Do As He Says, Not As He Does

For the past several weeks, my opponent, Kevin McCasky, has been talking in candidate forums and debates about how hard he is working going door-to-door, and about how he is going to crack down on illegal immigration. "That's the kind of leadership I'll bring," he says.

But as it turns out, not only is McCasky not doing his own door-to-door work, his campaign has been paying illegal immigrants to do it for him. Both The Canyon Courier and The Rocky Mountain News have the story.

First, from The Courier:

An illegal immigrant from Mexico was hired to distribute campaign literature for Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey and Commissioner Kevin McCasky, according to McCasky’s Democratic challenger…

…When contacted by the Courier, Manuel confirmed that his father is an illegal immigrant from Mexico. He further said that his father told him that he often worked in Colorado with other illegal immigrants, but also with Americans.

"Yes," Manuel said in accented English when asked if his father was here illegally. "There's a spot where the people gather up, and people come and pick them up to work for a day." Manuel would not give his father's name, fearing that his father would be deported.

Storey said he arranged through Mike Ciletti, a political consultant, to have the campaign literature created and distributed. Ciletti arranged a deal that included WizBang Solutions as the designer of the campaign materials. WizBang then reportedly hired Door Hangers Direct to distribute the campaign materials.

"I have no clue about illegal immigrants and delivering door hangers," Storey said. "It's not my responsibility. The responsibility lies with the company who does that."

Storey brushed off any ethical disconnects related to being a senior law enforcement officer and having illegal immigrants hired to distribute campaign materials. "I don't think we're talking about ethics here," he said…

…McCasky would not return several phone calls over a three-day period seeking comment for this story. He asked Ciletti to act as his "spokesman" on the issue, the first time McCasky has used a spokesman for any story by the Courier about the 2008 campaign.

Ciletti said Bane should inform immigration authorities if he has proof that illegal immigrants were hired. He said McCasky will change who he does business with and ask contractors who they are subcontracting with in the future.

Bane said the story is a blatant case of hypocrisy on the part of McCasky.

“For weeks Kevin McCasky has been talking about he’s going to get tough on illegal immigration, and then it turns out that he hires illegal immigrants to campaign for him," Bane said. "He’s paying illegal immigrants to distribute his literature door to door. Amazing. You couldn’t make this stuff up.”

And here's an excerpt from The Rocky Mountain News:

Kevin McCasky's Democratic rival says the Republican Jefferson County Commissioner hired undocumented workers to pass out campaign fliers.

Mike Siletti, spokesman for McCasky, said the campaign did not knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Democrat Jason Bane's charge comes at the same time McCasky, seeking a second term, proposes to crack down on illegal immigration…

…An English-speaking relative of one of the door-hanging crew members told a Rocky Mountain News reporter Tuesday the crew member is undocumented.

Siletti said McCasky's campaign hired WizBang Solutions to print the fliers and distribute them. WizBang hired Door Hangers Direct to deliver the fliers to homes, Siletti said.

"We hired WizBang Solutions, and I have full confidence that it checks out its employees and they're not hiring illegals," he said.

Storey said he was embarrassed to learn about the "inadvertent" hiring…

…Siletti accused Bane of taking a "cheap political shot." Bane shot back, saying, "McCasky is out there talking about getting tough on illegal immigration, yet he had illegals working for him."

Kevin McCasky is only too happy to talk about illegal immigration, until he gets caught doing something wrong. Funny how he refuses to return phone calls then.

Another Week, Another Scandal

Until we change the culture in Jefferson County government by electing new public officials, it's going to be difficult to finally put a stop to this kind of nonsense. As The Columbine Courier reports:

A judge has approved the addition of County Commissioner Jim Congrove and former assistant county attorney Duncan Bradley as defendants in a federal lawsuit involving alleged wiretapping and character defamation.

Mike Zinna, a longtime county gadfly who has been involved in several lawsuits against the county, has alleged for two years that Congrove, Bradley and private investigator Daril Cinquanta, while he was working for the county, illegally intercepted Zinna’s e-mails and phone calls. Zinna says they used the materials to defame him on a website, www.coloradowackoexposed.com. Records show the site was established by Robert Cook of Lakewood, who Zinna alleges is a friend of Congrove. The site apparently was a response to the website Zinna operated skewering Jeffco public officials, www.coloradoexposed.com.

The county tried to prevent Congrove and Bradley from being added as defendants, but an Oct. 6 ruling did just that. A status conference has been set for Nov. 25 in federal court in Denver.

"Frankly we would rather have had it dismissed," said Ellen Wakeman, Jeffco's acting county attorney. "It's just a complaint. It's what he's alleging so far. Mike Zinna's allegation is all we have. So far there's been no evidence, no trial and no proof of anything."

"I think the judge's ruling speaks for itself," Zinna said. "There exists in this case substantial forensic computer evidence and sworn statements from at least seven individuals, all of whom are friends or co-workers of the accused in this case. Furthermore, a significant portion of the (Colorado Bureau of Investigation's) independent investigation substantiates the wiretapping allegations."

Jason Bane Endorsed by Jeffco Police and Firefighters

Great news! I received the endorsement of both the Jefferson County Sheriffs' Deputies and the West Metro Firefighters, making me the only candidate in Jefferson County to be endorsed by both organizations. I have already been endorsed by The Arvada Police Officers' Association. You can read the full press release below, or check out the coverage from The Columbine Courier.

LAKEWOOD—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that he has received the endorsement of both the Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies and the West Metro Firefighters. Bane is the only candidate in Jefferson County to be endorsed by both organizations.

“Like most Jeffco citizens, we’re embarrassed by the scandals and investigations that have hampered our county government for years,” said Mike Prange, President of West Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #18 (Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies). “Jefferson County is badly in need of new, dynamic leadership, and we believe that Jason Bane has the background, the experience and the character necessary to be a great county commissioner.”

Added Sean Jewell, Vice President of West Metro Firefighters Local 1309: “Jason has a strong background and understanding of the issues, and is ready to be a solution to the corruption and mismanagement that has affected Jefferson County.”

All candidates for Jefferson County office sought the endorsement of the Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies; Bane is the only candidate running for political office in Jeffco to have received their support. In addition to support from the Jeffco Deputies and West Metro Firefighters, Bane has been endorsed by the Arvada Police Officers’ Association.

“I’m proud to have the support of the men and women who know this county best,” said Bane. “I look forward to working with our police officers and firefighters to move Jefferson County in a positive new direction.”

LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIREFIGHTER ENDORSEMENTS FOR BANE

• Jefferson County Sheriffs’ Deputies, West Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #18
• West Metro Firefighters Local 1309
• Arvada Police Officers’ Association, Local 304

QUOTES

“The fundamental responsibility of government is to keep its citizens safe, and we take that responsibility very seriously. It is imperative that we have strong leadership and support from our elected officials so that we can do our job effectively.

“We’re proud to endorse Jason Bane for Jefferson County Commissioner, and we hope that you will join us in supporting him this election season.”

