September 19, 2012
State Senator
MORGAN CARROLL
MAJORITY CAUCUS CHAIR
200 E. Colfax Ave., Room 271
Denver, CO 80203
Capitol: 303-866-4879
morgan.carroll.senate@state.co.us
www.senmorgancarroll.com |
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Committee Membership:
Chair:
Judiciary
Member:
Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Energy
Legislative Legal Services
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COLORADO
SENATE
State Capitol
Denver
80203
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Hello! I hope you are doing well. A few updates on my end:
TOWNHALLS
Our next townhall (Thurs. Sept. 20, 2012, 7:00 - 8:00PM) will be a public safety event to meet as a community in the wake of the July 20 movie theatre shootings. We will be honoring our 1st responders and have booths with public safety information from the following organizations:
- Aurora Fire Department
- Aurora Police Department School Resource Officers
- Aurora Public Schools
- Rural/Metro Ambulance
- Denver Regional Council of Governments and the Area Agency on Aging
- Children’s Hospital Colorado
- Safe Kids Metro Denver
- Aurora Mental Health Center
- Philips 66 Pipeline safety
Come find out more about the more common public safety challenges and what we can do about it. These organizations will have resources and information to help you and your family. Last year Forbes ranked Aurora the 9th safest city in the U.S. for a city of its size.
This will be held at the Community College of Aurora, 16000 E. Centretech Pkwy, Aurora in the Rotunda Room, Student Services Building.
This event is being hosted by myself, Rep. Su Ryden, Rep. Rhonda Fields and Rep. Nancy Todd. All are welcome. Please bring others. We hold these evening townhalls on the 3rd Thursday of every month unless it falls on a holiday.
Monday Coffee Oct. 1, 2012
7:15 - 8:30AM
Mimi's Cafe, 205 S. Abilene St, Aurora
All Welcome - Open Forum - Any Topic You Want to Discuss
*We hold these coffee events on the 1st Monday of every month unless it falls on a holiday.
VOTER VERIFICATION
There has been a lot of activity and confusion surrounding the status of voters. Please take a moment and make sure that you are properly registered (even if you think you are), that your address is current and correct and that you are properly signed up to receive a mail ballot. You can do this by visiting: http://www.govotecolorado.com.
SHAPING FUTURE LEGISLATION
Each legislator gets 5 bills per session unless granted special permission from leadership. We have a deadline of December 1 before the session to get those bill requests submitted. That means if you have an idea that you want to see pursued for legislation in the 2013 session, you should seek to have a legislative sponsor before December 1, 2012 or else you may have to wait until the 2014 session.
Anyone can make or change law in Colorado. All you need is 1 (of the 100) legislators to agree to be your sponsor and he or she can walk you through the process.
TAKE BACK YOUR GOVERNMENT: A CITIZEN'S GUIDE TO GRASSROOTS CHANGE
Because I feel like there is a lot information we can better share about how people can effectively participate in the legislative process, I wrote the book, "Take Back Your Government: A Citizen's Guide to Grassroots Change". I am pleased to report that it made a local best seller's list. If you have not yet received a copy but want to you can get one at Tattered Cover, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and most local independent booksellers.
http://www.tatteredcover.com/book/%5Bmodel%5D-32
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March 20, 2010
After 6 years, State Senator Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora) and State Representative Su Ryden (D-Aurora) will be changing the location of their standing morning townhall meetings from E. Steamers Coffee to
Mimi's Restaurant 205 South Abilene Street at in Aurora.
"We have have outgrown the space that is available at E. Steamers Coffee and wanted to ensure we can accommodate our community's interest in participating in civics. We want to particularly thank the great folks at E. Steamers for their years of hospitality and service to the community", said Sen. Morgan Carroll.
Coffee with Carroll & Ryden will continue to take place on the
1st Monday of every month (unless it is a holiday) from 7:00 - 8:30 AM providing updates from the legisature and seeking input from interest people in our community. The next meeting is Monday April 5, 2010. All are welcome. The meeting is open to the public and free.
The evening townhall (
Meetings with Morgan, Su & Karen) will continue as scheduled in the usual location for the
3rd Thursday of every month at the Community College of Aurora, 16000 E. Centretech Pkwy, Aurora from 7:00 - 8:30 PM. The next meeting will be on Thursday April 15, 2010. The topic for April will be addressing Senior Issues. (Retirement, Health, Financial Planning, Probate, Long Term Care needs) All are welcome. The meeting is open to the public and free.
