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Jan.
11, 2001
Capitol
Report
By State Senator Jim Dyer
It has been a great honor to serve you for the past 14
regular sessions of the Colorado General Assembly. These sessions have all
had a familiar rhythm as the 120 days waltz by. But when we convene
Wednesday, Jan. 10, that familiar rhythm will morph to rock n' roll time
for me.
For the first time since JKF was associated the myth of
Camelot, Democrats will be in the majority of the Colorado Senate.
The majority margin is a single seat 18-17.
But, as I recollect my Shakespeare, a dying Mercutio
observed of his stab wound:
"Tis not so deep as a well,
Nor as wide as a cathedral door,
But, ’tis enough, ’twill do."
Now does this new majority status mean that some
bomb-throwing socialistic agenda will be inflicted on the good folk
hereabouts?
No, for several reasons.
-
Republican Gov. Bill Owens would veto any
left-of-center legislation in the unlikely event it found his desk.
(As a corollary, the Democratic majority would likely spare Owens from
having to deal with any far-out, right-wing proposals that would
offend centrist voters. This improves his re-electability, an
unintended consequence of the new majority.)
-
The Republican House of Representatives, with very
partisan leadership, can and will kill any liberal flights of fancy
coming from the Senate.
-
I am not a very likely 18th vote for well-intentioned
but irresponsible legislation. Yes, I am a Democrat, but no one has
ever mistaken me for Ted Kennedy. I'll vote as I have in the past: my
conscience and for the interests of Southwest Colorado. Not a party
line. Hello woodshed.
So what are the practical effects of this shift?
-
Democrats and Republicans will have equal (3-3)
representation on the powerful Joint Budget Committee and the Capital
Development Committee that our Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez, sits on.
-
Democrats will chair all Senate committees and will
have a one-vote advantage in each. I will chair the Senate Agriculture
and Natural Resources Committee, which will deal with water issues and
oil and gas legislation as well as finding ways to promote our
agricultural and livestock economies.
-
Gov. Owens' appointments to his cabinet and to state
boards and commissions must be approved by the Senate. While I've not
voted down any of his selections, I believe he'll be looking at more
moderate candidates in the future.
-
Lastly ... and potentially most importantly ...
Congressional re-apportionment will be dealt with this year, most
likely in a September special session. Based on the 2000 census, our
population boom has resulted in Colorado gaining a seventh U.S. House
seat. The Colorado Legislature will draw the seven boundaries. With
one party in control of both houses the districts could be
gerrymandered to that one party's advantage. Hey that's politics.
But not with offsetting majorities. ’Tis enough, ’Twill
do.
I apologize for beginning the year with a piece that may
seem to speak to partisan politics but this is a reality that all the big
issues will be played out against.
I assure you that in my work with my friends and
colleagues Rep. Kay Alexander, R-Montrose, and Rep. Mark Larson, R-Cortez,
partisanship plays no part.
Jim Dyer is a state senator from Durango. He can be
reached in Durango at (970) 259-1942, or at the capitol in Denver at (303)
866-4884. |