- Mike Prange, President of West Metro Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #18


“After speaking with Mr. Bane we are convinced of his intellect and integrity and his firm desire to faithfully serve the citizens of Jefferson County. With his education and background as a reporter, he has demonstrated his ability to listen to diverse viewpoints and ask the hard questions when it comes to doing the people’s business.

“As you go to the polls this year we ask that you elect Jason Bane as your new county commissioner. The time has come for a new focus in Jefferson County.”

- Robert Willett, President of the Arvada Police Officers’ Association



ABOUT JASON
Jason Bane is running for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners in District 2, although every Commissioner is elected by countywide vote. He is an award-winning journalist and longtime community activist who currently serves on the Board of the Jefferson County PTA. Jason and his wife, Julie, are lifelong residents of Jefferson County (Jason’s family has been in Jeffco for three generations); they live in Lakewood with their 2-year-old daughter, Stella, and are expecting their second child in September.

For more information, go to www.JasonBane.org.

We'll All Get What We Deserve in November

Most of us have heard the saying, "If you don't vote, you can't complain," and I've always agreed with that sentiment-but I don't think it goes far enough.

It's not enough to just vote, so I propose a new slogan for 2008: "If you don't help, then you can't complain."

The slogan comes from an interesting conversation I had this week with some politically-active friends of mine. One of my friends had attended a "Women's Caucus" event of some sort early in the week during the Democratic National Convention. She said that there were many great speeches from a number of powerful, high-profile women, but the speech that really stood out was from a woman who was a political activist, and not an elected official. Her closing words, and I'm paraphrasing, went something like this:

"On Election Day, we will get what we deserve. If we work hard, we will deserve to win. If we just cast our votes and sit on the sidelines for everything else, we will deserve to have lost."

During my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner, I've come across a lot of people, from Democrats to Republicans and everything in between, who are dissatisfied with the way things have gone in our county in recent years. I won't get into the details here, but suffice it to say that Jefferson County government has been a cesspool of corruption and scandal for many years now. These people I talk to always tell me a variation of the same thing if they are upset with the status quo; they say that they are fed up with the problems in Jefferson County, and they say that they are going to vote for me for Jefferson County Commissioner.

I am certainly appreciative to have their vote, but I always tell them the same thing: "Thank you for your faith in me, but I need more than your vote if I am going to win."

I ask these people to volunteer their time or to make a campaign contribution, and many times they look at me as though I didn't hear them the first time.

A vote cast is one of the ultimate forms of respect and belief in a person, and I absolutely appreciate every vote I receive. But if I am going to win in November, I need more than just your vote-I need the votes of your friends, family and neighbors, and I need you to get them. I need you to volunteer to walk door-to-door with me, or to write postcards for me, or to host a house party or put up a yard sign for me. I need you to raise money for me, and write a check yourself, because campaigns-like everything else in life-cost money if you want to get the results you expect.

If you really want to see me, or Barack Obama, or John McCain, or anyone else get elected in November, it's not enough to promise to vote and leave it at that. If you don't volunteer your time or donate money, who will? You'll have to hope that enough other people are volunteering and writing checks so that the person you vote for will be able to reach enough other voters to win. Your vote is great, but thousands of other people are doing just a little bit more to make sure their vote matters.

And it doesn't take much. I've had donations of just $5, and I've had volunteers spend less than an hour helping me out. But I've also had people who refuse to even let me put a sign in their yard-the simplest request I can think of-and I think, "Don't complain if I lose." I use myself as an example here, but the message is much broader. My point is that for whomever you decide to vote for, please do more than just cast a vote (unless we're talking about my opponent-he doesn't need any help). Change doesn't come from people who vote. Change comes from people who help to make sure OTHER people vote. It doesn't have to be a full-time second job; it just needs to be more than a simple vote.

Many "Get Out the Vote" (GOTV) organizations have worked for many election cycles to get people to turn out and vote on Election Day (or by mail ballot beforehand). I think voting is more than a right-I think it is a responsibility. Thousands upon thousands of Americans have died for freedoms that included the right to vote, and we owe it to them, if nothing else, to cast our ballots every two years. We are doing a much better job in this country and in this state of getting normally apathetic people to vote, but in taking these baby steps we may not be doing enough to engage them further in the political process. People who don't vote often say that they don't think their vote matters, to which I say: It matters...if you put something behind it.

So please, make sure you vote this November (and of course, please vote for me for Jefferson County Commissioner). But in the meantime, don't sit around waiting for your ballot to arrive in the mail or waiting for November 4 to roll around. Because when we all wake up on November 5, we'll all get what we deserve. And if all you did was vote, then you don't have the right to complain.


To get what you deserve in November, go to www.JasonBane.org and get involved or make a donation.

Ken Salazar Endorses Jason Bane for Jeffco Commissioner

I received another great endorsement yesterday in my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner. Check out the press release below:

Senator Ken Salazar Endorses Bane for Commissioner
Calls Bane “Among New Generation of Leaders in Colo.”

LAKEWOOD (August 15, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that he has received the endorsement of United States Senator Ken Salazar.

"Jason Bane is among the new generation of leaders in Colorado dedicated to working with fellow elected officials and citizens, regardless of political affiliation, to achieve results for their communities,” said Sen. Salazar. “Jason's platform of promoting a vibrant business community and renewable energy industry, and to restoring the people's faith in their government, is a perfect fit for Jefferson County. I am happy to endorse Jason Bane for Jefferson County Commissioner."

Bane has already been endorsed by Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-Wheat Ridge), as well as the Arvada Police Officers Association and the majority of the legislators in Jefferson County.

“With an endless parade of scandals and budget problems, Jefferson County government is badly in need of a new direction,” said Bane. “Turning things around in Jeffco is going to take someone who can work with all of our elected officials, from city councils to the U.S. Senate. That’s the kind of leadership I’ll bring to Jefferson County, and I am proud to have the support of Sen. Salazar and so many others.”

Former Jeffco Treasurer Mark Paschall on Trial Again

The Denver Post reports on Round 2 of former Jeffco Treasurer Mark Paschall's trial for allegedly soliciting a kickback from his former secretary.

For the second time in six months, former Jefferson County Treasurer Mark Paschall is on trial for allegedly soliciting a kickback from a former top aide.

Paschall, 54, was acquitted of attempted theft in February. The jury deadlocked on a charge of receiving compensation for past official behavior, and the Jefferson County district attorney's office decided to re-try Paschall on that charge.

In opening statements Tuesday, prosecutor Sean Phillips said Paschall offered an $18,000 bonus to his political appointee, Kathy Redmond, shortly before he left office in late 2006.

Paschall twice solicited Redmond to split the "ridiculous-sized bonus" with him, Phillips said.

Redmond testified in the first trial that she reported the alleged offer to Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Congrove, who notified District Attorney Scott Storey.

Last month, Congrove asked Storey to drop the charge. Storey refused.

Paschall's attorney, David Lane, said the case is about political payback, not a kickback.

