReincePriebus, who ran Steele's 2009 bid for chairmanbut has not ruled out challenging him.

Connecticut chairman Chris Healy also is weighing a run. And several GOP governors have urged RepublicanGovernors Association executive director Nick Ayers to seek the position, a suggestionhe has been reluctant to

embrace.

Steele, too, is talking to committee members, highlighting his role in the Republicanlandslide.

Voters punished Democrats from New Hampshire to California, giving Republicans at least 63new seats in theHouse. Republicans picked up 10 governorships and added six Senate seats. The party also gained controlof19state legislative chambers and now hold theirhighest levelofstate legislative seats since 1928.

"Now is not the time to trade in proven electoral success forunprovenhope," Idaho Republican chairman NormSemanko told fellow RNC members. "Now is not the time to change leaders. And now is not the time tobedistracted into internal strife and battles among one anotherfor power and controlof the GOP infrastructure."

Looking ahead, the GOP focus is voting Obama out ofoffice. To do that, Republicans need a coherent message,a strong party apparatus and a sizable account that Steele has seemed uninterested inbuilding.

When Collins resigned from the national committee last week, he wrote a scathing letter questioning the abilityof the RNC, under Steele, tolead the charge against the Democrats.

"Sadly, ifleft on its current path, the RNC willnot be a productive force in the 2012 campaign to denyPresident Obama a second term, retainour House majority and elect a Senate majority," he wrote to the party'sleadership.

The letter was a playbookfor any ofSteele's potential rivals, noting that the chairmanhad maxed out a $15million credit line the committee had approved.

"I think the Gentry Collins letter made it impossible for Mike Steele tobe re-elected," said Virginia committeemember Morton Blackwell, who is backing Anuzis.


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Steele started the job with a $23 million surplus; the RNC raised more than $79 million this year and has spentallof it. Some went to places that previously saw little RNC cashor interest, including five U.S. territories thateachhas three votes on the central committee.

"There are two things that a chairmanneeds tounderstand. They're going to start with a deficit. That's fact.They also willneed tofigure out how to get the major donors backonboard because they weren't onboard lasttime," said Linda Herren, a committee memberfrom Georgia. "They stillhelped elect Republicans. But it wasnot through the RNC."

Third-party groups, led by veteran GOP operatives Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie, raised in a few months almostas much as the RNC has since January 2009. Those dollars fueled blistering television ads that helpedRepublicans to victory but were an embarrassment to the RNC.

During Republican governors' private meetings last week in California, a consensus emerged that Steele mustleave his post whenhis term expires. Governors returned to their states and this week shared that message withtheir committee members, telling them that retaking the White House requires someone else.

Others say they stilllike the chairman _ and his doting attention, his speedy replies _but believe it's time forhim to go.

"He's a wonderful man. He's done a good job," said Cindy Costa, a committee memberfrom South Carolina."But it would be betterforhim _ and I want the best forhim _ to step down knowing he gave anhonest shot anddid a good job this election cycle."

AP National Political Writer Liz Sidoti contributed to this report

Online: Republican National Committee:http://www.gop.com


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A Friendly Reminder for the Patriotic Millionaires for Higher Taxes ClubBy Doug Powers November27, 2010 03:00 PM

Joe Bidenonce called paying higher taxes apatriotic act, and some millionaires are trying to wrap themselves inJoes Tread on Me flag by begging the government to raise their taxes.

From the Daily Caller: While the New York Post reported Wednesday that more than 80 percent ofAmericansbelieve that keeping the Bush tax cuts is a priority, more than 80 millionaires are asking President BarackObama to please let the Bush tax cuts expire and raise our taxes.

In a letter addressed to the President, the millionaires make their case, saying that as successful Americans theyare ready and willing to do their fair share.

For the fiscalhealthofournation and the well-being ofourfellow citizens, we ask that you allow tax cuts onincomes over $1,000,000 to expire at the end of this year as scheduled, they write. We make this request asloyal citizens whonow or in the past earned an income of$1,000,000 per yearor more.

The Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength, include musician Moby, Mens Warehouse CEO George Zimmer,Princeton Review founder John Katzman, and Ben CohenofBen & Jerrys ice cream.

