Hi, everyone.

I'm Kyle Dyer, and welcome to Colorado Inside Out on this Friday, the 20th of December.

Let me introduce you to this week's insider panel, which is so wonderfully dressed for the season.

We have Patti Calhoun, founder and editor of Westword.

Penfield Tate, Denver attorney and community leader who served in both the Senate and House of the Colorado Legislature.

Jesse Paul, reporter at the Colorado Sun, and Carly West, vice president of government affairs with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

I'm going to start off this week by stating some of what the new Aurora police chief said earlier this week, and that is, I think, the mere fact that we're talking about a location that was on national news and we're still talking about the same subject, it is 100% an issue.

Patty, I'm talking about the violent home invasion that happened this week where a migrant couple from Venezuela, was kidnaped and tortured by a Venezuelan gang at that same apartment building.

The one they're still trying to close?

Yeah.

This was the second anniversary this week.

mayor Mike Johnston declaring a state of emergency because of the flood of immigrants who started coming in December 2022.

The biggest influx was really in January of this year, but it continued on it's trickle down, it's way down now, but you see the trickle down effects of it because they didn't just stay in Aurora.

I mean, in Denver, they went to Aurora, they went to surrounding communities.

But nothing was created.

The way this has happened in Aurora, it's an incredible story.

They just happened to be at apartment complexes where no one else really wanted to be.

There's a reason these apartment complexes had vacancies.

Aurora had been citing the owners and managers since 2020 for bad maintenance problems and safety issues, so that they've become attractive to gang members isn't a surprise.

That they were a place where migrants could be put is in this price, because no one else wanted to be there.

What is surprising at long last, is that the Aurora police chief is really being transparent.

He's pulling together.

He's talking about it.

We also see the DEA.

the attorney general who's got a consent order on the Aurora police, says they're improving over the last several years.

And 16 suspects are being held right now.

Right.

Well, some of them could be out by now.

No one had been charged yet.

Yeah, no one's been charged.

You know, the Aurora story I find interesting on a couple of different levels.

Number one, as a matter of just broader policy, it is not unusual to have crime occur in places where you have densely populated groups, people who are on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale and struggling to survive.

And actually, there were many federal government projects, is what we used to call them in cities around this country that had the same dynamic.

There's an interesting piece about the Aurora story that I'm still watching.

When I hear Mayor Kaufman and the chief talk about the press coverage, there is a tinge of frustration in their voices, and I think they're somewhat taking issue with the fact that the president elect and his people are sort of making them the poster child for an issue.

And, you know, I'm waiting to see Mayor Kaufman say something like, you know, there was an immigration reform bill that was in front of Congress.

That was a bipartisan compromise.

And Mr. President elect, you killed it so that you'd have a campaign issue.

Now we're dealing with the impact of the campaign issue.

You decided you wanted to create.

And so the posturing, I think, is beginning to get on the nerves.

Some of the people in Aurora and people around the country.

Jesse.

I think what's interesting about it is, is that oftentimes the victims, or at least my understanding of the victims of these cases are immigrants themselves.

And so, you know, these, these situations kind of used on the national level to talk about stopping immigration.

But I guess, ironically, right, this is kind of contained to a certain community.

And I would just say, you know, the details are still coming out about it.

You know, facts remain limited.

Kudos on the police chief for for talking to the press very quickly and talking to the community about it.

But I think the fact remains that Aurora has not been conquered by, you know, a Venezuelan gang.

These things still are limited to certain places.

They're they're tragic and awful for the people who are experiencing them.

But it's important to remember that the national conversation around this isn't necessarily what's going on on the ground.

It's it's a problem.

Everyone's acknowledging that.

But is Aurora conquered?

No.

You can still drive through.

You know, to Jesse's point, this being back in the national media really hits home for me that we're kind of hearing two different messages.

Either Aurora is, Aurora is a war zone.

It's been taken over by armed gangs or it's fine.

There's nothing to see here.

Everybody move along.

And the truth is really somewhere in the middle.

We've got a problem that needs to be solved.

And I'd say from the business perspective, public safety and crime are absolutely critical business issues that we agree are in need of a solution.

But when the conversation is so politicized and it's not really reflecting what people can see with their own eyes is the problem in their community.

I think that leads to a situation where we're not talking about real solutions.

You know, businesses live in the real life.

They're not up here where we talk about two extremes of a spectrum that don't reflect the reality on the ground.

So we need to be talking about real solutions.

And that that involves getting out of this very political spectrum on this issue and talking about the real problem and real solutions.

Okay.

Earlier this week, Donald Trump had his first detailed press conference of his transition, where he said starting on day one, we will implement a rapid series of bold reforms to restore our nation to full prosperity.

Now, one idea he touted over the weekend was to get rid of daylight Saving Time, which he says is no good and is costly to our nation.