"At no time did he solicit a kickback," Lane told jurors.

Congrove and Paschall were political allies from when both served in the state legislature, Lane said.

When Paschall was elected Jefferson County treasurer in 2002, he made Congrove a political appointee in his office.

Lane said a "major blowout" occurred between the two men when Congrove, who was elected commissioner in 2003, became angry when Paschall would not reveal his testimony to a grand jury that was investigating Congrove. The grand jury failed to reach a decision.

I've been walking neighborhoods throughout Jefferson County since January, and people are (justifiably) tired of this nonsense. I'm running for Jefferson County Commissioner to help put a stop to this incestuous culture of corruption that had turned Jeffco government into a veritable circus. We need elected officials who are more interested in the business of running the county than in playing their own political games with each other.

Help me to make this change by voting for Jason Bane in November. In the meantime, please sign up to volunteer, to take a yard sign, or to make a donation at www.JasonBane.org.

Elect Jason Bane Outraises Every County Candidate

This is great news. Thanks to hundreds of great supporters, we really have the momentum in this campaign. Take a look at the press release we sent out yesterday:

LAKEWOOD (July 23, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that his campaign raised more money in 2008 than any other candidate for county office in Jeffco.

The committee “Elect Jason Bane” reported 300 individual donors and $37,445 raised in just under six months (Bane began raising money in February 2008), which is more money than any of the other candidates running for County Commissioner.

“I’m thrilled with the amount of money we were able to raise in such a short period of time, but I’m most proud of the fact that more than 300 people contributed to my campaign,” said Bane, who noted that 125 contributions were for $50 or less. “My contributions come from hundreds of Jeffco residents who are eager for a new direction in Jefferson County, not in a handful of big donations from developers and landowners.”

Bane’s 300 donors in six months are more than his opponent, Kevin McCasky, raised in the entire year when he first ran for commissioner in 2004.

Last week Bane received the endorsement of Congressman Ed Perlmutter, and he has already been endorsed by the Arvada Police Officers’ Association.


ABOUT JASON
Jason Bane is running for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners in District 2, although every Commissioner is elected by countywide vote. He is an award-winning journalist and longtime community activist who currently serves on the Board of the Jefferson County PTA. Jason and his wife, Julie, are lifelong residents of Jefferson County (Jason’s family has been in Jeffco for three generations); they live in Lakewood with their 2-year-old daughter, Stella, and are expecting their second child in September.

For more information, go to www.JasonBane.org.

Second Paschall Kickback Trial Starts Monday

As The Columbine Courier reports:

The second kickback trial of former Jeffco treasurer Mark Paschall is scheduled to begin July 28, a proceeding that could once again shine a light on the county’s inner political turmoil.

Paschall, who was acquitted of a charge of attempted theft in February during the first trial, still faces a charge of compensation for past official behavior for allegedly offering Kathy Redmond, one of his two political appointees, an $18,000 post-tax bonus on the condition she give him half.

The alleged offer to Redmond reportedly came in the waning days of Paschall’s job as county treasurer in December 2006. Redmond then reported the alleged offer to County Commissioner Jim Congrove, who notified Jeffco District Attorney Scott Storey.

Paschall was originally charged with two felonies, criminal attempted theft and compensation for past official behavior. He will be retried on the second charge after the first jury was unable to reach a verdict on it.

In a strange twist, Congrove called Storey recently and urged him to drop the charges against Paschall.

"I have talked to him about not prosecuting that," Congrove said in a phone interview July 15. "It serves no purpose. It does nothing for the community."

Congrove's opposition to the upcoming trial stands in stark contrast to the fact that he initiated the investigation into Paschall. In addition, Congrove said after the first trial that Paschall's attorney used "smoke and mirrors" to get him acquitted.

Congrove was on the prosecution's witness list during the first trial in February but did not testify. Paschall's defense attorney said the charges against his client were "political payback" by Congrove — because Paschall had refused to tell Congrove about his testimony before a grand jury investigating the commissioner in yet another case.

Congrove and Paschall have a political history that includes time as allies while they were serving as state lawmakers. Later, Paschall gave Congrove a political appointment when he was elected county treasurer and before Congrove became a commissioner.

Congrove didn't see anything odd about his reversal.

Maybe Congrove doesn't see anything odd, but I do. Paschall's defense in his first trial was that Congrove set him up to be caught soliciting a kickback, but now Congrove wants the second trial to just go away? We've had enough of this nonsense in Jefferson County, and that's exactly why I'm running for County Commissioner.

Ed Perlmutter Endorses Jason Bane for Commissioner

Great news! Today Rep. Ed Perlmutter formally endorsed my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner. The full press release is below:

Rep. Ed Perlmutter Endorses Bane for Commissioner
Says Bane “Will Serve Residents Well”


LAKEWOOD (July 17, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that he has received the endorsement of Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-Golden).

“Jason Bane and his family have deep roots here in Jefferson County,” said Perlmutter. “I believe Jason will serve residents well with his intelligence, passion, and commitment to the things that are important to us in Jefferson County, like responsible government, open space, and conservation.”

Said Bane: “Ed Perlmutter has worked tirelessly for Jefferson County for many years, and I am proud to have his support. I look forward to working with him to continue to improve our county while maintaining the quality of life that makes Jeffco such a beautiful place to live.”

Congressman Perlmutter represents Congressional District 7, which encompasses the majority of Jefferson County, including Lakewood, Golden, Wheat Ridge and Arvada. His endorsement comes just weeks after Bane was formally backed by the Arvada Police Officers’ Association.


ABOUT JASON
Jason Bane is running for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners in District 2, although every Commissioner is elected by countywide vote. He is an award-winning journalist and longtime community activist who currently serves on the Board of the Jefferson County PTA. Jason and his wife, Julie, are lifelong residents of Jefferson County (Jason’s family has been in Jeffco for three generations); they live in Lakewood with their 2-year-old daughter, Stella, and are expecting their second child in September.

For more information, go to www.JasonBane.org.

Developers: 2, Jefferson County Citizens: 0

I was quoted in Saturday's Rocky Mountain News in a story about Commissioner Kevin McCasky's curious decisions to ignore the pleas of hundreds of Jeffco residents in order to approve controversial rezoning cases that favored developer friends:

Jefferson County Commissioner Kevin McCasky said at a recent hearing that he had no connection to a developer whose project he approved.

But the developer contributed $500 to his 2004 election campaign, and angry homeowners have raised questions about a possible conflict of interest in this and another controversial project. McCasky said he doesn't recall the contribution in 2004 or whether there have been any since, but he said contributions have no effect on his decisions…

… Disgruntled residents urged McCasky to recuse himself from the vote June 10, saying his ties to developers presented a conflict of interest.

At the time, McCasky said, "I have no connection to Shea Homes or Colorado Christian University. I made an independent, unbiased decision in this case."

