Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics

Colorado Recession Watch published by the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute reported that the recession figure for unemployment in October dipped to 6.9%. That dip, slight blip that it was, prompted the bloggers for Governor Ritter to announce that employment in Colorado has fallen below 7%. I hope you will check the two recession sites mentioned in my first sentence. Statistics do show a trend and this recession is the longest since the great depression which my folks and grand parents fought to survive.

A recent report from the city administration marked the 2008 unemployment rate for metro area was 5.1% but for Denver it was 5.7%. And as I have said before in a previous entry, if you check the unemployment rates for Globeville, Elryia and Swansea and Northeast Denver, the rate will get up around 20%.

These statistics mean little when you have been out of work for months. A former student and now a friend, has been out of work for months, has applied for thousands of openings and is about ready to lose her home. She is desperate and has applied to work as a guard at the city buildings. She wonders out loud why she got her BA from CU.

Speaking of blips in statistics, did you read where there is actually an address to which you can send money to spend down our national debt? I will check this out to let you know if this is another fund congress can raid to add more to the deficit. The report said the fund is supported by many immigrant Americans who show how grateful there are to be living under the blessings of our constitution. That's why they donate to lower our disastrous deficit - only in America.

Health Care Debate, a Denver Perspective

Missed in the national debate on national health care reform is the scandal of the on-going subsidy of Denver taxdollars to businesses which can’t or won’t provide health insurance for their workers. Let me explain how this tax shift takes place. After you hear the story, I hope it disturbs you as much as it does me.

In Denver, as the enforcement arm of the Prevailing Wage ordinance, the Denver Auditor's Office is aware that many contractors on Denver construction and other projects do not provide health insurance for their employees. And we regularly hear stories of what happens to many of these workers when injured or sick - they simply go to the Emergency Room at Denver Health. Denver taxpayers then pick up the health care cost for that company's workers. Do we even hear a thank you here? In the current debate on national health care, those who oppose reform don't mention this tax payer shift - this subsidized health care, this real version of socialized health care. Why? Because this tax shift is currently part of the unofficial but well-entrenched benefit system.

This ‘benefit’ has not been well documented nor adequately measured. In large part this is because it is difficult and time-intensive to quantify. However, Denver taxpayers have a right to know how much this health care tax shift in our city is costing them. That's transparency and accountability. This should be part of the debate, and I want to make sure the Denver taxpayers' voice is heard. So, while it will take some time to do so, we will be looking into this cost-shifting – unless of course the stars line up and the Congress moves on universal coverage and the question becomes moot. We could only hope.

Stimulus Spending and Accountability

If the public is to trust that the stimulus dollars are being spent the way the should, then the public must be confident that there is significant independent oversight of that spending. Transparency and accountability must be the watchwords.

Today, I met with Senator Mark Udall to talk to him about some federal legislation that would provide the necessary resources to state and local governments to ensure that oversight. When the dollars are being spent and administered in Denver or Colorado, then the oversight must be here as well. Watching from afar, the watchdog may only see the big picture and not the critical details.

In the Denver Auditor's office, we have cut our budget by over 7%. That means that not only do we have fewer resources to accomplish our regular audit schedule, but that we really don't have the resources to monitor the stimulus spending the way it should be monitored – and that is an unacceptable situation.

As I said, this is about transparency and accountability, and that only comes from independent oversight.

I hope the Senate will move this legislation soon, so that the monitoring can begin soon. We don't want to be in a situation of closing the barn doors after..............

I tried to meet with Senator Bennet, but unfortunately he could not fit me into his schedule. However I left him a letter outlining my position and request.

If any of you are so inclined, please call the good Senators and ask them to support this important legislation. It has already passed the US House, so it only needs final Senate passage.

If you would like to read the letters themselves and other information, please go to
www.denvergov.org/auditor.