Author: Lois Landgraf
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GUEST COLUMN: No longer part of the El Paso County central committee
We moved to Colorado in 2002. Until then, I had never set foot in a political office. I had no interest until 2004, 19 Years ago when I walked into Republican headquarters on Tejon Street and volunteered to help with the Bush campaign after my husband suggested I “go help get George Bush reelected.” That…
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GUEST COLUMN: Uniting the GOP on the issues
I was recently asked by a reporter about the split in the Republican Party. In the county, in Denver, in the state and the nation. And more importantly, did I ever think it could be mended and what it would take. The second question is easy to answer. Of course it can be mended. The…
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GUEST COLUMN: Seeking a real solution to senseless killings
It is difficult to forget or forgive the actions of police in this latest encounter in Minneapolis. One policeman applied the excess force that resulted in a death, but the others who observed and did nothing to mitigate the situation are also guilty. The senseless killing of men and women (mostly men, mostly black) is…
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GUEST COLUMN: Essential must be the word of the day
Essential! Have you heard that word lately? The governor, in an attempt to keep us safe, closed businesses he considered nonessential. Travel has been limited to what is essential, grocery stores and some medical appointments. The Legislature has been shut down since March 19, about 1½ months, while the governor issued executive order after executive…
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GUEST COLUMN: A boost for Colorado’s tourism industry
There is no question that the economy of Colorado Springs and El Paso County are strongly tied to two things: the U.S. military and tourism. The economic impact of the military is obvious, with El Paso County being home to the U.S. Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, and the new U.S. Space Command. But nearly…
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Tax cuts will boost Coloradans’ paychecks
Don’t just stuff your latest pay stub in a drawer. It should contain a welcome surprise. New IRS tax withholding tables reflecting recently passed federal tax cuts have taken effect. The upshot: bigger paychecks for ordinary workers in Colorado and across the country. According to Yahoo Finance, a person earning $60,000 a year can expect…
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The necessity for change within state’s youth corrections system
Last year, 53 Colorado legislators co-sponsored a Division of Youth Corrections Reform bill, HB17-1329. It was inspired by Bound and Broken, the shocking report which described brutal abuse and mistreatment of already traumatized youth confined at DYS. It followed revelations about fights, assaults, use of protracted and illegal solitary confinement as well as riots in…
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GUEST COLUMN: Special interests have hijacked our ballot – and our state’s constitution
Colorado’s constitution has become a dumping ground for bad ideas – drafted, funded and promoted by narrow special interests. Too often, they use big money to do an end-run on the Legislature – the citizens’ elected lawmaking body – instead going straight to the statewide ballot with reckless proposals whose superficial appeal and confusing complexity…
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Both good and bad in 2013 session
On the first day of this year’s session, Democrat Speaker of the House Mark Ferrandino promised a “laser-like focus” on job creation. Looking back on the session, the speaker’s legislative priorities show that our parties have two very different notions of what a “jobs bill” actually is. From day one, House Republicans set out to…