But campaign contribution records show Peter Culshaw, of Shea Homes, made a $500 contribution to McCasky's election campaign in 2004. The commissioner also drew fire over his vote in May to approve a controversial expansion of the Rock South Baptist Church in Littleton.

Among the critics is Jason Bane, a Democratic candidate for commissioner.

"It's not the amount of the money," Bane said. "It is the issue of trying to lie about the fact that you have these connections. I have a vested interest, obviously, but I also think this is wrong."

"I think the real shame in all of this is that the will of the people is completely ignored," he said

"The Lords of Payback" Show Yet Again Why Jeffco Needs New Leadership

Westword ran a great in-depth story about the ridiculous efforts by Jeffco officials to attack a private citizen:

Since Congrove and two other commissioners took office in 2005, the board and the county attorney's office have been the targets of numerous ethics complaints and law-enforcement investigations, most of them revolving around alleged retaliation against Zinna. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spent months puzzling over the disappearance of 8,000 pages of Zinna-related documents from the county attorney's office. The Arvada Police Department and a grand jury looked at possible bank fraud after someone forged Zinna's name on documents dealing with business transactions involving Congrove. A special prosecutor and the CBI poked around the hiring of a private investigator to tail Zinna. But while the investigations have uncovered what one prosecutor calls "troubling" behavior, to date no one has been charged with doing anything illegal.

I'd strongly encourage you to read the entire article - it is truly frightening to see what can happen when elected officials decide to embark on a vendetta against a private citizen.

McCasky's Words Don't Match His Deeds

I couldn't have said it better than this op-ed from The Canyon Courier:

By The Candid Curmudgeon

County Commissioner Kevin McCasky (Canyon Courier June 18) does an outstanding job summarizing commissioners’ responsibilities regarding land use decisions. But he doesn’t practice what he preaches. He writes of preserving “charm and beauty,” sustainability and improving property values. Many of his decisions do the opposite. He notes that, legally, his decisions cannot be subjective, yet his votes often ignore the bulk of citizen and expert testimony, community plans and county staff recommendations. If it comes down to new development versus rights of existing residents — the residents rarely win.

McCasky says he values citizen input but often overrules citizen-written community plans. Many citizens worked on these plans, and everyone had the opportunity, including developers. McCasky says government shouldn’t interfere with rights to own property and accumulate wealth. Fine, but government should also not take actions that harm existing residents.

McCasky says, “commissioners must be steadfast and properly consider legally protected property rights.” We fully agree, but his actions bear scant resemblance to his words. Developers come before the commissioners not to use existing property rights but seeking to change those rights to let them do something not currently allowed. Commissioners McCasky and Jim Congrove nearly always side with the developers, even when affected citizens overwhelmingly object.

McCasky and Congrove are destroying county planning. They don’t want to hear about problems, and they dismantled Jeffco’s Long Range Planning Group, which worked on issues affecting citizens in both the near and distant future. Planning coordination has mostly evaporated, so the big picture is ignored. The award-winning head of the group was sacked, ostensibly for budgetary reasons. Ridiculous — losing her knowledge, decades of experience and interagency contacts leaves a huge void. Commissioners claim they don’t get involved in personnel matters, but their political-appointed lackeys do, with their guidance and blessing.

McCasky and Congrove have delegated decision-making powers to appointed bureaucrats who answer to them and not the public. That takes land use decisions out of the public arena with its messy citizen hearings, and lets their administrator waive the rules behind closed doors. They have made a backroom deal to let a developer use Cub Creek Road as primary access contrary to what was agreed to in a public hearing; waived limits on subdivision size without emergency access; and ignored questions of sustainability of groundwater.

McCasky claims regard for communities and planning, but he appointed a planning commissioner who has publicly said mountain citizens should not expect Jeffco planning to look out for their rights, and if you live in the mountains, you take your chances. If McCasky believed in planning, he should have adopted the long-range group’s recommendations, not eliminated the group and its leader. The master plan McCasky advocates is being prepared by the planning commission and county staff, not by citizens, who can’t comment until completion. It would become county policy and could override citizen-prepared community plans.

Jefferson County has many unresolved long-range planning issues, including limited water supplies and obsolete high-density plats of thousands of tiny lots in the mountains. Difficult problems to resolve, but now they’re deliberately ignored.

Go back and read McCasky’s column. He states very well what a commissioner’s duties are and what the citizens want in a commissioner. He fails on both counts. His actions betray those duties and belie his words. Remember in November.

This Candid Curmudgeon column was provided by Jim Peterson, geologist and attorney. Columns reflect the views of most Curmudgeons, but not always everyone. The Evergreen Curmudgeons are a group of retired professional men who are citizen advocates.

My Response to Baseless Accusations from Norma Anderson

Former Sen. Norma Anderson recently wrote a letter to the editor that was published in both the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post. Here is what the letter says:

It has come to my attention that a candidate running for Jefferson County commissioner is using my name on his brochure and website. I want to make it perfectly clear, I do not support Jason Bane for any elected office. I have never met the man.

When I campaigned, the unwritten rule was to always ask before using anyone’s name in any canpaign material. Integrity is extremely important for anyone running for office, and he is implying I would support him. I do not! It appears to me that he is prostituting on my reputation.

My support and vote will be for Kevin McCasky. He is experienced and educated on the issues facing the county. Kevin is his own person.

Remember, when voting, do you want someone who misleads the public?

Former Sen. Norma Anderson
Lakewood

These accusations are baseless and completely untrue, and as soon as I was made aware of these letters, I wrote a letter of my own that I sent to Ms. Anderson. Here, in its entirety, is that letter.

June 27, 2008

Dear Ms. Anderson,

I was disappointed to read your letter to the editor that appeared in “The Denver Post” on June 27, 2008, and I fear that you have been misled.

You apparently do not remember me, but we have actually spoken on several occasions. I interviewed you a number of times as a political reporter for "5280" magazine and other news outlets. I always found you to be a pleasant and forthright politician whenever we spoke, which is why I was so surprised to read your letter.

Please allow me to address some of the points in your letter:

“It has come to my attention that a candidate running for Jefferson County commissioner is using my name on his brochure and website… he is implying I would support him…It appears to me he is prostituting on my reputation.”

Your name does in fact appear on my website and on one of my brochures, but ONLY within the context of an article published by “The Columbine Courier” on February 27, 2007. If you do not possess this article, I would encourage you to ask for a copy at your local library. You are quoted several times in the piece, which you can read online here: http://www.coloradoforethics.org/node/24605.

Here is an excerpt:

The sheer volume of investigations and questionable behavior has led even longtime Jeffco political insiders to say something strange is afoot underneath the Taj Mahal’s glass rotunda.

“I have been trying to figure out what the problem is,” said Norma Anderson, one of Jeffco’s former Republican state senators and a fixture in Colorado politics. “(These scandals) have been going on for years and years.”…

…Whatever the reason might be for the unusual frequency of Jeffco’s high-profile problems, Anderson said observers outside the community are counting the headlines and their blessings at the same time.