Its funny how a group that claims tobe concerned with fiscal strength wants the most fiscally irresponsibleentity this side ofJohn Daly to confiscate more of their money. But at least Patriotic Millionaires for FiscalStrength sounds better than We have so much money we can afford to pretend America was built onhightaxes, irresponsible spending and foolishness.

Ive mentioned this before, but I want to remind these 80-plus millionaires who think their taxes arent highenoughofsomething:They can pay higher taxes, and right now. The US Treasury accepts donations. Theydont have to wait for the Bush cuts to expire to pay their fair share. No more excuses!

But iftheyd like to alleviate some guilt immediately, Id be more thanhappy to take some of theirburdenofftheirhands.

It would be interesting to know how much money these people who are begging for a tax increase spend eachyearon accountants to sniffout every possible loophole.

http://michellemalkin.com/2010/11/27/a-friendly-reminder-for-the-patriotic-millionaires-club/

Bill O'Reilly

The Borrowed Buck Stops Here

Be thankful this holiday weekend that you don't live in Ireland or Greece. Those countries are in very badeconomic shape and have to take bailout money from other countries just to survive. There are riots in the


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streets, and fear and loathing are on display. The luckof the Irishhas runout, and Zorba the Greek is broke.What happened?

The primary problem is that the Western European modelofproviding cradle-to-grave entitlements for the folksis nolonger sustainable in a world where recessionhas replaced expansion. Many countries, including the USA,have so much debt that they simply can't pay it off. America can stillborrow what it needs, but not even Zeuswould invest in Greekbonds.

With all the economic chaos on display, you would think the Democratic Party and liberal America wouldreconsider their attachment to massive government spending. You would think. But you'd be wrong.

Led by the editorial people at The New YorkTimes, the Americanleftwants to spend even more money while raising taxes on the affluent andon a variety ofbusinesses to raise the cash. In a column titled "HidingFrom Reality," uber-liberalTimes columnist Bob Herbert laments thedestructionof the American dream. Herbert cites statistics that sayforeign-born workers in America have gained jobs in the past year, while1.2 million jobs held by native-born workers have beenlost.

Thenhe writes something truly incredible: "What this shows is not that we should discriminate against foreign-born workers, but that the U.S. needs to develop a full-employment economy that provides jobs for all whowant to work at pay that enables workers and theirfamilies to enjoy a decent standard ofliving."

Notice that Herbert did not say the country should provide jobs for its citizens. He said we should provide jobsfor "all who want to work."

In a capitalist country, noone is guaranteed a job. The marketplace and competition drive employment. Also,while union contracts can mandate wages, the government does not. It allows private enterprise. But that's notwhat the farleft wants. They seek a socialist society.

My question: Are these people blind?

The United States cannot afford to give everyone a job and pay them a nice salary. No country on earth can dothat. And those who try, like Cuba, wind up destitute. Did Herbert miss the dissolutionof the Soviet Union?

There are some Americans whobelieve that President Obama is a socialist. I can't believe the man is that farleft, but certainly some ofhis friends and supporters are. I am keeping anopen mind on the subject, however. IfObama continues his spending madness in the face ofwhat is happening in Europe, then all Americans willbein trouble. It is one thing for a loopy newspaper columnist to demand socialist reform. It is quite another ifasitting president buys into it.

The next two years willbe very interesting.

Bill O'ReillyBill O'Reilly is host of the Fox News show "The O'Reilly Factor" and authorof"Who's Looking Out For You?"and Pinheads and Patriots.


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Monday, November 15, 2010 by Steven M. Nielson

2012 Presidential SpeculationI last wrote a full article on2012 Republican speculation in early Octoberof2009. Arguably, this is a differentworld than 13 months ago. The rate ofchange in the political spectrum over the course of the 2010 cycle hasbeen so much so that one should stop to ponder some scientific source offree energy from it! That being said, itis time tolook at some serious and not so serious issues facing the presidential elections of2012.

Tobegin, one has to wonder what the current President is planning for2012. Early speculators for the left aresuggesting that Hillary is ready to jump in and save the party and the unpopular president, while others arepublicly calling for the president to announce that he willnot seek re-electionnow inorder to stop short ofabsolute destructionof the Democratic Party. A saviourhe was not! Ofcourse, barring any major changes onthe left, we should expect to see a very weak President unable to controlhis divided legislature and thus enterthe race as a weak incumbent. His performance at the G20 summit and throughout Asia last week indicate thatthe world is nolonger smelling what Barack is cooking!

