Bell press releases
Current | Archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 & 2002
New report examines Colorado’s fiscal prospects after Referendum C
A resource for Coloradans as they debate the future of critical services
Dec. 18, 2007
Three Colorado nonprofits today released Looking Forward: Colorado’s fiscal prospects after Referendum C, a new report that gives Colorado citizens a baseline about future fiscal conditions for state government.
 “We want this report to serve as a resource to Coloradans as they discuss where to go from here,” said Wade Buchanan, president of the Bell Policy Center. “It compiles a reliable set of projections about future fiscal conditions and provides the context in which future decisions need to be made.”
A team of eight analysts from the Bell Policy Center, Colorado Children’s Campaign and Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute focused on the six-year study period of FY 2007-08 through FY 2012-13 — the last three years of the Referendum C time-out and the first three years of the new Ref C revenue cap.
Looking Forward projects revenues and expenditures for the five largest state agencies, assuming a continuation of 2007 levels of service. It analyzes the effects of TABOR, the Arveschoug-Bird 6 percent spending formula and the varying forces that drive spending, agency by agency. It also looks at the future needs of the state’s capital budgets, including transportation and capital construction.
Full release: on the web • PDF
Looking Forward home page
Bell Policy Center releases issue brief on labor management partnerships
Report describes optimal conditions for new partnerships in state government to succeed
Dec. 13, 2007
The Bell Policy Center released a new issue brief today, “Labor management partnerships: Research from the public and private sectors,” to help inform the debate on Gov. Bill Ritter’s recent order allowing executive branch workers to form such partnerships.
The Bell reviewed existing research on labor management partnerships and studied results from partnerships used by public and private sector organizations. Labor management partnerships are formal agreements that allow employees and managers to negotiate over issues of mutual concern.
The issue brief finds that overall, partnerships have been positive. The brief also identifies the optimum conditions that will help such partnerships succeed in Colorado.
Full release: on the web
P-20 Education Council takes important steps toward reform
Nov. 27, 2007
Today, Gov. Ritter’s P-20 Education Council took important steps toward fulfilling the “Colorado Promise” by endorsing 15 reforms for preschool through 12th-grade education. These reforms could start being implemented through legislative or executive action in 2008.
“These recommended reforms are a needed step forward. For example, the P-20 Council wants to fully fund the Colorado Preschool and Kindergarten Program. Right now, it serves only about two-thirds of the kids we know are eligible,” said Frank Waterous, senior policy analyst for the Bell Policy Center.
“If this reform is approved, it would eliminate the waiting list for the program. This year, there are 8,205 4-year-olds on the waiting list. Quality preschool sets children up for success in school, and it’s an advantage all our children ought to have,” Waterous said.
Full release: on the web
Independence Institute report “uses simplistic analysis” in Ref C critique
Aug. 29, 2007
Bell Policy Center President Wade Buchanan issued the following statement in response to a new report published today by the Independence Institute, “State Budget Scrutiny Reveals Ref C Shuffle,” written by Mark Hillman and Amy Oliver.
Ref C was by far the most significant policy achievement in Colorado in more than a decade. Without its passage, the legislature would have to slash essential state services by more than $1 billion this year alone.
But Ref C is only a temporary solution. The current state budget (which runs from July 2007 through June 2008) is the third of five the legislature will write under Ref C’s so-called “time-out.” It is time to focus on what happens next.
That’s why the report co-authored by former state treasurer Mark Hillman and released today by the Independence Institute is so disappointing. The report uses simplistic analysis to rehash the 2005 Referendum C campaign. It tries to fault the state legislature for spending too much and not spending enough at the same time. It offers no meaningful solutions for the real challenges facing Colorado as we move forward.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Health savings accounts: Healthy, high-income workers will benefit, but low-income workers are vulnerable to high costs and are unlikely to sign up
Aug. 29, 2007
A new analysis of health savings accounts from the Bell Policy Center shows that the tax-advantaged accounts work well for healthy, high-income workers but are too risky for low-income families.
“HSAs may be useful for some consumers, but they are by no means a solution to the major problems in today’s health care system,” said Blair Woodbury, author of the Bell issue brief, “Health Savings Accounts and High-Deductible Health Plans.”
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Read the report: Executive summary online • Executive summary PDF • Full report online • Full report PDF
Suthers ruling on in-state tuition is the right thing and the smart thing to do
Aug. 14, 2007
The Bell Policy Center applauds Attorney General John Suthers for ruling today that U.S. citizen children of undocumented immigrants can pay instate tuition at Colorado colleges if they meet other state residency requirements.
“The attorney general absolutely made the right decision. It’s the right thing to do for these aspiring students and it’s the smart thing to do from the state’s perspective,” said Rich Jones, director of policy and research for the Bell Policy Center.
