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Governor’s task force will tackle fracking Beauprez says panel seeking solutions will hurt drilling By Vic Vela
vvela@coloradocommunitymedia.com Gov. John Hickenlooper on Sept. 9 announced the formation of a task force that will be charged with finding legislative solutions to issues surrounding hydraulic fracturing. The 19-person commission is a crosssection of people representing various interests, all of whom will try to craft recommendations for lawmakers on issues that have yet to yield compromises. Hickenlooper told reporters during a Capitol press conference that he understands the weight of issues surrounding oil and gas drilling and the importance of the members coming together to find solutions. “I think this is one of the most important issues I’ve ever worked on in my 12 years of public service,” the Democratic governor said. A primary area of focus for the commission will be to find solutions regarding how much control local communities have over fracking — the process by which water, sand and chemicals are blasted deep underground to free up trapped oil and gas. The lack of legislative solutions has resulted in several Colorado communities taking matters into their own hands re-
TASK FORCE Sara Barwinski, member of community group, Weld Air and Water Bernie Buescher, former Colorado Secretary of State Peter Dea, president & CEO, Cirque Resources LP Jim Fitzgerald, rancher, educator, activist Russ George, former Speaker of the House and former executive director of Department of Natural Resources Jon Goldin-Dubois, president, Western Resources Advocates Brad Holly, vice president of operations (Rocky Mountain Region), Anadarko Dan Kelly, vice president of Wattenberg Business Unit, Noble Energy Rebecca Kourlis, retired justice of the Colorado Supreme Court; executive director, Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System garding local control issues. A handful of cities have at one point voted to restrict or ban fracking, which has led to court battles that continue. The task force was born from a compromise that Hickenlooper struck with Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Polis in August that kept Polis-backed anti-fracking measures from appearing on the November ballot. Hickenlooper said those concerned about the economic impact of the ballot measures “breathed a communal sigh of relief” when the compromise was reached. The initiatives would have essentially crippled an industry that pumps millions of dollars into the state’s economy.
Steve Moreno, Clerk and Recorder, Weld County Perry Pearce, manager of state government affairs (Rocky Mountain Region), ConocoPhillips Kent Peppler,president, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, farmer Pat Quinn, former mayor, Broomfield Bruce Rau, vice chairman/treasurer, Colorado Association of Home Builders Jeff Robbins, attorney, Goldman Robbins & Nicholson Matt Sura, attorney, Law Office of Matthew Sura Will Toor, former Boulder mayor and Boulder County Commissioner Elbra Wedgeworth, chief government & community relations officer, Denver Health Scot Woodall, president & CEO, Bill Barrett Corporation “Now it’s just a matter of rolling up our sleeves,” Hickenlooper said. The governor said that his office received hundreds of applicants to join the task force and that he feels good about the commission’s makeup. “We wanted to have many different selfinterests represented here,” he said. The task force will consist of members representing the industries of oil and gas, agriculture and home builders. Conservation groups will also be represented, as well as local governments. The commission will be chaired by La Plata County Commissioner Gwen Lachelt and XTO Energy president Randy Cleve-
land. The task force’s creation was greeted with optimism by groups representing various interests. Colorado Oil and Gas Commission President Tisha Schuller said she “hopes the task force provides information and insight into what is already a robust regulatory system with a strong role for local governments.” Pete Maysmith of Conservation Colorado said Coloradans are “eager for solutions” on issues surrounding oil and gas drilling. “Colorado is a fantastic place to live and raise a family,” Maysmith said in an emailed statement. “We cannot let this oil boom derail the Colorado dream and unique quality of life.” Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bob Beauprez does not share those sentiments. Beauprez has coined the task force the “Polis Commission,” a body that will produce recommendations that will bury the oil and gas industry with more regulations, he said. “The creation of this panel will, unfortunately, accomplish little beyond enabling an extremist element that wants to stop oil and gas production in Colorado,” Beauprez said. The governor’s office expects the commission to meet “immediately,” with the expectation that it will provide recommendations to the Legislature by March.
