Newsletter articles about
Believe in a Better Colorado

Repeat, repeat, repeat! Continue to include short, regular mentions in employee print and electronic newsletters and intranet notices. Here are for ready-to-use newsletter articles that vary in length:

Newsletter article #1
403 words

WHAT IS BELIEVE IN A BETTER COLORADO?
Believe in a Better Colorado is an unprecedented alliance among the state’s three largest K-12 education associations. The initiative is informing public school employees and citizens about the need to more effectively invest in essential public services – such as K-12 and higher education, health care and transportation. The ultimate goal is to adopt a new tax system by 2011. Efforts are under way to build a broad coalition representing business, health care, transportation and other stakeholder groups to work on tax reform.

  • Colorado’s investments in all essential public services are below national averages. Below average is not good enough. It is our responsibility to create the future we want for ourselves and for our children. Colorado is a wealthy state. We rank eighth in the country in per capita income. Our taxes are among the lowest in the nation, yet Colorado invests $1,034 per student less in K-12 schools than the national average. If Colorado were to invest per student like Wyoming already does, our state basically would meet the additional $2.9 billion annually that the Colorado School Finance Project has forecast to be an adequate investment in public schools – not including maintaining or building facilities.

  • Our investment in the state’s future is shrinking. TABOR, the 1992 constitutional amendment, keeps us from meeting Colorado’s growing needs. Instead, Colorado should have a tax system that is fair to taxpayers and raises enough money to invest properly in citizens’ needs. The “perfect storm” will hit in 2011, when the Referendum C time-out ends, Amendment 23 funding shrinks, but TABOR spending limits remain. At best, Colorado has only enough money to provide 2007 levels of service. This is not what we want as Colorado grows.

  • Education is the best investment Colorado can make. Research ties the quality of education to a community’s quality of life. An educated and skilled local work force attracts jobs, improves productivity, creates a larger tax base and adds wealth to our communities. Colorado has the second highest percentage of college graduates in the nation, but we rank 32nd in sending our own high school graduates to college. That is important because over time, more jobs will require education beyond high school. Tomorrow’s employees need to solve increasingly complex problems, communicate effectively using a variety of media, work in teams to create and innovate, and continually adapt to rapid change.

    To sign up to receive more information, visit www.believeinabettercolorado.org.

    Newsletter article #2
    175 words

    BELIEVE IN A BETTER COLORADO
    Did you know that Colorado funds all of its essential public services below the national averages?

    For K-12 education, Colorado spends $1,034 per pupil less than the national average, according to Education Week’s 2008 “Quality Counts” report. For our district, that equates to $ ______ that could be going to our classrooms.

    Believe in a Better Colorado is an unprecedented alliance among the state’s three largest K-12 education associations to inform public school employees and citizens about the need to more effectively fund all essential public services. The ultimate goal is to adopt a new tax system by 2011 – the same year today’s high school freshmen will graduate.

    Efforts are underway to build a broad coalition to work on tax reform. In the meantime, phase one is making sure employees and school board members are well-informed. Phase two begins with districts hosting conversations with small groups of stakeholders, specifically leaders of parent organizations and public service providers in their communities such as transportation and health care leaders.

    To sign up to receive more information, visit www.believeinabettercolorado.org.

    Newsletter article #3
    285 words

    BELIEVE IN A BETTER COLORADO

    You may have heard the buzz this spring about House Speaker Andrew Romanoff and Sen. Steve Johnson’s efforts to propose untangling the conflicting spending mandates in Colorado’s constitution, including the 1992 constitutional amendment TABOR - the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

    Because the tax code is locked into the state constitution, it will take a citizen vote to change it. House Speaker Romanoff and Sen. Johnson have their sights set on asking Coloradans this November to lift the inflexible spending limits.

    This is one example of the kinds of solutions being discussed in school district and community conversations about Believe in a Better Colorado. The ultimate goal is to adopt a new tax system by 2011. For information about launching phase two of Believe in a Better Colorado, or to sign up for periodic emails about this issue, visit the newly-updated Web site: www.believeinabettercolorado.org.

    It remains to be seen whether constitutional cleanups will begin this year in one form or another, but one thing’s for certain: The “perfect storm” will hit in 2011, when the Referendum C time-out ends, Amendment 23 funding shrinks, but TABOR spending limits remain.

    Our investment in the state’s future is shrinking. At best, Colorado has only enough money to provide 2007 levels of service. Already, Colorado’s investments in all essential public services are below national averages, including K-12 and higher education, transportation, and health care. Below average is not good enough.

    Join the state’s three largest K-12 education associations – CASB, CASE and CEA – in talking to your colleagues and community leaders about the need to more effectively invest in all essential public services. For ideas on how to organize conversations with stakeholders, see the new “stakeholder conversations” tool kit at www.believeinabettercolorado.org.

    Newsletter article #4
    185 words

    EDUCATION IS THE BEST INVESTMENT COLORADO CAN MAKE

    The Colorado School Finance Project forecasts that Colorado will need an additional $2.9 billion annually to adequately invest in our public schools. That’s just for academics, not for maintaining or building facilities.

    What is eye-opening is that if Colorado were to spend per student what Wyoming currently spends per student, our state basically would meet the projected $2.9 billion obligation. (Wyoming spends $3,187 more per student than Colorado.)

    Almost 800,000 students are enrolled in Colorado’s public schools in nearly 180 school districts. Various calculations rank Colorado between 37th and 49th in investment in public education.

    As phase two of Believe in a Better Colorado gets underway, the bottom line is this: Colorado’s investments in all public services are below national averages – and below average isn’t good enough.

    Research ties the quality of education to a community’s quality of life. An educated and skilled local work force attracts jobs, improves productivity, creates a larger tax base and adds wealth to our communities.

    For information about launching phase two of Believe in a Better Colorado, or to sign up for periodic emails about this issue, visit www.believeinabettercolorado.org.

    Newsletter article #5
    323 words

    "IT’S TIME TO REFORM THIS GOOFY SYSTEM"

    Many Colorado school districts will ask residents this year to make up for a lack of state investment in K-12 education and say "yes" to a local bond and mill levy vote.

    Local elections make things a little better; changing the tax structure statewide could make things a lot better and eliminate the need for on-going local elections.

    A June 25th Denver Post editorial said, "Our state constitution limits revenue in good times, mandates spending in bad times. It's time to reform this goofy system."

    That's what Believe in a Better Colorado is all about. The ultimate goal is to adopt a new tax system by 2011.

    The bottom line: Colorado's investments in all public services are below national averages – and below average isn't good enough.

    The 1992 constitutional amendment TABOR keeps us from meeting Colorado's growing needs. We are the only state constitutionally required to continually cut taxes while increasing spending.

    "The net effect – chronic shortfalls in health care, higher education and other constitutionally optional programs," said Rep. Andrew Romanoff, speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives.

    Rep. Romanoff has launched a new initiative to fix the fiscal mess in Colorado's constitution. The Savings Account for Education (SAFE) would ask voters in November to invest future revenues that exceed the constitutional limit into the State Education Fund. A share of these revenues would form a long-term savings account for public education.

    "Over time, this plan would enable the state to protect public schools from cuts without squeezing out other services," said Rep. Romanoff. "SAFE would also sunset the constitutional requirement to increase P-12 spending, as of 2011."

    This is one example of the kinds of solutions being discussed in school district and community conversations about Believe in a Better Colorado.

    For more information about hosting these kinds of conversations, or to sign up for up for periodic emails about Believe in a Better Colorado, visit www.believeinabettercolorado.org. For information about SAFE, visit www.coloradosafe.org.