Full release: on the web
In-state tuition a must for all citizen residents, regardless of parents’ citizenship status
Aug. 10, 2007
The Bell Policy Center endorses this week’s move by David Skaggs to seek a legal ruling on granting in-state tuition to U.S. citizen students whose parents lack legal documentation.
Skaggs, the state’s higher education chief, has called on Colorado Attorney General John Suthers to issue a legal opinion on the policy, which has not been consistently applied by Colorado colleges and universities.
“Allowing these motivated young people to attend college at the more affordable in-state tuition rate is the right thing to do, and it’s the smart thing to do,” said Rich Jones, director of policy and research for the Bell Policy Center.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Bell Policy Center hosts new blog on health care reform in Colorado
Aug. 9, 2007
On Monday, Aug. 13, the Bell Policy Center will launch Health Blog, a forum for health care experts and the public to discuss health care reform efforts now under way in Colorado.
“Health Blog will give people all over Colorado access to the debate over how to fix our health care system,” said Wade Buchanan, Bell Policy Center president.
Health Blog is designed to track the work of the Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform and provide a public forum to debate aspects of health care reform. It will continue into 2008 as a way to follow and discuss health care legislation.
A key part of the commission’s work is to take public comment on reform proposals from people across Colorado. The Bell Policy Center is hosting Health Blog as one avenue for Colorado residents to learn about and comment on the commission’s ideas.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Bell Policy research director named to state Pay Equity Commission
July 2, 2007
Rich Jones, director of policy and research at the Bell Policy Center, has been named to the newly-formed Colorado Pay Equity Commission.
Don Mares, executive director of the state Department of Labor, appointed Jones and 11 others to study the scope of pay gaps in Colorado. The commission is expected to make policy recommendations to remedy any gender or racial pay inequities in the private or public sector.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Lights! Camera! Openness and Accountability!
June 21, 2007
The Bell Policy Center says the announcement by Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff to begin televised coverage of the House of Representatives reflects recommendations made by the Bell in its August 2006 Blueprint for Opportunity report.
Beginning in January 2008, Comcast will be offering viewers the chance to watch everything the House does, but only while it is in session on the floor. However, committee hearings, where many of the most crucial decisions are made and much of the most significant testimony is heard, will not be part of the televised coverage.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
The Bell Policy Center crows over passage of HB 1355; Bill helps small businesses offer employee health insurance. June 4, 2007
The Bell Policy Center hails Gov. Ritter and the state legislature for their positive work to pass House Bill 1355, which will even out health insurance premium costs among small businesses and their employees.
The bill prevents health insurance providers from raising premium rates based on the claims history or health status of employees in small businesses. Rep. Anne McGihon, D-Denver, and Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, sponsored the bill, and Gov. Ritter signed it on Friday, June 1.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Bell Policy Center supports HB 07-1355: Prohibit insurance companies from using claims history or health status to set premiums for small business, May 21, 2007
It’s time that Colorado prohibits health insurance carriers from considering claims history or health status when setting premium rates for small business, says Robin Baker, a senior policy analyst for the Bell Policy Center.
“In comparing Colorado and seven other states, I found that this discriminatory practice appears to have little effect on keeping premium costs down for small businesses and their employees,” Baker said.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Bell Policy Center calls 2007 legislative session “A strong push for opportunity,” May 4, 2007
The Colorado Legislature and Gov. Bill Ritter worked together this year to pass dozens of bills that improve the state of opportunity for thousands of Coloradans, says Wade Buchanan, president of the Bell Policy Center.
“The 2007 session will be remembered as a strong push for opportunity,” Buchanan said. “Legislators worked hard to pass bills that prepare our kids to compete in the global economy and help families join and stay in the middle class.”
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Bell to research state funding needs and revenue potential, start “purposeful discussion," March 14, 2007
The Bell Policy Center is joining with the Colorado Children’s Campaign and the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute to size up the state’s needs for funding in key budget areas, according to Bell President Wade Buchanan.
“We want to do good quality research first, and then use that information to lead a purposeful discussion, similar to the work we did building toward the passage of Referendum C,” Buchanan said.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Bell Policy Center launches new web site, March 14, 2007
If you have visited the Bell Policy Center's web site (www.thebell.org) this week, you will notice a big difference in function and a modest difference in appearance.
The Bell's web site holds more than 450 documents: reports, briefs, commentary and letters, newsletters, Opportunity Notes, press releases and press coverage, plus web pages containing Legislative Status Reports, information about the Bell and its research, and links to other organizations and resources.
Now it is much easier for web visitors to quickly find what they are looking for. Visitors can find things in any of three ways.
Full release: on the web • printer-friendly PDF
Press conference statement - The Bell Policy Center supports state funds for micro enterprise development, March 1, 2007
The Bell Policy Center supports committing economic development funds to support micro-enterprise because it is a good investment for Colorado. It helps low- to moderate-income entrepreneurs start businesses, create jobs and add to the economic activity within their communities.
Full statement: printer-friendly PDF
|
