| Cal Michael Cali | | Candidate for State Representative - Colorado House District 60 |
| HOME | WHERE I STAND - THE ISSUES | CONTRIBUTIONS - CONTACT CAL |
CAL MICHAEL CALI Democratic Candidate for House District 60 It’s not what we say, it’s what we do, Together House District 60 includes Chaffee, Park, Custer Counties, plus parts of Fremont, Pueblo and Saguache Counties. “Cal will bring his knowledge and experience of the region and its people to the state legislature,” say supporters. |
WHERE I STAND - THE ISSUES |
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Renewable energy & our environment I am passionate about our environment and in this passion I know the importance of my support for renewable energy. Creating new, good paying jobs through renewable energy is vital to our state and its citizens. It’s also important that we continue fighting against global warming and its biggest culprits, coal-burning energy companies and their pollution-spewing return to top of page - click here
For many years now, the Farmers and Ranchers of Colorado have been making the most difficult decisions. Many struggle to continue in business and some are feeling compelled to sell their water rights to survive. I promise to assist our agricultural communities with creative support and new ideas. Our small ranchers and farmers should not have to decide between running their farms or selling off to developers. This is Colorado – where agriculture should be number one. We will have to look at value added Agriculture-Diversity. The following is from the 25x25 website (“25x25” is a rallying cry for renewable energy and a goal for America- to get 25 percent of our energy from renewable resources like wind, solar, and biofuels by the year 2025.) “America’s farms, ranches and forests-our working lands are well positioned to make significant contributions to the development and implementation of the new energy solutions. Long known and respected for their contributions to providing the nations’s food and fiber, an emerging opportunity exists for crop, livestock and grass and horticultural producers, as well as forest land owners, to become major producers of another essential commodity energy. Corn and soybean producers have shown how the agricultural sector can become modern-day energy providers-but America’s farms, forests and ranches can play a much larger role in providing renewable forms of energy. “Home grown energy solutions offer tremendous potential for producers, landowners and processors to capture income, for rural communities to prosper, and for the nation to lessen its dependence of foreign oil.” National agricultural and forestry leaders have been working to promote the 25x25 vision and have formed the 25x25 Work Group. For more information on this group, please visit www.agenergy.info return to top of page - click here
On April 24th, 2008, Governor Bill Ritter announced that he intends to ask voters in November to create a Colorado Pomise Scholarship fund by closing an oil and gas industry property-tax loophole - Amendment 58, A Smarter Colorado. As many as two-thirds of Colorado families would qualify for the Colorado Promise Scholarships. The Scholarship program would more than double the amount of state financial aid now available, and it would keep college accessible and affordable to middle-income Coloradans by directly defraying hundreds of thousands of dollars in tuition costs per year. Sixty percent of the more than $200 million generated from ending a decades-old property tax credit would be devoted to the Colorado Promise Scholarship Fund. Amendment 58, A Smarter Colorado, will help tens of thousands of Colorado families pay for college so their sons and daughters can reach their full potential, so they are ready for the 21st century workforce, and so they are ready to become the next generation of teachers, nurses, scientists and engineers. "This is about Colorado's future. It's about developing our economy," Governor Ritter added. "It's about enhancing the quality of the Colorado workforce. It's about creting opportunities and doing the right thing at the right time." The oil and gas companies are threatening a $15 million dollar campaign to defeat Amendment 58, so I ask all of you to vote yes on Amendment 58 - Our Kids deserve it. Perhaps the most important fundamentals for providing a world class K-12 education include parental involvement, small class sizes, and trained and accountable teachers. The Gallagher amendment, passed more than 20 years ago, has limited what can be collected in local residential property taxes. There has been a substantial shift in K-12 funding from local to state – before Gallagher local property taxes funded 60 percent of the cost of K-12 education; now, local taxes fund just 40 percent with state government now carrying 60 percent of the load. The shrinking of state government primarily through the TABOR amendment has prevented state education funding from keeping pace with the needs. Additionally, public higher education is at great risk. Economists predict that if present budget trends continue, we will no longer have publicly-funded higher education in Colorado by 2009, only five years from now. Access to affordable, quality higher education facilities is critical for rural Colorado. return to top of page - click here
The suicide rate among the young of Colorado is very troubling, and unacceptable. We must help change the high percentage of our young people having little or no hope to see another tomorrow. We can accomplish this – we have to begin with programs that will assist our children in recognizing their own beauty and creativity within each and every one of them. return to top of page - click here
