Colorado: Mark Scheffel

An incoming state lawmaker on a legislative committee charged with boosting Colorado's sinking economy said Monday that the committee should look at overhauling the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights as part of its work.

Rollie Heath, a Boulder Democrat elected to the Senate, said that as lawmakers grapple in the coming session with cutting as much as $600 million from the budget because of declining revenues, they should also look at TABOR, a revenue-capping provision of the state's constitution.

The state is in a timeout from TABOR's tax-revenue limits, but that timeout expires in 2010, when Colorado will have to begin refunding to taxpayers any revenue it collects over TABOR's prescribed limit.

By all accounts, the Democrats' five-seat majority in the Colorado State Senate is safe, but either party could gain a couple seats during this year's election.

The key Senate districts to watch are the 8th state Senate District, the 16th District, the 19th District, the 23rd District and the 26th District. Of those, two are open seats being relinquished by Republicans, one has a Republican incumbent, one has a Democratic incumbent, and one is being vacated by a Democrat.

CORRECTION: The initial story stated, in error, that Ed Brewer would still be able to petition onto the ballot after receiving 25 percent of the vote. Brewer is not able to petition, as did not turn in petitions to the Colorado Secretary of State's office by the May 29 deadline.

Former Douglas County Republican Party Chair Mark Scheffel was the only one of four candidates to make the ballot from Friday's SD-4 GOP assembly.

Scheffel, a Parker attorney, won 65 percent of the assembly delegate votes.

In the Battle of the Senators for the title Ms. 6th CD, Senator Ted Harvey edged out Senator Steve Ward at the 6th congressional district assembly on Saturday polling 53 percent to Ward's 43 percent. Pepito Castellanes, also ran and confirmed his "also ran" status by polling only 4 percent of the vote.

The result gets Harvey the top slot on the ballot for the Republican primary in August to succeed the retiring Tom Tanocredo.