Colorado Capitol Report

Colorado’s Congressional Delegation: Bipartisanship Prevails Except when It Does Not


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Colorado’s Congressional Delegation: Bipartisanship Prevails Except when It Does Not

Congressman Mike Coffman, Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Congressman Ken Buck, Congressman Jared Polis, & Congressman Scott Tipton (Photo by Evan Semón)

When it comes to generally representing Colorado’s interests before the U.S. Congress, bipartisanship is the over-arching hallmark of the state’s Congressional Delegation, five members of the Delegation agreed Wednesday before the third, biennial CACI Congressional Luncheon.

Within that broad framework, however, the Members also agreed that they nonetheless often disagree on specific issues and policies.

About 260 CACI members and guests attended the Luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center.

Appearing at the Luncheon were the following members of the Delegation:

  • Congressman Jared Polis, Second District;
  • Congressman Scott Tipton, Third District;
  • Congressman Ken Buck, Fourth District;
  • Congressman Mike Coffman, Sixth District; and
  • Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Seventh District.

Congresswoman Diana DeGette, First District, and Congressman Doug Lamborn, Fifth District, were not able to attend the Luncheon.  Congresswoman DeGette, Dean of the Delegation, attended the Luncheon in 2013 and 2015.

Roberta Robinette, Congressman Mike Coffman, Congressman Ed Perlmutter, Congressman Jared Polis, Congressman Scott Tipton & Congressman Ken Buck (Photo by Evan Semón)

The Presenting Sponsor of the Luncheon was AT&T.  The panel’s moderator was CACI Board Member Roberta Robinette, AT&T President-Colorado, External Affairs.

The major topics covered by the panel include trade, tax reform, infrastructure, energy, environment, and the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

“At a time when Americans have lost faith in Congress, most of Colorado’s delegation believes it is working together to get the work of the people done,” wrote Peter Marcus of Colorado Politics.  “But the members who did show expressed frustration with a perception of the majority of Americans that Congress is dysfunctional and unable to work in a bipartisan fashion.”

Wrote Ed Sealover of The Denver Business Journal: “Colorado Congressman Jared Polis and Mike Coffman aren’t set to run against each other in the 2018 elections, but they clashed Wednesday like head-to-head opponents on a variety of issues at an event sponsored by the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry.”

For news media coverage of the Luncheon, read:

Polis, Coffman clash on transportation, tax reform, trade issues at business forum,” by Ed Sealover, The Denver Business Journal, August 9th.

Colorado’s congressional delegation says bipartisanship is alive and well,” by Peter Marcus, Colorado Politics, August 10th.

The Luncheon’s Supporting Sponsor was Climax Molybdenum, a Freeport McMoRan Company.  Contributing Sponsors were Boeing and FCI Constructors, Inc.


Sales and Use Tax Task Force Meets Again

On August 15th beginning at 9:00 a.m., the Sales and Use Tax Task Force will hold its second meeting to address Colorado’s complicated sales and use tax system.  The group will hear testimony from representatives for the Council of State Taxation including Nikki Dubay and Fred Nicely who will discuss how other states have tackled similarly complicated tax systems and recommend potential solutions for Colorado.  The Task Force will also hear testimony from the Colorado Special Districts Association, the Colorado Tax Auditors Coalition and the Colorado Department of Revenue.

The details and full agenda for next week’s meeting are provided below

AGENDA:  Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force

Date:  Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Time:  9:00 am – 4:30pm
Location:  Room 271, State Capitol Building

9 am:  Call to Order
9am:  Special District Association
9:30 am:  Colorado Tax Auditors Coalition
10:30am:  Break
10:45am:  Overview of 2015 Audit and Colorado Department of Revenue Response
Noon:  Lunch Break
1:00pm:  Discussion of Local Control
1:30pm: Council on State Taxation (COST) and Tax Foundation
3:30pm:  Break
3:45pm:  Discussion of Benefits and Costs of State/Local Sales Tax Administration
4:15pm:  Public Comment
4:30pm:  Adjourn

Future meetings for 2017 will be held on September 15th and November 1st. We anticipate that the Task Force will discuss potential solutions and recommendations  during the third meeting scheduled on September 15th.

Please contact Loren Furman at [email protected] or at 303-866-9642 if you should questions regarding this matter.