“I think they laugh at us,” she said of the rest of the state. “I don’t know what the reasons are for it happening in Jefferson County.”

Anderson also suggested that the relentless cycle of scandal is taking its toll on regular “hard-working” and “dedicated” county workers.

The quote in bold is the only mention of your name on my website and brochure, and it is CLEARLY attributed as appearing in the Feb. 27, 2007 issue of “The Columbine Courier.” I took great care to make sure that this quote, and other excerpts from that same article, was included in the proper context and clearly identified in my materials.

There is absolutely no mistaking that this quote came from a newspaper article, and I am quite confident that no reasonable person would conclude “I think they laugh at us” to mean that you were endorsing my campaign for Jefferson County Commissioner.

In fact, I think anyone who read that story would find it odd that you would support the incumbent Commissioner Kevin McCasky—a man who has played a key role in the very scandals that you have so passionately spoken out against.

In the future, I would hope that you would contact me before making any accusations about my character. My contact information is readily available on my website, www.JasonBane.org, but I have also included it below for your reference.


Sincerely,

Jason Bane
[contact info redacted]

I am running for Jefferson County Commissioner to put a stop to the years of cronyism, investigations, indictments and lawsuits that have made Jeffco’s Government a laughingstock. Given this track record, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that my opponent and his supporters would resort to blatant lies in a desperate attempt to maintain their hold on power. Such actions only reinforce my strong belief that we are in serious need of change in Jefferson County.

Jason Bane Endorsed by Arvada Police Officers

I am proud to announce that I have been endorsed by the Arvada Police Officers' Association. The following press release details the endorsement:

ARVADA (June 23, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners (District 2), announced today that he has received the formal endorsement of the Arvada Police Officers’ Association.

“After speaking with Mr. Bane we are convinced of his intellect and integrity and his firm desire to faithfully serve the citizens of Jefferson County,” wrote Robert Willett, President of the Arvada Police Officers’ Association, in a formal endorsement letter. “With his education and background as a reporter, he has demonstrated his ability to listen to diverse viewpoints and ask the hard questions when it comes to doing the people’s business.

“As you go to the polls this year we ask that you elect Jason Bane as your new county commissioner. The time has come for a new focus in Jefferson County.”

Said Bane: “Our police officers and firefighters are the backbone of our community, and I am honored to receive the endorsement of the Arvada Police Officers’ Association. My wife, Julie, grew up in Arvada and her family has always been active in the community—this endorsement means a great deal to all of us.”

ABOUT JASON
Jason Bane is running for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners in District 2, although every Commissioner is elected by countywide vote. He is an award-winning journalist and longtime community activist who currently serves on the Board of the Jefferson County PTA. Jason and his wife, Julie, are lifelong residents of Jefferson County (Jason’s family has been in Jeffco for three generations); they live in Lakewood with their 2-year-old daughter, Stella, and are expecting their second child in September.

For more information, go to www.JasonBane.org.

Corruption, Cronyism and...Murder?

When people ask why I'm running for County Commissioner, my first response is always the same: I'm sick and tired of the culture of corruption and cronyism at the Taj Mahal. The indictments, the investigations, the lawsuits - enough is enough. But just when you thought it couldn't get any worse comes this story from The Columbine Courier:

Former Jefferson County Attorney Frank Hutfless "joked" in 2006 about having a county critic who is suing Jeffco killed, according to a Colorado Bureau of Investigation report.

Hutfless made the remarks about longtime county critic Mike Zinna on two separate occasions to County Administrator Jim Moore, according to the report. Moore was interviewed by the CBI on Feb. 21, 2007, as part of the agency's investigation into whether Commissioner Jim Congrove improperly used county funds to hire a private eye to investigate county critics and county employees. The report was part of the investigation turned over to the Adams County District Attorney's Office, which declined to pursue charges in the Congrove case.

The first alleged “joke” occurred Feb. 22, 2006, after a contentious county commissioners' meeting Zinna attended. After the meeting, another meeting was held, attended by the then-commissioners — Kevin McCasky, Jim Congrove and Dave Auburn —and Hutfless and Moore. Hutfless told the group he had spoken to a law firm that could "take care of" Zinna, and that he would get a proposal. Hutfless further said that “ ‘the company can do anything including having a person shot,’ ” the CBI report reads. Moore told the investigators he didn't take the comments seriously and considered them "chest-beating, hot-air kind of stuff."

It's unclear whether that meeting was legal under the Colorado Open Meetings Law. Public meetings — at which at least two public officials converse about public business — require at least a 24-hour public notice, according to state law. "Frank Hutfless interpreted the law, and he believed he could give legal advice to the Board of County Commissioners without the meeting being posted," McCasky said May 14.

The second “joke” came on March 1, 2006, when Hutfless stopped by Moore's office and told him he had spoken to a California law firm about Zinna, and the firm wanted $14,000 to conduct a “threat assessment.”

Hutfless then allegedly told Moore, according to the CBI report, “that he had friends in California that have ‘Mafia ties,' and he could 'make one phone call and have Zinna taken care of.' " The report then outlines how Hutfless told Moore about two people who had been relocated to different countries by Mafia friends. They were "given $10,000 and a plane ticket, and told it was either this way or the other way."

" ‘It happens all the time; no one ever knows what happens,’ " the report said Hutfless told Moore. " ‘People just disappear; how easy it is to fly someone out over the Pacific Ocean dropping them out of an airplane; there is no trace.’ "

A CBI agent called Hutfless and asked him about the comments, and Hutfless said he was frustrated over Zinna at the time and "probably did make those statements out of frustration."

"I don't recall saying anything like that," Hutfless said May 13 in a phone interview with the Courier. "If they were made, it wasn't with any kind of serious intent." He added that if he did make the comments, they were made with "tongue in cheek."

When asked if it was appropriate for a Jefferson County official to even joke about having a critic and litigant killed, Hutfless said, "Probably not. If those kinds of things were said, it probably wouldn't be." He further denied having any friends in the Mafia or knowing how to have someone "relocated."

Huftless says that it was "probably not" appropriate for a Jeffco official to even joke about having someone killed.

Probably not?

Moore added that although he believes the comments were made in jest, they were not appropriate.

McCasky said May 13 that he never heard Hutfless make the comments during the Feb. 22, 2006, meeting, and never heard anything from Moore.

McCasky remembers Hutfless relaying a statement made by the principal of a security firm, and when that person mentioned eliminating the problem altogether, he said, Hutfless immediately ended the conversation.

"Most importantly for me, once the CBI and special prosecutor finished their review and the investigation was over, the case was behind us, and … I'm focusing on the business operation of the county, the financial operations, improving the transportation network and creating economic opportunity in Jefferson County," McCasky said. "It's over and done with."

If McCasky had heard Hutfless joke about killing a litigant, would he have asked him to resign?

"I'm not going to speculate as to what I would have done two years ago on this matter without the facts," McCasky said. "I don't have any facts in front of me."

