New state senator off and running in special session

New state senator off and running in special session

May 22, 2001

Capitol Report
By Senator Jim Isgar

As the first of hopefully many columns, I would like to thank the citizens of Colorado Senate District 6 for the opportunity to serve as their state senator. Succeeding Jim Dyer will be a challenge. He has served us well, and I wish him much success in his new position as Public Utilities Com-mission commissioner.

Since April 29, the day I was notified of the appointment, much has happened. On May 7, we left for Denver for several days of "learning the ropes." This meant completing the usual paperwork associated with any new job, finding my office, meeting co-workers, and most importantly in crowded Denver, obtaining a parking place at the Capitol.

My longtime friend and former professor, Dr. Barney Anderson, will be my senatorial aide. He has been with me in Denver the past two weeks. His organizational skills are most welcome! My office is Jim Dyer’s old office on the third floor of the Capitol. Ironically, the windows face the south and the west, our region and our home.

Although I was at the capitol the first week only to observe, I was called upon to help address rural issues associated with the growth bill. My hope was that I could help resolve the impasse and we would not need to return for a special session. However, not surprisingly, my two days of input were not enough to resolve what had not been resolved in two years. I became aware of how partisan politics interferes with meaningful negotiations. As no acceptable consensus was reached, the growth bill was not resolved before time ran out in the regular session.

When Gov. Owens called the special session on growth last week it made it necessary for me to be sworn in ASAP. "As soon as possible" turned out to be at 10 a.m. Monday in the Senate chambers. Supreme Court Justice Mary Mullarkey swore me in. All the senators were very gracious and kind. Stan Matsunaka, president of the Senate, appointed me to chair the Agriculture Committee, a position Jim Dyer had held. At my request, he also appointed me to the Education Committee. Jim Dyer did not serve on that committee so it required some shuffling. Education is an area in which I have a great interest and a lot of experience. I have also been appointed to the interim committees on tourism and water, obviously very important issues for our region.

This past Monday, the first working day of the special session, there was a flurry of activity with 17 House bills and 14 Senate bills introduced, most of which deal with growth piecemeal. Many of the bills were killed along party lines. The house bills that came to the Senate were killed because the majority in the Senate thought we could not do comprehensive planning by passing piecemeal bills.

As Sen. Ed Perlmutter, D-Golden, said, you cannot build a strong bridge without including all the pillars supporting it. Our feeling is that unless the Legislature passes a meaningful bill, citizens will use the constitutional initiative process to create a growth management plan in the state constitution that would be virtually impossible to change.

Senate Bill 12, the Colorado Growth Management Act, is a comprehensive bill, but was tabled on Wednesday and again on Thursday.

The reason it was tabled was because it was basically the same bill as HB1225, which was rejected by the Republican House last week before the end of the regular legislative session. We continue to negotiate language to address concerns of several of the interested parties, especially farmers, rural interests, smaller counties and language protecting private-property rights. We did not feel there was any point attempting to move a bill that was basically the same as the one unacceptable to the House the previous week. If we are able to reach some compromise, we will try to move the bill forward next week. But if no compromise can be reached, the bill will probably not move out of the Senate.

Once this special session is over, my plans are to meet with people throughout this district and learn more of the concerns of the nine counties which I represent.

Finally, I would like to thank our friends and neighbors who have supported me in this undertaking.

Special thanks to my son, Matt, for getting the crops planted and irrigated while I have been away. And to the line of neighbors honking their horns on Monday after the announcement — Brenda and I enjoyed a good laugh.

Jim Isgar is a state senator from La Plata County. He can be reached locally at (970) 385-7664 or at the Capitol in Denver at (303) 866-4884.