For the latest information about townhall meetings, visit
www.senmorgancarroll.com
January 24, 2010
We held our latest townhall meeting on the future of higher education and were joined by Dr. Linda Bowman (President, Community College of Aurora), Dr. Roy Wilson (Chancellor, University of Colorado, Denver), Andrew Bateman (President, Student Government Assembly):
Dr. Bowman, Dr. Wilson, Mr. Bateman
We discussed the future of Higher Education in the context of its overall importance to job readiness, personal growth and development and its challenged in light of the state's budget crisis.
Colorado will be making another $1 billion in cuts to an $ billion general fund budget. Over 80% of the state's budget is automatically directed by way of either CO constitutional amendments or federal mandates. Higher Education is not protected under either category and as a result is disproportionately vulnerable to cuts.
Most of our "public" institutions of higher education are already receiving less than 10% of their funding from the state General Fund as a function of TABOR enterprise status. Last year's budget of $600 million may seem like a lot of money but places Colorado at 48th in the U.S. as far as our level of higher funding.
Complete de-funding of higher education this year would still not balance the budget. The JBC has prepared memos for example for consideration on proposals that would:
- Privatize public higher education in Colorado
- Close select universities and schools
- Eliminate financial aide
Our universities, community colleges, technical schools all play a critical role in Colorado's job climate and in solid economic development. As schools brace for steep cuts, some of the choices may include:
- Dropping courses
- Dropping select degree programs
- Hiring freeze
- Consolidating campus governance
- Increased class size where structure allows
- Increased tuition to pay for loss of state fund
- Closures
- Increasing online mix of courses
All of these decisions will have serious impact on students' options, cost and affordable access to higher education.
The Joint Budget committee and state legislature will be working throughout the session to do our job to balance the budget within the resources available. Another memo prepared suggests that if Colorado were still at a 5.0% income tax rate (rather than 4.63%) we would be tight but OK.
If you are interested in following the choices and issues rates but the Colorado budget, information can be found at the Joint Budget committee at: http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/jbc/jbchome.htm
January 18, 2010
COLORADO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
WOMEN'S CAUCUS
The bi-partisan, bi-cameral women's caucus of the Colorado General Assembly has decided to take up a collection and donation effort for the victims of the Earthquake in Haiti.
Few Facts About Haiti:
- Columbus landed in Haiti Dec. 5, 1492 and claimed the island for Spain.
- Native populations and imported African slaves were forced to work in the gold mines.
- More than 500 Haitian volunteers fought in 1779 in the American Revolution
- Haiti's independence was gained as a result of a successful slave rebellion in 1804.
- Haiti has endured 32 coups in 200 years
- The U.S. occupied Haiti from 1915 – 1934
- The people have been subjected to several dictatorships.
- Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere.
- The literacy rate is the lowest in the Americas and health stats are abysmal (90% of their children suffer from waterborne illnesses).
The people of Haiti have endured centuries of hardship and most recently experienced a 7.0 earthquake on January 10, 2010.
Here's what we know:
- 3.5 million people need relief help for food, water or medical attention
- The earthquake has already killed an estimated 100,000 – 200,000 people
- An estimated 300,000 are homeless in the capital city of Port-au-Prince
- Survivors have been living and walking over the bodies of the dead
- Power, Transit, and Commerce has halted
- Carrefour 40 – 50% destroyed
- Gressier 40 – 50% destroyed
- Leogane 80 – 90% destroyed
- Jacmel 50 – 60% destroyed
- Damage is estimated to be in the billions
What can you do?
Donate to either:
American Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders US
Please give what you can.
Thank you.
December 02, 2009
For those of you who believe health care is a right, you may be interested in joining us this weekend for an important event.
Health Care For All Colorado
Pipefitters Union Hall 6350 N Broadway, Denver 80136
12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
– Program -
11:00 a.m. Bonus Presentation:
Understanding Health Care Financing and Reform
Irene Aguilar, MD11:00 a.m. Bonus Presentation:
Understanding Health Care Financing and Reform
Irene Aguilar, MD
12:00 Registration and Lunch
1:00 Welcome and Vision–
Dr. Irene Aguilar
1:45 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Partners in Policymaking: Being a Change Agent:
Marna Ares, CDDC
Running a Referendum: What Does it Take?
Ellen Brilliant, Consultant
Creative Nonviolent Direct Action:
Ron Forthofer and Bob Carlsten
3:15 p.m.
The Role of the State in National Reform
The Honorable John Kefalas, Representative, CD 52
4:00 p.m. Citizen Activism –
Making Change Happen
The Honorable Morgan Carroll, Senator, SD 29
5:00 p.m. Wrap up
5:30 p.m. Action Groups
Requested Event Donation $15 (Lunch is Included)
Click here for more information.
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