"In no way, shape or form would the Board of County Commissioners, in any stretch of the imagination, condone or support any kind of talk like having anyone killed or anything like that," McCasky said May 14.

I don't understand why McCasky would dodge this last question. If a county attorney, even one who had donated money to my campaign (as Huftless had to McCasky's campaign), joked about killing someone, I would absolutely, positively take swift and appropriate action. There is a clear line between right in wrong in so many of the cases we've seen in Jefferson County. It's just too bad that our elected officials usually can't find it.

Jason Bane in Westword

Westword did a feature article on me and my campaign this week. You can read the entire story here, and I've included an excerpt below:

Most politicians spend their lives trying to get people to know their name. But Jason Bane, the Democratic Party candidate for Jefferson County commissioner against incumbent Republican Kevin McCasky, isn't most politicians.

In late 2004, when he helped launch the ColoradoPols.com website, Bane did so anonymously, and he left his moniker off his many posts there even after July 2005, when the Rocky Mountain News published an article revealing his identity. According to Bane, who's cut way back on his ColoradoPols writing since beginning his campaign, he didn't choose to perform his duties in the shadows "thinking, I wonder if this is going to hurt my chances if I run for office someday. In retrospect, will it? Maybe. But I can't think of anything off the top of my head I wrote that I'd regret." After a pause, he adds, "I'm sure there's something..."

Such concerns aren't commonplace, given that relatively few bloggers have made the transition from online firebrand to political hopeful. Indeed, the most prominent Colorado blogger-turned-candidate other than Bane is Republican Joshua Sharf, who aspires to serve as a state representative in the 6th District. (Sharf authors a blog called "View From a Height" and has contributed to the Denver Post's PoliticsWest.com site, home of the so-called Gang of Four, in addition to co-hosting a KNUS talk show with former state senator John Andrews.) So Bane is moving into relatively new territory, and he's finding it to be an often hostile place, thanks in part to conservative bloggers who accuse him — yes, anonymously — of hiding information about his employment by a prominent international union.

For his part, Bane insists that his past is an open book — one he has no problem letting potential voters peruse. A Jeffco native, he attended the University of Missouri's acclaimed journalism school with the idea of becoming a TV reporter. But he changed his mind following a stint at the NBC station affiliated with the college. "I was doing a live shot from a pumpkin festival," he recalls. "And I thought, what am I doing here?" So he turned to print, writing about sports for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before relocating to the Denver area and taking a position with Westwind Media, an ahead-of-its-time Internet radio provider that paid for its prescience by going bust. From there, Bane served as a regular stringer for People magazine, penning human-interest stories and the occasional celebrity piece. "Let's just say I know my share about Ben Affleck," he admits, laughing. In the meantime, he got involved in politics, managing Dem Vince Buzek's unsuccessful 2002 campaign to unseat Republican Shawn Mitchell in Colorado House District 33 and playing the same role for Mitch Morrissey, who was elected Denver District Attorney in 2004...

...To Bane, the muck being flung his way represents a distraction from much more important matters. "I was born and raised in the county, and I've watched over the past several years the ridiculous scandals that have come out of there: the indictments, the accusations, the lawsuit," he says. In the end, "I got fed up. I want to see the government run in a manner that addresses the issues that people in the county are concerned about, like what kind of future growth we want."

Of course, the odds that the campaign will stick to such subjects exclusively are mighty slim, especially considering the direction in which the preliminary stages of the race have gone — and Bane concedes that his anonymous blogging past may offer opponents ammo to use against him. "One of the things I fully expect to happen is that someone will take something out of context from ColoradoPols and put it in a negative mail piece," he allows. "Whether I wrote it or not, they'll say it was me" — and he'll have difficulty refuting such a claim, since "literally thousands of posts" have gone up on the site over the years, and at this point, "I don't remember what I wrote or didn't write."

Jason Quoted in Denver Post Article on The Rock Church Rezoning

I wrote yesterday about my opposition to the Jefferson County Commissioners voting to approve re-zoning for The Rock church in a residential neighborhood. Today The Denver Post quoted me in a story about the re-zoning:

Jeffco reluctantly OKs church expansion
A brutal rezoning fight ends as commissioners approve the plan 2-1.

GOLDEN — One of Jefferson County's most bitter rezoning battles was resolved Tuesday with county commissioners reluctantly voting 2-1 to approve a large church's expansion.

The Rock Southwest Baptist Church, 10393 W. Alamo Place, will build a 16,000-square-foot youth center and parking lot west of the current church.

Residents of the Westridge and Reflections subdivisions fought the rezoning, saying the church already is too large and causes traffic and parking problems.

Though he voted "yes," Commissioner Kevin McCasky noted a difference of opinion between the church and the county about whether the church's vested property right allowed the center.

McCasky also admonished church officials and members during Tuesday's hearing, saying: "There has been a level of acrimony in these hearings we've never seen."

Jason Bane, McCasky's Democratic opponent in November, took him to task over the approval.

"This is not about the church. You can't have a big commercial building in the middle of a neighborhood," Bane said. "It's a mess for those people, and it's really sad that the people who live there are completely ignored in all this. When are their rights considered?"

Commissioner Kathy Hartman cast the lone "no" vote, saying The Rock will become "ten times as large as any similar church in the area more than 500 feet from a major right of way."

The result, Hartman said, "is a travesty for the neighborhood. I think this is wholly inappropriate."

Church administrator Tim Price said the church would be willing to direct traffic during peak worship and activity times, not institute a day care or school, and allow adjacent Westridge Elementary School to use the parking lot for drop offs and pick ups.

McCasky and Congrove Ignore Citizens, Approve Controversial Rezoning

My campaign issued the following press release this afternoon in response to the news that County Commissioners Kevin McCasky and Jim Congrove voted to approve a controversial rezoning request in a neighborhood that is unsuitable for such a major change:

Jeffco Approves Controversial Church Expansion

Commissioners McCasky, Congrove Ignore Pleas Of Residents

JEFFERSON COUNTY (April 22, 2008)—Jason Bane, candidate for the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners, issued the following statement today in response to a controversial 2-1 vote by the Board of Commissioners approving expansion of The Rock South Baptist Church in a residential neighborhood:

“Time and time again the pleas of the community are completely ignored by the Board of Commissioners,” said Bane. “I know this neighborhood well—a large commercial facility has absolutely no place in the middle of a residential neighborhood where the vast majority of traffic will come from people who live outside the area.”

The Rock church had asked the Board for permission to rezone an area of land that would allow for a large expansion and additional parking. With a 2-1 vote (Commissioners Kevin McCasky and Jim Congrove voted YES), the Board of Commissioners approved the rezoning—despite a DENIAL recommendation from the staff of the Jefferson County Planning Commission and despite passionate testimony from local residents opposed to the plan.

Bane opposed this rezoning proposal from the beginning, and in February walked door-to-door in the neighborhood to discuss the issue. As Commissioner Kathy Hartman said in voting against the proposal, the rezoning makes The Rock “ten times as large as any similar church in the area more than 500 feet from a major right-of-way.”