The GOP faces two camps ofcontenders for2012- those whofell short in2008 and those who are new toPresidential politics; Eachhas a strength and a weakness. Those who are past failures have name recognition,but also sufferfrom burn-out or simple distaste from the people -hey, we already said we didn't like yourbrandofpolitic. Those who are up and comers have the fresh sense ofsomething new, but may struggle withnamerecognitionon a serious national scale. For the old, they sufferfrom the changes over the past two years, as

anyone can clearly tell2012 is definitely no2008 in the political world!

So, who is in and who is out for the GOP?

Fox News is running a series called "12 in2012" where they highlight 12 candidates:Those candidates includes: Indiana Gov.Mitch Daniels, former Massachusetts Gov.Mitt Romney, Minnesota

Gov. Tim Pawlenty, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, former Alaska Gov.Sarah Palin, former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee, former House SpeakerNewt Gingrich, Mississippi Gov.Haley Barbour, South Carolina Sen.


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Jim DeMint, Indiana Rep.Mike Pence, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov.Bobby Jindal.McPike reports, A thirteenth story is also planned with long-shots such as former Pennsylvania Sen.Rick

Santorum, Texas Gov.Rick Perry, Texas Rep.Ron Paul, and others likeDonald Trump.

I had looked into the campaigns ofsome potentials (mentioned in my 2009 article linked above). Idaho Gov.Otter is out, carrying only 59% ofhis state when the Republican Senator snagged 71%. ND Gov Hoeven easilywon election as the US Senatorfrom ND with76% of the vote. Some time on the federal stage could lendcredence tohis libertarian tilt. Gov. Luis FortuoofPuerto Rico is single handedly turning the liberal state into

a conservative economic model, and his campaigning in2010 withothers around the nationhave lendedcredence tohim as an early pick.

So, who is in? Who is out? Noone is talking just yet. Word is that some are waiting until after the first of theyear, and after the new congress is seated. Some are waiting a bit longer to see who is jumping into the race.

Of the list above, who would I NOT support?1. Mitt Romney. He is a big government moderate whohas gained nothing since 2008, and remains somewhatofan elitist with respect to the people and the media. He has nothing good tooffer the GOP... unless youneedsomeone to sell you a used car.2. Bobby Jindahl. Anyone who votes 'yes' on making the Patriot Act permanent willnever get my vote. He

would be the Bob Dole of2012, and is not significant enough to move this country back into the hands of thepeople. His horrible state of the union response in2009 was both the beginning and the end ofhis nationallevelpolitical career. He is best left to the people ofLouisiana.3. Sarah Palin. I know Palin is a fanfavorite, but she cannot beat Obama, and she cannot unite the base. Hercareer move toleave Alaska's Governorship in2009 (after just two years) destroyed her credibility as an electedofficial. For whateverher purpose, the end did not justify the means. Her re-election campaign in2010 wouldhave been the training for2012, and her two more years running up to that election plus two more ahead of the2012 election would have givenher significant executive experience. Instead she became a cheerleaderfor thetea party, in my mind washing away all the hope and respect I had forher as an elected official.4. Newt Gingrich. He may have been third inline for the top spot in the nineties, but this is not the nineties.Newt Gingrich is a relic, and does not have what it takes to 'right' the sinking ship.

Who would I support?1. Luis Fortuo. A Puerto Ricanbid for the presidency would send a shockwave through the nation. A territoryof the US foroverone hundred years, the island's population are US citizens, but hold no vote in the US federalgovernment. They pay nofederal taxes, but receive federalfunds. Fortuohas spent the last two yearsreforming the island commonwealth into a tax haven, and has worked to drastically cut the size of the island'sgovernment - and the jobs that went with it. He is a rising star, and his campaign would not only draw a latinovoting bloc, it would change the debate toone focused onour imperial policy of territories.2. Ron Paul. His economic forecasts proved tobe true. His foreign policy stance is very isolationist, muchlikemost Americans pre-WWII. His followers have taken root inlocal and state parties across the nation, movinginto key leadership positions. His backers have never quit the 2008 campaign. Ron Paul's followers are the

reasonfor the Tea Party. The Campaignfor Liberty has millions offollowers. Ron Paul's appointment as theChairof the Sub-Committee on Monetary Policy, whichhe willuse to go after the Federal Reserve lendscredence tohis gain in popularity and credibility within the party, and the outcome ofhis crusade of the Fedcould put him in a strong place tolead the field in2012.3. John Hoeven. Ifhe can do something strong and dramatic within the Senate, he stands a chance to make anationalname forhimself. He is easily in the libertarian camp; arguably able tobecome the Ron Paulof thesenate (notice Rand did not get that distinction). He did a great job in North Dakota, and could do a great jobtaking that same policy to D.C.


