[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Metro Mayors Caucus

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Appelbaum, Matt

Colleagues - A brief report on the Metro Mayors Caucus meeting that was held last week:
-- We welcomed Mayor Hogan of Aurora, applauded his efforts, and reiterated our willingness to help in any way we could.
-- There were updates on FasTracks (I-225 rail line) and transportation funding issues.  The FasTracks task force will morph into a committee that will work with CDOT/RTD? on any efforts that might be forthcoming regarding a statewide or regional transportation tax ballot issue.
-- At my request, we got a very good presentation on how public schools are financed in Colorado - and, yes, it's every bit as arcane as you might imagine it would be.  If I get an electronic version of the PP I'll pass it along.
-- We heard from the head of the "TBD Colorado" process (the governor's public outreach process on statewide issues) and got a draft report on data from the public meetings phase.  Nothing terribly surprising, although as people learn about the issues and the serious revenue shortfalls they seem rather more likely to want to take action.
-- The CEO of Denver Water, Jim Lochhead, gave us a brief update on the Colorado River Cooperative Agreement, which would give Denver the ability to take water from the Fraser River in Grand County and bring it across and into an enlarged Gross Reservoir.
-- Finally, there was a special session with Gil Kerlikowske, the Director of the National Office of Drug Control Policy.  Interesting and very straightforward comments.  Chief Beckner and Tom Carr also attended.

One other Metro Mayors item: I'm on a subcommittee that is meeting with reps of the various statewide county groups (Club 20, Action 22, and Progressive 15) to discuss transportation financing.  Don't know where this will go, but since we believe the state is interested in some form of ballot issue(s) in the next few years, we felt Metro Mayors should get involved and try to find common interests with the counties.

--Matt