“This isn’t about the church or its purpose for expansion—I would have opposed this expansion if it was the former tenant—the Chatfield-Columbine YMCA—that had made the proposal. It is absolutely poor county planning to allow a massive commercial structure in the middle of a residential neighborhood that already faces heavy traffic from the elementary school next door.

“That’s why I’m running for Jefferson County Commissioner: So that the people of this county can finally have a real voice in decisions that affect their daily lives.”

For more background on this issue, here's a quick story from The Denver Post:

A controversial expansion of a large south Jefferson County church has been reluctantly approved by county commissioners.

Today's rezoning will allow The Rock South Baptist Church, 10393 W. Alamo Place, to construct a 16,000-square-foot youth center and a parking lot west of the current church building.

Residents of the Westridge and Relections subdivisions have fought the rezoning, contending the church already is too big for the surrounding neighborhood and causes parking and traffic problems...

...Commissioner Kathy Hartman was direct in her opposition. The Rock's expansion will make it "ten times as large as any similar church in the area more than 500 feet from a major right-of-way," she said.

Hartman added, "This is a travesty for the neighborhood. I think this is a wholly inappropriate use. No."

Church officials have agreed to have people directing traffic during peak worship and activity times and to allow Westridge Elementary School to use the planned parking lot for drop-off and pick-up of students.

I grew up not far from this neighborhood. My aunt lives just down the street from The Rock. I learned to play basketball here when The Rock was the Chatfield-Columbine YMCA (and prior to that, The Ridge Athletic Club).

It makes absolutely no sense to allow a major expansion of any sort of commercial property here, whether it is a church, a YMCA or a storefront. This is a residential neighborhood (located between Kipling and Simms, just North of Bowles in South Jeffco) that was not built or conceived to be able to absorb so much traffic from people who don't live in the area.

I walked this neighborhood back in February, knocking on nearly every door, and I only met two people who were in favor of the rezoning. It's a shame that Commissioners McCasky and Congrove continue to turn a deaf ear to the needs and desires of the people who live in the community.

Jason Bane Interviewed on South Jeffco Development

I was interviewed last night by Channel 7 for a story about a proposed development in the Willowbrook/Willow Springs area of Jefferson County (southwest of HWY 285 and C-470). Here's the story from Channel 7's Website, which also appeared on the Thursday 10:00 p.m. newscast (my quote appears in bold below, or click on the link above to see the video):

For eight years 284.4 acres in Jefferson County has sat empty, but not completely vacant. Nearby residents said when Colorado Christian University closed its Western Bible College campus, its buildings became nuisances and home to criminal mischief.

“The highest and best use of the property was for high quality residential development,” said University President Senator Bill Armstrong during a public hearing Thursday night.

The university wants to re-zone the property so Shea Homes can build 280 houses on the land in a project called “Lyons Ridge Development.”

“Of course we would prefer nothing and we were lucky to have nothing for long time,” said Willow Springs resident Mimi Murphy. “But I don’t think we can make that decision because it is not our property. So we want the best that we can get to keep it the same that it has been.”

Murphy is not alone. Residents from Hogback Conservancy, Willowbrook Home Owners Association, Willow Springs HOA, and residents from other nearby neighborhoods packed three rooms Thursday night at the Jefferson County Courts and Administration building to voice their opposition to a development project they say goes against the south Jefferson County community plan decided upon March 14, 2007.

“If you are going to ask the citizens to come up with a plan as to how the community is developed and then you are going to ignore it, that is like asking someone to bake a cake and then turning it around and smashing it in their face,” said Jefferson County resident Jason Bane.

But some residents acknowledge development is inevitable and some homeowners think this project is the best option.

“It is less dense than the willow springs development,” said Kevin Stafford whose parents live adjacent to the property in question. “And also there is some open space that would be public where the other two developments open space is private,” he said referring to neighboring developments.

So many people showed up to speak Thursday night that County Commissioners continued the public hearing to April 15th at 6pm.

I have attended several public meetings in front of the Jefferson County Planning Commission over the last several months, and I completely oppose this effort to ram through 280 homes in an area that was only planned to allow for about 100 lots.

This proposed development is completely at odds with the South Jefferson County Community Plan (SJCCP) adopted by nearly 200 citizens and 20 government agencies. The SJCCP, which was formally adopted on March 14, 2007, was crafted over the course of 38 meetings in 14 months. While the SJCCP is not a binding document, the county should certainly pay close attention to whatever comes from it; the people who live in these areas are the ones who know what would work best in their communities.

The proposal submitted by the developer, Shea Homes, and its partner Colorado Christian University, virtually ignores the SJCCP. It was for that reason that the staff of the Jeffco Planning Commission recommended DENIAL of the developer's proposal. My comment to Channel 7 above was about the SJCCP and the process that created it; the county government shouldn't seek out community input if they are going to just completely ignore them later.

Despite that denial from the staff, and despite the presence of literally hundreds of Willow Springs/Willowbrook residents at every meeting, the Planning Commission approved a slightly modified version to be sent to the Board of County Commissioners. The developers took that suggestion and, again, ignored it. The Planning Commission suggested a toned down version of 215 homes, instead of 280 (the latter of which is one home per acre), but the developers pushed for the larger number.

To understand why this is such a big deal to people in the community, it helps to get a picture of how this area looks now. I grew up about a mile from here, and I always loved the Willowbrook/Willow Springs area because of the modest homes that sat on large acres of land. Nobody has fences, which allows for migration of all kinds of animals through the area. It really is a beautiful neighborhood - a rural respite in the middle of a suburban area.

To recap, here's what has happened to get us to this point:

1. All 11 homeowners associations in the area have joined together in a group called The Hogback Conservancy Coalition in order to fight this development. In other words, the people who live in the area are adamantly opposed to this large development. They are not opposed to ANY development, because the agreed to a plan for about 100 homes that preserved open space.
   
2. The staff of the Planning Commission recommended DENIAL of the developers' proposal.
3. The Planning Commission board did not deny the proposal, but suggested a slightly weakened version.
4. The developer ignored the Planning Commission and re-submitted their original 280-home rezoning proposal.
5. The Board of County Commissioners is now hearing testimony from both sides of the case and may vote on the proposal on April 15. Most observers feel that Commissioner Kevin McCasky, my opponent in this race, holds the deciding vote. I hope he does the right thing.
   

I am not opposed to growth in Jefferson County, but I think we need to have RESPONSIBLE growth that both preserves open space and protects the property rights of the existing homeowners. McCasky has said repeatedly that he believes in property rights. Well, so do I, but I don't just believe in the property rights of people who want to build on new land. Everyone has property rights, and what one person does affects their neighbor. Just because it is your property, should you be allowed to build a 50-story high-rise building? Of course not.

I will be following this debate closely as it comes to its conclusion in the next couple of weeks. For more background information, check out this letter from the attorney for the Hogback Conservancy to the Planning Commission.