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Others who Intrigue.1. Lou Dobbs. There were feelers put out whenhe left CNN last year that he may be setting up for a 2012 run.Dobbs would do a great job in the mix.2. Joe Arpaio. The Arizona County Sheriffwill play the part ofTom Tancredo, getting toughon immigration.He holds generalfavor across the nation, and is already making the rounds.

Wikipedia is tracking 28 potential GOP contenders, with the prospect ofa few more waiting in the wings. Asthe dust settles from November2010, it will surely be interesting to see who decides to put a horse in the race

for2012.

http://stevenmnielson.blogspot.com/2010/11/2012-presidential-speculation.html

Preexisting conditions

y

y

Ross Kaminskyy September25th, 2010 11:17 am ET

Progressives dont understand economics; its that simple. Its most often seen in the elite liberal media bysupporting policies with an implicit free lunch. Such is the case withThe New Republics Jonathan Cohn, a guywho Id bet has never studied economics. And ifhe has, his professors should be ashamed.

In what we should expect tobecome part of the lefts consistent rallying cry going into the election, Cohnbemoans the possibility that Republicans arent really going toforce insurance companies to cover pre-existing


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conditions if, as promised in the GOPs new Pledge for America", the Republicans have the opportunity torepeal and replace Obamacare.

Quoting Cohns deepest fears ofwhat a world under a non-Obama health care regime might looklike: So ifyouhave diabetes, an insurer could sell you a policy that doesnt cover complications from the disease. Ifyousurvived cancer, insurers could refuse to cover recurrences. And even if the policy did cover these things,thered be nothing to prevent insurers from imposing huge cost-sharingor doubling or tripling your premiums.Again, thats pretty close to the situation today.

Jonathan, I realize youre utterly untrained to think in terms ofproducts and services not being free once thegovernment gets involved, but do you really think that cost goes away ifcost-sharing goes away?

Ifsomeone without insurance has diabetes and is likely to cost $50,000 more for medical care over the nextdecade than someone who doesnt have the disease, requiring the insurance company to coverhim for the samepremium as a health person simply subtracts (actuarily) $50,000 from the insurance companys bottom line, allelse being equal. Remember, though, before you say you dont feel sorry forhealth insurance companies, thatthey are a very competitive and low-marginbusiness. They wont be able to just absorb that loss, so what willhappen in the real world is that everybody elses insurance premiums will increase.

Calling that premium hike cost-sharing would be amusing but it diverts from the critical point that it turns therest of those withhealth insurance policies into servants of the diabetic. We allhave to work extra hours to payhigher insurance premiums to cover the cost ofsomeone elses health care. It is outright socialism.

We need to distinguishhere between people who get diagnosed with conditions or suffer accidents while theyare insured. Insurance is, after all, by definition a way to get financialhelp in the event ofanunexpectedcalamity. Insurance companies should be highly restricted from dumping customers who require more medicalcare than expected ifthey were insured before the medical conditionbecame known.

But requiring companies to take all comers with all pre-existing conditions turns the idea of insurance on itshead. Why wouldnt everyone just wait untilhe had a major problem and then signu p? Why waste all those

months paying insurance premiums while youre feeling great?

Sure, its lovely to say everyone should be able to get coverage at the same price". But thats just living in afantasy world, and one with very dangerous outcomes.

Should everyone be allowed tobuy a Ferrari ifthey only have the money for a Honda, with the rest ofusfooting the bill?

Or, backon insurance, should people be allowed tobuy car insurance just after an accident, so the rest ofuswhohave been paying premiums will effectively have to pay tobuy him a new car? What about lettingsomeone buy homeowners insurance while her roof is onfire?