Sandstrom carries tax debt Candidate for county assessor has owed IRS, state department of revenue POSTAL ADDRESS
GOLDEN TRANSCRIPT (ISSN 0746-6382)
OFFICE: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 PHONE: 303-566-4100 A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Golden Transcript is published weekly on Thursday by Mile High Newspapers, 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210, Golden, CO 80401. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT GOLDEN, COLORADO and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 722 Washington Ave, Unit 210 Golden, CO 80401 DEADLINES: Display: Fri. 11 a.m. Legal: Fri. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 5 p.m. GE T SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
By Amy Woodward
awoodward@colorado communitymedia.com Ron Sandstrom, the Republican candidate for Jeffco County assessor, has been saddled with back taxes, according to a trio of judgments brought against him by the Colorado Department of Revenue. The unpaid state income tax amounts show balances of about $1,000 to $6,000 listed during the years of 2006-11, court documents reveal. When contacted for comment, Sandstrom declined to be interviewed. While it is possible Sandstrom paid off his balances but not yet filed that information, the statuses of the judgments filed at the civil district court in Jeffco remain “unsatisfied.” A separate judgment filed by Discover Bank in 2009 showed Sandstrom in arrears by
$8,487.10 which include attorney’s fees, for failing to pay the liquidated balance from his credit card. In addition to the judgments placed against Sandstrom, two filings for tax liens were placed by the IRS for unpaid federal income taxes. Tax periods ending in December 2007 and 2008 show a total of $26,016.27 in money owed. The second tax lien shows a total of $41,083.76 money owned for tax periods ending in December 2009-2010. During the 2014 Republican primaries, Sandstrom beat his Sandstrom opponent, Lou D’Aurio, who won the county assembly vote with 51.50 percent, receiving 3.22 percent more votes than Sandstrom. D’Aurio has been the deputy county assessor for the last 15 years. An assessor is responsible for assessing property values while compiling a list of all real and private properties, excluding schools, churches and charities. The assessor finds a fair
market value that calculates a property owner’s fair share of taxes owed. Sandstrom will be on the November ballot against Democratic candidate Andrew Hassinger, and Libertarian candidate Patrick Sullivan. In 1989, Sandstrom opened F&S Tax consultants, a small business that assists in property tax disputes. In the last 34 years, Sandstrom has focused on handling disputes with the Jeffco Assessor’s Office as well as serving on a number of taxation legislative committees and writing tax bills for property. If elected, Sandstrom said he would like to mend problems at the assessor’s office that relate to record keeping and speeding up hearing process for disputes, which is part of his initiative to bring efficiency and fairness. “The assessor’s office needs fresh air,” Sandstrom said to the Transcript back in June. “I know the tax law on property very well,” he said. “I feel I know the taxpayer because having worked with the taxpayer I can understand where the tax payer is coming from.”
Friends in harmony Golden Concert Choir welcomes new voices By Amy Woodward
awoodward@colorado communitymedia.com Golden Concert Choir is warming up their voices for a new season — and eager to add to its 40-member ensemble. Founded in 2000 by Golden’s Judy Denison, who received the Living Landmark Award by the Golden Landmarks Association in 2012, the Golden Concert Choir was created to bring opportunity to those who love to sing. “We are committed to bringing the joy of singing to everyone,”
Denison said. “It (singing) gets you out of yourself into something bigger than yourself.” The choir also carries a welcoming reputation with all skill levels accepted and no audition requirements. Applying includes inquiring within oneself and simply showing up to the choir’s weekly practice before the cutoff for new members on Monday, Sept. 22. New recruits will be expected to match pitch on the piano in order to be placed accordingly in the choir that includes sopranos, altos, tenors and bass. “We welcome everyone,” said Loretta Huff, vice president of the Golden Concert Choir. “It’s a friendly choir,” Huff said, where
The Golden Concert Choir taken before a holiday performance. Courtesy photo the “more experienced helps the less experienced.” Soprano, Lindsay Bell, also praised the comfortable environment that offers a challenging range of music, specifically, everything from JS Bach to PDQ Bach, she said, brought to them by director and composer David Bell.
“It’s a real opportunity not just musically but socially as well,” Bell said. Ages for the group have been known to range from 13 to 85. David Bell has directed the Golden Concert Choir since 2007 Harmony continues on Page 20