Making prescription drugs more affordable and accessible to our senior and low income citizens, and providing affordable health care are other areas that certainly need more attention from our legislature. We should be free to purchase prescription drugs at the lowest, possible prices – as long as they are safe. return to top of page - click here Low Severance Tax on Oil, Gas and Uranium Another critical issue that I would address is reforming a severance tax code and regulatory regime, currently favorable to the oil and gas industry at the expense of Colorado citiszens, to the tune of billions of dollars. As reported in an October 10th, 2007 Rocky Mountain News article by Todd Hartman “ low severance tax on oil, gas and drilling is costly to Colorado. Colorado has lost out on more than $1 billion from oil and gas development because of ‘bargain basement’ taxes on the industry in comparison with neighboring states.” A report by the nonprofit Carbondale based Community Office for Resource Efficiency states “Colorado’s low severance taxes, coupled with a ‘dizzying array of exemptions and deductions,’ leave Colorado short of money for higher education, transportation, health care and dealing with the effects of drilling on Western Slope communities. I believe that all concerned will be better served by requiring fair compensation for what is taken from us, and more careful long-term environmental and social evaluation of what is allowed to be taken and how it is to be regulated. The additional revenue can be used for education, affordable health care and alternative energy projects that will create new jobs.” That is why we will vote yes on amendment 58 on November 4th. Learn more at http://asmartercolorado.com Coming to your neighborhood soon with no oversight of all the common pollution, water contamination, landscape and habitat destruction, and health hazards known to afflict residents near similar projects - unless we work together to change current policies. Current policies give free reign at virtually no cost to the huge corporate interests who are plundering our environment and our mineral wealth for profit with little to no oversight or care for our interests. I will continue to vigorously support the growing movement to preserve our communities, our water, our air, and our environment for our future and our children's future. _____ South Park Save Our Water (Park County)
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Colorado must be smarter than Massachusetts about health insurance. We can not place the burden on Coloradans to choose between rent or their monthly, mandatory insurance premium. Good, affordable health care should be available to each and every citizen of Colorado. We can no longer take the easy door to this problem. return to top of page - click here
I have been involved with tourism in Pennsylvania, California, and now in Colorado. Tourism represents approximately 10 percent of Colorado’s economic base. In 2005, the economy received another boost, thanks in part to the record $8.2 billion spent by visitors, and total state and local taxes from Colorado visitors was $643 million in 2005. Governor Ritter’s attention to Tourism in Colorado is promising. I will always assist with the promotion of Tourism to help make Colorado a top ten travel destination. Tourism will help the economy of House District 60 thrive. return to top of page - click here
I am proud to have founded the Sacred Peaks Enlightenment Conference. The Sacred Peaks Conference is an experiential weekend of dialogue & interaction with leading teachers of diverse spiritual paths. It is a full weekend of one-on-one dialogue in Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, Zen, Christian Mysticism, Japanese Spiritualism, Native American Spirituality and Esoteric Traditions. The idea for the conference came when I envisioned a gathering that would bring together many leading spiritual teachers for open dialogue with the community and with seekers drawn to Crestone from other parts of the country and the world. I saw the conference as a seeding ground for multi-faith thought to blossom as we draw on the rich diversity that makes Crestone so unique. The conference is held annually during the first weekend in October. The Sacred Peaks Conference is growing each year with new participants and themes. For pertinent information visit www.sacredpeaksconference.com return to top of page - click here
Colorado, as of this writing, does not offer equal protection to all citizens under the law. The referendum on Civil Unions in our 2006 election was defeated. This referendum did not allow same-sex couples to marry – it simply allowed them to enter into a civil union. It would have granted them the same Colorado tax benefits of married couples, the same inheritance law protections and the right to make critical decisions concerning a partner’s medical care. In other words - it would have granted some of the same rights and privileges offered to heterosexuals. Why would we deny these rights to any citizen, to any human? Possibly because those who fight strongly against these basic rights have a louder voice. We need to educate our neighbors on Civil Unions and the rights that would accompany the passage of a future referendum; the same rights that every mother, father, brother, sister, son and daughter have. When elected I will do everything possible to make certain that every citizen of our state understands how basic these rights are, and in doing so, will make sure that there is enough educational material to quiet some of the louder voices. return to top of page - click here
A woman’s right to choose is a matter of deep personal conscience and faith. No state or federal government should have the right to make these decisions for us. We have witnessed many of our rights taken away since this President has been in office. Colorado must honor a pro-choice consciousness. return to top of page - click here
Thank you for your interest and support. A large part of my background consists of hotel management and with corporations that I founded and brought to success. The political arena has always been important to me and I’ve been known to assist candidates to victory. I especially worked hard to get out votes for Bill Ritter and Gail Schwartz. Being a candidate may be a new adventure yet I believe that you will elect someone who has the right ideas, philosophy and can best address your concerns in the house. As one of my friends wrote when I was undecided: what we have is an outlet for you to express yourself and to do good works for the land, the people, the water the air, and the animals. Why not run for this office? Give it a try. It is good for the soul!” I look forward to personally visiting all of the towns in our district. I know how to listen to each individual's concerns and fears. I'll be working non stop to win this seat on November 4th, 2008 but I need to begin now in order to develop my name recognition and to inform all in our district of my platform and desire to help make the changes our state needs I sincerely ask for your support. I am anxious to meet you and to listen to your voices. You are always welcome to visit me at the CAVA (Crestone Area Visitors Agency) office in the Sangre de Cristo Inn in downtown Crestone. You may also reach me at 719-256-5210 or toll free 1-866-351-2282. |
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