All these things are obviously wrong and obviously shouldnt be allowed.

Its only when it comes tohealth care that peoples thinking gets confused.

And why does it get confused? Because conservatives have allowed Progressives to make Americans think thathealth care is a right.


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Lets get this straight: It isnt a right.

Health care involves using the time and expertise of someone who spent hundreds of thousands ofdollarsgetting the necessary education, getting the benefit ofhundreds ofmillions ofdollars ofpharmaceutical researchand development expense, using technology developed at great cost by corporations whichnot only expect, butneed to recover those costs and more.

Where else but health care do people feellike they should be able touse the time ofhighly trained people

operating million-dollar machines without having to pay for it?

And how does that approach differfundamentally from slavery, or at least indentured servitude?

Hint: it doesnt.

Health care is not a right. Doctors are not our servants, nor are the companies which make quality health carepossible, scientifically speaking. And neither are we eachothers servants, required to pay for the other guyshealth care just because he had worse luck than we did.

I feelbad for people with pre-existing conditions. Indeed, for many years, I had been diagnosed withone (it

turned out the diagnosis was an error!) and was unable to get health insurance. But life isnt fair, and its notgovernments job to make it feelfair to the unlucky by stealing from the more fortunate. (Obviously thatstatement applies welloutside the realm ofhealth care, but its particularly obvious here.)

Ifthere were a really free market inhealth insurance, forces ofsupply and demand would create functionalhigh-risk pools for people with pre-existing conditions. Ofcourse, those people will pay more for insurancethan those who dont have potentially very expensive problems. But that, and not muddle-headed leftist plansfor insurance premium equality", is the only fair and just outcome.

Whenenver you read people like Jonathan Cohn suggesting that people should be allowed to pay less than themarket would normally charge, make sure to ask the question (or at least wonder to yourself) whos going to

make up the difference. One thing is for sure: someone is paying the bill.

http://www.examiner.com/capitalist-in-national/preexisting-conditions


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The remarkable success of the Leadership Program of the Rockies

By Ross Putin

In2004-2005, I participated in the Leadership Program of the Rockies course, learning a lot and, moreimportantly, making many great friends and contacts in the then-simmering and now-boiling-over pro-libertymovement in Colorado.

Im going to say this early and say it againlater: Even ifyou dont intend to participate in the class, I urge youtomake a tax-deductible donation to LPR. Do it today so it doesnt slip your mind. It is the best investment inthe future ofour state which you could ever make. (And no, I dont get any commissions!)will

Infact, the course impressed me so much that Ive contributed to LPR every year since then, includingsponsoring or co-sponsoring a class each year except one since that time.

Thus is was not a particular surprise tolearnof the tremendous success of the programs graduates during therecent election season.

In particular, 24 LPR grads (at least) were elected tooffice in Colorado, including:

Scott Gessler, Secretary ofStateKevin Grantham, SD 2Kent Lambert, SD 9Kevin Lundberg, SD 15Ted Harvey, SD 30Janak Joshi, HD 14Larry Liston, HD 16Bob Gardner, HD 20Don Beezley, HD 33Spencer Swalm, HD 37

Kathleen Conti, HD 38GlennVaad, HD 48Sue Sharkey, CU Regent -4Nancy Sharpe, Arapahoe County CommissionerGrayson Robinson, Arapahoe County SheriffDavid Weaver, Douglas County SheriffLora Thomas, Douglas County CoronerPaul Lundeen, State Board ofEducationPeggy Littleton, El Paso County CommissionerWayne Williams, El Paso Clerk and RecorderTerry Maketa, El Paso County Sheriff

Kurt Schlegel, Elbert County CommissionerJJ Jamison, Teller Clerk and RecorderDave Paul, Teller County Commissioner

But its not just in elected office that LPR graduates are having an impact:


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Matt Arnold championed the brave effort to Clear the Bench Colorado and althoughfalling short neverthelessgot a remarkable 40% No vote on three State Supreme Court Justice retentions. We canonly hope that thosejudges keep that in the backof their mind the next time theyre called upon to defend the state constitution.

