Common Sense Unfiltered

In the aftermath of Colorado Senate Bill 181, passed in 2019, the Colorado Oil & Gas Conservation Commission has undertaken a bounty of rulemakings. Among them is a reconsideration of setbacks from both buildings and wildlife areas.

With Colorado poised to issue another round of restrictions for businesses due to spikes in positive COVID-19 cases, CSI invites two people whose roles find them impacted directly by the shutdowns.

Ginger Graham is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company focused on fighting diabetes and obesity. During her tenure at the company, they were listed on the Nasdaq 100 and were rated as one of the Top 10 places in the industry for scientists to work. In addition, Ginger taught classes in entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School and has written for Harvard Business Review. Today she serves on several public and private company board of directors and she consults to first-time CEOs in the areas of leadership, strategy, board-effectiveness, and organization-building. Recently she launched Ginger and Baker, a café, restaurant, market, and so much more, in Fort Collins, CO.

Lora Thomas is a Douglas County Commissioner. Lora spent 26 years serving with the Colorado State Patrol, where she was the first woman captain and major. In addition, Lora was an entrepreneur who managed the rental of up to three single family homes for over 20 years while working for the state patrol. As a current Douglas County Commissioner, she has brought dynamic, effective leadership to Douglas County.

They share firsthand their experiences of dealing with mandatory restrictions and policies designed to limit the spread of COVID-19, as well as offer solutions for how to protect public safety while also ensuring our community’s small businesses survive and prosper.

Joining this edition of Common Sense Digest is Ed Sealover who covers government (and several other beats) for the Denver Business Journal, and Lynn Bartels, formerly a reporter who covered all things politics for The Denver Post, and now a columnist for Colorado Politics. The two discuss many of the measures on the 2020 ballot, with special focus on Propositions 117 and 118, as well as Amendment B.

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Colorado continues to grapple with COVID-19, its effects on our health and safety, the impacts to our children’s education, and our economy. Making sense of all the data can be overwhelming, which is why the Common Sense Digest is here for your listening pleasure.

Filling in for Chairman Earl Wright, President and CEO Kristin Strohm chats with Director of Policy and Research Chris Brown about a number of economic indicators. In a brisk half hour, Kristin and Chris discuss jobs and unemployment (including how the pandemic has more profoundly impacted women, and in particular, mothers), the difference in year-over-year sales tax collections, and why the pandemic has hit some communities harder than others. If you’re looking for a smart, concise summary of how the state is responding to the economic challenges of the pandemic, you are but a click away from this tremendous episode.

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As we approach the end of summer and grapple with what school will look like in the Fall and beyond, we thought it prudent to examine the differences between charter schools and traditional public schools.

Our Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes CSI Education Fellow Dr. Brenda Bautsch Dickhoner and Dan Schaller, President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools. Topics covered include how Colorado charter high school graduation rates compare to non-charter high schools, and how charter schools may have closed the education gap with students of color. You can find further information on these topics and more in Brenda’s latest report: Digging Into the Data on Charter Schools: An In-Depth Look at Graduation Rates.

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As Colorado deals with one of the most severe economic downturns in our history, the future of Colorado’s transportation infrastructure remains a topic of concern and of interest to us all. Our Host and Chairman Earl Wright welcomes the 2020 Common Sense Institute Terry J. Stevinson Fellows, Ben Stein and Henry Sobanet, to discuss their recently released report, titled: A Path Forward A Common Sense Strategy for the Continued Viability of Colorado’s Transportation Network.

Terry Stevinson is a founding and current board member at CSI, and conceived of this fellowship as an opportunity to bring together two individuals, to research a key public policy issue facing the state of Colorado and present along with it, achievable solutions. Ben Stein and Henry Sobanet have extensive background in both the public and private sector that informs their approach to this topic.

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With the 2020 legislative session now behind us, we thought it prudent to take a look back and assess the impacts of what was passed. We’re joined by Don Childears, CEO Colorado Bankers Association and Common Sense Institute Board Member and Bernie Buescher, Former Colorado Secretary of State & Legislator. Bringing their remarkable depth of knowledge, the two unpack this year’s session with great depth, nuance, and thought.

One of the outcomes of the session saw legislators refer a measure to the 2020 ballot that would repeal the Gallagher Amendment, a Constitutional Amendment that sets a formula for the mix residential property taxes and commercial property taxes at 45% of the total, and 55%, respectively. The repeal, if approved by voters, is designed to prevent schools, local governments, and the state from taking large financial hits due to the recession caused by our current global pandemic. Mr. Childears and Mr. Buescher discuss the creation of Gallagher, its unintended consequences, and the impetus for its repeal.

Thank you for listening to the Common Sense Digest. Please subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on your favorite podcatcher.

The Common Sense Institute pays tribute to its history, looks ahead to its future, and goes in-depth about some of its many successes with two of its board members. Joining Chairman of the Board, and host, Earl Wright are Buz Koelbel, Vice Chairman of CSI and one of the organization’s Co-Founders, and Heidi Ganahl, a fellow Board Member.

Mr. Koelbel is president of Koelbel and Company, one of the longest continually operating real estate companies in Colorado. The company’s efforts are focused on the development of office parks and large-scale residential projects, residential construction, and real estate investment.

Ms. Ganahl is a Regent at the University of Colorado, Founder of Camp Bow Wow, and currently devotes her time to keeping the American dream alive by empowering women through her brand the SheFactor.

As the current school year winds down and comes to a close across the state, our attention turns to what schools will look like in the Fall. Joining Chairman of the Board on this week’s episode of Common Sense Digest are CSPR Education Fellow Dr. Brenda Bausch Dickhoner and Luke Ragland, President of Ready Colorado.

The three discuss the challenging issues associated with remote learning, ensuring equality of access for all students in the face of variability by district, school, and family situation, and how the state’s budget shortfall will impact education in the coming school year. Our guests unpack the problems and offer possible solutions to the issues that will confront all Colorado students mere months from now.

You can find some background for this discussion in Brenda’s latest article: Putting Students First: Strategies to Mitigate the COVID Slide on the CSPR website.