A Shovel For Josh Penry

"Political stunt" Penry at it again

It's good to see the Sentinel publishing something like this, but it's a shame that it ends up on the opinion page because this isn't opinion.

Penry's idea of cutting the GEO is purely political. If this is his idea of a budget plan, we are screwed if he becomes Governor. I've been a critic of Bill Ritter on this site, but Penry is making Ritter look like a calm, solid leader with every political game he tries to play with this campaign.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 10:12:43 AM CST

Ritter doesn't leave Republicans much to shoot at

So they have to resort to stunts like this.

Personally, I think that liberal Democrats (myself included) have more issues with Ritter than conservative Republicans do.  

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by: ajb @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 10:25:53 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Facts, John Ferrugia has some news for you

DENVER -- Gov. Bill Ritter promised a hiring freeze last year to help bridge the budget gap, but a CALL7 investigation found that as many as 2,300 employees were hired during the "freeze."

http://www.thedenverchannel.co...

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by: Libertad @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 12:14:31 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanks

That fills the COPols daily allotment of Libertad non sequiturs for the day.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 12:17:03 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Spot the operative phrase

"As many as" - how enlightening.

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by: Emma Anne @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 14:51:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Good spot

In a similar vein, I've heard it said that Penry has "as many as" 10 staffers whose primary responsibility is to extinguish his burning pants.

Sum Ergo Cogito.

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by: ardy39 @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 16:24:05 PM CST

[ Parent ]

LOL

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by: Emma Anne @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 01:52:03 AM CST

[ Parent ]

glad this is getting some light

Penry knows what's going on at GEO, or if he doesn't then what was he doing all those years in the legislature?   The fact that he's going after one of the few bright points of Colorado's future shows that he doesn't understand how well-positioned CO already is to become one of the 3-5 states incubating and driving greentech/cleantech innovation over the next two decades.  Which itself shows he ain't suitable to be the guv of the state.  Alt. energy, not fossil energy, is going to be driving the economy of this state for a long time.  But Penry would kill the golden goose?  For what reason?  

In fact, I just registered
www.veryliberalagitatedpissedoffpeoplewithnoorganization.com
-Laughing Boy

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by: indipol @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 11:07:53 AM CST

Facts?

Josh don't need no stinking facts!

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by: gertie97 @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 11:15:40 AM CST

Has Penry as a legislator tried to kill this program?

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by: OneEyedOwl @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 13:11:52 PM CST

The GOP went after it in '07 and '08.

I have no doubt that Penry spoke out against everything from the funding bill to the big rename.

I only really watch the House, but am confident that this isn't a newly found cause for Penry.

"Don't go all "Ralphie" on me now: Just let it go." - Steve Harvey

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by: droll @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 13:31:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Mr. Penry continues to astound

Now his home town newspaper is taking him to task because he never has his facts straight and doesn't seem to care. He is becoming the court jester defined in the Middle Ages as "a professional fool or a clown kept by a prince." He is either that or has a very troubling disrespect for the public because he believes he can lie to us and make us believe it.

He continues his efforts to undermine his credibility.  

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by: Republican 36 @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 13:30:21 PM CST

Hometown Newspaper?

To be clear, an opinion piece by Democrat, Environmental Activist Bill Grant (AKA Club Twitty) is by no means an example of Penry's Hometown newspaper taking him to task.  It's an opinon piece and Grant overplayed his hand.  He puts something on Co Pols, then quotes it later in an opinion piece he writes for the Sentinel.  Transparent at best, lazy and cheap at worst. Further, the facts are just plain wrong.

The Governor's Energy Office isnt funded largely by federal funds.  According to the fisal note on the bill that reorganized GEO last year, GEO's budget is "comprised of 14 percent federal funds, and 86 percent state money from the Clean Energy Fund.  The state's share will increase in the coming years as federal funding is expected to decline."

The state money comes from the limited gaming fund.  So if GEO were euthanized, that gaming money could be used to fund some service currently funded with general fund dollars, which would in turn free up those general fund dollars for something else.

Repeating Speaker Carrol's talking points is just plain lazy and it isn't supported by the facts.  Do some god damn research.  

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by: TaxCheatGeithner @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 22:22:26 PM CST

[ Parent ]

FU

TaxCheat, this failed attempt at outing a CO Pols contributor ought to get you banished.

Plus, the fact that you got it wrong should require you to first reveal yourself (for public humiliation) prior to your banishment.

Sum Ergo Cogito.

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by: ardy39 @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 22:46:38 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The braindead TaxCheat has been warned about

that same shit before.  Time to kick his ass down the road.

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by: WesternSlopeThought @ Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 23:40:28 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I respectfully disagree with you

SB 09-259 (the "Long Bill") for fiscal year 2010 (7/1/09 through 6/3010) appropriates to the GEO a total budget of $1,625,309.00. Of that total, $325,000 or 19.9% is from the Clean Energy Fund pursuant to CRS 24-75-1201. Clean Energy Funds are to be utilized to "attract renewable energy industry investment in the state." See CRS 24-75-(2)(a).

In addition to the above, the lions share of the GEO budget in the Long Bill is in the Program Administration line item and totals $1,105,993 and foot note "a" states: "This amount includes petroleum escrow violaiton award and federal state energy program grants estimated to be received by the governor's Energy Office, and is included for informational purposes only." If you follow the colums laterally the Long Bill states that this entire amount is from FEDERAL funds. It is obvious the GEO is not primarily funded by the Clean Energy Funds.

In fact, $1,125,428 or 69.2% of the entire GEO budget is from federal funds. These are all facts that we must assume Mr. Penry knows about and must acknowledge since he is the Republican leader of the state senate.

And what has Governor Ritter done with these funds? Exactly what the statute cited above calls for. He has attracted many new energy economy companies to Colorado and the jobs that come with them.

And what does Mr. Penry want to do? He wants to shut down a program, led by Governor Ritter, that has brought private sector jobs to Colorado. And he wants to do that in the middle of the worst economic downturn in the our life time and the worst since the Great Depression. Mr. Penry not only can't get his facts straight but his budget cutting suggestions, at least with respect to the GEO, can only be characterized as irresponsible and one that purposefully hinders Colorado's economic recovery. His position is nonsensical and again, regardless of his political affiliation, Mr. Penry is undermining his credibility as a political leader.  

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by: Republican 36 @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 10:09:56 AM CST

[ Parent ]