Influential pro-liberty bloggers and media activists whohave graduated from LPR include Tom James (PeoplesPress Collective), Michael Sandoval (PPC and National Review), Eileen Mahony (PPC), Kelly Maher(WhoSaidYouSaid.com), Wesley Dickinson (PPC), Ben DeGrow (PPC), Brian Schwartz (PPC), Elliot Fladen(PPC), and Tyler Martinez, as well as yourhumble columnist spilling virtual inkon these pages. [Most PPC

contributors alsohave theirownblogs]

Amanda Teresi, founderofLiberty on the Rocks is an LPR grad as is my radio producer and (unfortunately)unsuccessful candidate foroffice in a very liberal district, Joshua Sharf, whohas his own pro-liberty blog.Other pro-liberty activists, such as Al Maurer, Michelle Morin and Lesley Hollywood are in this years LPRclass. Teddy Oterofrom the Constitutionalist Today is also in this years class. And, ofcourse, there is DavidWilliams, who is not only a bloggerbut also Chairmanof the Libertarian Party ofColorado.

Also, its worthnoting that the pushfor school vouchers in Douglas County is being championed by LPR gradand Chairmanof the Douglas County Board ofEducation, John Carson along withfellow Board ofEd memberand LPR grad Meghann Silverthorn. Carson, along with at least twoother LPR grads, including the

effervescent Charcie Russell are quoted inthis Denver Post articleon the voucher issue.

All in all, LPR is proving itself tobe a force in Colorado politics, training future leaders, whetherofficeholdersorothers who try to influence current events oropinion, in principles ofliberty, free markets, and practicalaspects ofcommunication and effectiveness.

Anybody whohas a desire to make your state and nation a better place through any of the various routesdemonstrated by prior LPR grads or through a route ofyourown design are strongly encouraged to considerapplying forLPRnext year. There are usually multiple applicants for each spot in the 65-person class, but thenanyone who is serious about promoting liberty and free markets shouldnt shy away from a little competition

So, again: Even ifyou dont intend to participate in the class, I urge you tomake a tax-deductible donation toLPR. Do it today. You can then, even ifyou dont have time yourself tobe actively involved in politics orotherpro-liberty pursuits, know that youhave done your part tofurtherfreedom and free markets inouronce-and-future great state.

http://rossputin.com/blog/index.php/the-remarkable-success-of-the-leadership-program-of-the-rockies

y

y WONDER LANDy

NOV

EMBER 18,2

010

8-14-23 or Fight!

Lower tax rates are suddenly moving to the center of the political debate.

y By DANIEL HENNINGER


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The Reader's Digest years ago asked subscribers what should be the maximum percentage of income anyonehas to pay the federal government. The median percentage was 25%. As always, it took the politicians andeconomists 10 years to catchup with the American people.

Last week the two chairmenofPresident Barack Obama's bipartisan deficit commission, Democrat ErskineBowles and Republican Alan Simpson, issued a set of"draft" recommendations that includes this: a new U.S.individual income tax system withonly three rates8%, 14% and 23%. You would have to move to Estonia toget a top marginal rate near23%. Also, they would drop the U.S.'s self-destructive corporate rate of35% to

26%.

Then yesterday came another "bipartisan" group, led by former Sen. Pete Domenici and Alice Rivlin, BillClinton's OMB director and also a memberof the deficit commission. Their goal: a system "to improveincentives to work, save and invest" with two personal tax rates of15% and 27%, and a corporate rate of27%.Theirs includes a 6.5% sales tax; Bowles-Simpson, a surprise, has no sales tax.

Proving reform fever can catch anyone, Treasury Secretary Tim GeithneronTuesday called for a fundamentaloverhaulofour tax system, which "is not a sensible way to run a country."

Lower tax rates are suddenly moving to the centerof the political debate.

Saving the most important forlast, Michigan GOP CongressmanDave Camp, who surely willbe chairmanof the tax-writing Waysand Means Committee in January, delivered a strong reform speechTuesday. "What we need," said Rep. Camp (also a memberof theBowles-Simpson commission), "is a comprehensive reform of thetax code that expands the tax base and lowers rates."

Putting this in context:The current fight between the Obama WhiteHouse and congressional Republicans over whether the top rate should be 39.6% or35%, notwithstanding itsimmediate importance for the economy, is a ridiculous sideshow to what serious people now want to do to sync

up our tax system with the goalofstrong economic growth.