Grant Program for Solar Innovation

Renewable energy seems to be the theme of the week. Yesterday I wrote about legislation to offer low- and no-cost loans for people who want to add solar energy to their home, and today the Governor's Energy Office announced a new grant program for businesses that want to look into solar projects:

Gov. Ritter today announced that the Governor’s Energy Office (GEO) is seeking grant applicants for $350,000 in incentives for solar innovation projects. The “Solar Innovation Grant” funds are being made available through the Clean Energy Fund.

“These innovation grants will help us continue to grow our solar industry by increasing development and infrastructure. They will allow us to continue advancing Colorado’s New Energy Economy and bring good jobs, revenue and clean power to our state,” Gov. Ritter said.

Under GEO’s stewardship, the Solar Innovation Grant will be used to support programs that can overcome financial, educational and technical barriers and lead to greater solar electric and solar thermal technologies in the residential and commercial sectors.

GEO is looking to fund projects from partners such as utilities, homebuilders, installers and system integrators, lenders and financial institutions, non-profits and trade associations. For the competitive application process, GEO will consider funding requests for the following purposes:

Education: Applicants will provide educational resources to targeted sectors with the goal of expanding the quantity and quality of solar installations in Colorado.

Integrated Design: Applicants will address opportunities to incorporate solar technology into the commercial and production home sectors in both new and existing infrastructure.

Utility Programs: Applicants in this category will work to improve the viability of solar technology as a means to offset energy and power demands at the utility level. GEO is soliciting innovative solutions to promote solar technology at the utility level.

Market Analysis & Policy Recommendations:Colorado and present solutions in the form of a comprehensive policy report. Applicants will identify policy barriers to the wider implementation of solar technology in Colorado.

Financing: Applicants will present innovative financing models that will increase the affordability of integrating solar technology in the residential and commercial sectors.

Individual awards will not exceed $50,000 and applications are due by April 30. To learn more, visit GEO’s website: www.colorado.gov/energy.

Low- and No-Interest Loans for Solar Panels

I was excited to see this news today from the state capitol. Jefferson County should definitely try to offer low- and no-interest loans to residents who want to move toward renewable energy.

CLEAN ENERGY FOR ALL COLORADANS!
Program provides low- and no- interest loans for solar panels at home or business

DENVER – Tuesday at noon, House Majority Leader Alice Madden, championed the ‘Clean Energy Home Financing Act,’ making renewable energy systems – including small scale wind and solar – affordable for all Colorado homeowners and small businesses. Rep. Madden was joined by state legislators, local elected officials and clean energy leaders as employees from Namaste Solar Electric held an array of solar panels.

Two hours later, House Bill 1350 passed out of the House Transportation & Energy Committee unanimously.

“Despite the availability of rebates, many Coloradans cannot afford the upfront costs of efficiency investments right now, even though it saves time and money in the long run,” said Rep. Madden. “But this legislation gives our communities the tools for investment that will help homeowners and businesses build the new energy economy.”

HB 1350 helps Coloradans of all income levels participate in the energy economy by providing low- and no- interest loans for energy savings devices like wind turbines and solar panels.

Cities and counties will be able to provide low- and no- interest loans for the upfront costs of panels and turbines. Home and business owners will then have the option of paying back the loans over time through a property lien. Communities can finance loans using existing bond potential, or by creating special energy improvement districts.

“This is a remarkable program and the first of its kind in the country,” Rep. Madden noted. “Just think about affect it could have: this sets the groundwork so every Colorado home, farm, ranch, and business can invest in a new energy future.”

The bill now moves to the House floor for further debate. It is being co-sponsored in the by State Senator Chris Romer (D-Denver).

Wind Firm Moves to Broomfield, Not Jefferson County

One of the reasons I am running for Jefferson County Commissioner is because I believe that we need to consider new, responsible ways in which to grow our county. We need to do more to add jobs to Jeffco (and that doesn't mean building big box stores that add low-paying jobs) and we should also be playing a more active role when it comes to renewable energy.

Jefferson County is home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Colorado School of Mines, and with those great intellectual resources in our own backyard, we should be the epicenter of the Renewable Energy industry in the United States.

We should be, but we are not.

Renewable energy companies are not only good for our country and our planet, they are also businesses that provide fantastic jobs. As The Denver Post reported on Thursday:

A wind-energy company has moved its headquarters from Austin, Texas, to Broomfield, with plans to hire 70 workers locally over the next year.

In addition to the new jobs, Renewable Energy Systems Americas, or RES-Americas, said Wednesday it will relocate 70 full-time jobs from Texas. The jobs on average are expected to pay $110,000 by 2011, according to a tax-rebate agreement approved by the Broomfield City Council last month.

"Colorado has demonstrated immense leadership in the development of renewable resources and alternative energy," said Craig Mataczynski, president of RES-Americas, in a statement. "We are proud to now join that effort."

RES-Americas said it has projects in six states and Canada, including the Cedar Point Wind Project in Elbert and Lincoln counties in Colorado.

The Cedar Point wind farm is expected to begin construction at the end of this year or early 2009, with completion set for 2010.

The Broomfield headquarters opened Monday.

"RES-Americas is another tremendous example of how Colorado is being recognized as a national and international leader in renewable, modern energy," Gov. Bill Ritter said.

Colorado is being recognized as a leader in renewable energy, and there's absolutely no reason that Jefferson County can't play a major role in that effort. But to do so is going to take committed leadership at the county level, and as a County Commissioner I'll make it a priority to convince these companies - and their high-paying jobs - to relocate to Jeffco. With NREL and the School of Mines in our own backyard, we have great selling points when it comes to the research and intellectual support that these businesses need.

We have what these companies are looking for, but it takes leadership at the county level to bring them here. I'll provide that leadership.

Welcome to Jason Bane's Blog

Hello, and thanks for visiting. I'll be making regular updates about my campaign and about the issues that are important to the people of Jefferson County, Colorado. For more information about me and my campaign, visit www.JasonBane.org.

I'm running for County Commissioner for a number of reasons, including to promote responsible growth policies that preserve open space and to make Jefferson County the epicenter of the renewable energy industry in this country. But what ultimately prompted me to run is very simple: I am sick and tired of the corruption and mismanagement that has plagued Jefferson County for decades. The problems have been well-documented:

Jeffco Dysfunction Takes Center Stage At Trial
The Canyon Courier, February 25, 2008

Jefferson County: A Series of Unfortunate Events
The Columbine Courier, February 27, 2007

Jeffco Suffers Yet Another Black Eye
The Denver Post, July 29, 2007

Jeffco Lets Staffers Talk to Investigators
The Denver Post, February 28, 2007

Search for Commissioners' Schedules Draws Blanks, Roadblocks
The Canyon Courier, August 9, 2006

Open Case
Westword, August 2, 2007

Sheehan Resigns
The Lakewood Sentinel, February 10, 2005

Jeffco Initiates Kickback Probe
The Rocky Mountain News, January 5, 2007