Words found nowhere in the deficit commission's draft include "fairness," "the wealthiest," and "the top 1%."The explicit purpose of its tax proposals is to "make America the best place in the world to start and grow abusiness."

Even inour current politicaluniverse of smirking cynics, this is progressa bipartisan presidential group hasput the subject oflower tax rates at the centerof the policy debate.

Yes, yes, I understand the deficit commission gets down to 8-14-23by eliminating every hallowed taxexpenditure in the tax code and by taxing capital gains at ordinary rates.

But still. 23%.

Feelfree to sniffat a 23% top rate. I won't. The new Republican Congress shouldn't either. Nor should thelifeboat fullofmoderate Democratic senators heading toward the 2012 whirlpool.

The chart above, from the Bowles-Simpson draft, reveals more than percentages. It is a summary of theeconomics and politics of the tax hell inhabited by most Americans.


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Though the chairmen themselves wouldn't put it this way (well, Alan Simpson might) the top two rows depictthe tax food-fight under way between Republicans and the president over whether a fairy godmother will turnthe Bush tax rates into pumpkins on New Year's Eve.

The commission's alternative to this familiar Beltway spectacle appears in the other rows. These looklike tax-rate scenarios you would expect at the centerofa tax debate in a nation serious about remaining competitivewith the world's emerging economic powers.

The question Bowles-Simpson throws on the table is this: Do you want to continue tolive with a tax systemerected on "tax breaks"from the mortgage deduction and personal exemption down through all the cats-and-dogs expenditures concocted inside the Beltway's unglorious Gucci Gulch? Or do you want a simpler systemwithlower rates?

The chart illustrates the rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul reality ofour current "system." Ifyou want to retainfavored taxbreaks, like the personal exemptionor earned- income tax credit, everyone's rates have to rise to make up forthose "breaks." Subtract the breaks, and rates canfall. That's the devil's bargain the U.S. has made for decades.The tax system we have is anti-economic. The IRS code is best understood as apoliticaldocument.

By the way, the option that zeroes out all expenditures (called dead on arrivalby the conventional wisdom)would also do away with the alternative minimum tax, the PEP rule that phases out personal exemptions, andthe Pease provision, which phases out itemized deductions forhigher incomes. And on the corporate side,Bowles-Simpson argues the U.S. should tax corporations only on the income produced inside this country, theso-called "territorial system" used by our competitors.

The point here is not to embrace the chairmen's tax ideas as published. Yes, the commission's 8-14-23 rateschedule includes taxing capital gains and ratifies ObamaCare. And yes, Brookings' Tax Policy Center


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suggesting "Paul Krugman and friends can rest easy"calculates the proposal increases near-term tax liabilities(but admits this is a static estimate withnobehavioral response).

Thepoliticalvalue, as GOP Rep. Paul Ryan (also a commission member) pointed out in an interview, is thatthese ideas are the basis for a "center-right coalitionon taxes." That 8-14-23 rate schedule won't evenbe in thefinal report because the commission's liberals are aghast and will vote it out.

Toolate. Lower tax rates are in the water. Time for the wonks to start crunching and for January's center-right

tax-reform coalition to start assembling votes.

Write to [email protected]

Thornton Circle R is a small donor committee that helps elect Colorado Republican Candidates for state andlocal races. You can donate a maximum of $50 per calendar yearto any and every Small Donor Committee

like Thornton Circle R. Contribute online with a credit card(http://www.northsuburbanrepublicanforum.org/small-donor-committees/) or send your donation, up to $50, toThornton Circle R, 3351 E. 120th Ave #32-202, Thornton, CO 80233. Ifyouhave any questions or wouldlike help setting up yourown small donor committee, send an email to:[email protected] call Phil Saner

(303) 284-8435, Dana West 303-351-1268, orTony Caputo (303) 288-8740. Please checkout

http://tonyoncoloradotoo.com/

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.


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NSRF Board of Directors Email Address TelephoneJohn Lefebvre President [email protected] 303-451-5558

Jerry Cunningham Vice President [email protected] 303-439-8228

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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 Republicanmovers 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 Forum1149 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 feeAnnual 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:(________)____________-_____________________

E-Mail Address:_______________________________________@_____________________

Signature

Signature

Payment by: Cash Check

Date:__________________________2nd VP Treasurer

nsrf december 2010 newsletter

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