It's inconvenient.

So, Penfield, this idea of staying on permanent daylight time is nothing new to the lawmakers here in Colorado is then it seemed like every year it was always being brought up in the legislature.

It's nothing new to Colorado lawmakers, is nothing new to Congress.

It's nothing new to the nation.

I mean, President Nixon, implemented a policy that was then repealed, I think a year later.

other presidents have tried to either make permanent daylight savings time or permanent standard time.

You know, first of all, I'm disappointed that this is a bold measure that is part of the the new administration, really an hour changing the clock twice a year.

Secondly, I don't know if people really care that much about it until you start this debate.

Parents don't want their kids standing out at the bus stop, pitch black at 8:00 in the morning, and nobody wants to sunrise at 5 a.m. in the morning.

And so I don't know where we end up with this is one of those things where we started as sort of an agrarian agricultural society that's changed over time, and we've made these manipulations to try to accommodate a bunch of different interests.

But at the end of the day, unless you forget to either spring forward or fall behind, I don't think most people care.

Okay.

It's going to be under Doge that will be going away.

That doesn't exist yet.

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

Jesse.

I think something that's kind of important for people to keep in mind is that it would take an act of Congress to change this.

And I think Congress passed like, what, 17 bills last year?

And, you know, Republicans will have a slim majority in the Senate.

But I don't know if if Democrats are willing to break the filibuster.

Daylight's saving time.

So I think it's important to remember, you know, broadly, with everything that the Trump administration proposes, that it'll take everything with a grain of salt.

Right.

Even though the Republicans control both chambers of Congress, the filibuster still exists.

The Senate majority for Republicans is rather thin.

And and so, you know, there's a lot of talk out there, but in reality, it's going to be quite difficult to get anything passed.

All right.

Is this an issue that the chamber gets into.

The chamber hasn't taken a position.

No.

This one I will say as a parent of young children, springing forward ruins my life for about a week every year.

So as on a personal level, I'm kind of enthused.

But at the same time, I think there are a lot of things to think about.

The state legislature has really thought about this a lot over the years, and from our perspective, this has to be a national approach.

If there were to be a change in this, it needs to be a national approach.

The state shouldn't be going it alone.

We've got 1700 flights coming in and out of Dia every day.

The complications that us going it alone could change with that need to be considered.

We're a state that's heavy on the outdoor rec industry, skiing and rafting and all of the things that we do so certainly impacts there should be contemplated when we think about a change like this.

But, just it's a lot more complicated than just the fact that I have a hard time with angry, tired children once a year.

It is crazy.

Like, if you do it, if you've ever gone to Arizona and switch between, you know, New Mexico and Colorado at the time, the right time of year, because Arizona either doesn't have it.

They don't.

They stay on the same time every all the time.

So I've had that issue, I think, like I made restaurant reservations one time in a week, showed up at the wrong, wrong time because we forgot that we across state lines.

It is Arizona and Indiana, right?

Parts of it.

Not all.

Yeah, that's even more confused.

It is.

Yes.

I would like him to pay attention to this instead of launching operation Aurora, which is the other one of Trump's other and truly could be bold acts.

But my sadness on this is if you've ever been and if we don't change daylight savings time, do come to Lakeview Lounge on federal, Sheridan Boulevard.

The last day of Daylight Savings time opens at 7 a.m.. You can sit at the bar and watch the sunrise over Sloan's Lake.

Really?

Yeah.

Every year there's a tradition.

There's a group.

There's several groups that do it every year.

And you can do the reverse in March.

Okay.

All right, well, this next legislative session is going to be here in a little over two weeks.

And there is a bill set to be introduced that would change an 80 year old law that outlines the process of forming a union and collective bargaining here in Colorado.

Jesse, you have all the details on this, and you've mentioned that this could be the big issue that's highly debated at the Capitol this year.

Yeah, I think the budget is probably number one, because they're looking at about a $750 million deficit.

So that'll be fun for them to do it.

But, you know, I think this, this union security issue would be really fascinating.

Basically, it has to do with the requirement in Colorado law that there be a second vote that unions, take effectively to force all employees working in a company, whether they're in a union or not, to pay fees for representation to to a company.

And, it's different than how things work in other states.

But this has really been something that unions and some Democrats want to eliminate in Colorado.

But the governor is not on board with it.

So I think there's a really interesting dynamic here where you've got some top state lawmakers at the Capitol who want to get rid of this second vote requirement.

And they're kind of needling the governor to to to sign off on this.

He's already expressed, some, some leery ness about it.

And this comes on the heels of the governor vetoing three of the Union communities priority bills last session.

So there's there's this kind of cat and mouse game that's going on that, that I think Democrats really want to put their governor under pressure on this.

And you saw the chair of the Calder Democratic Party come out in support of it.

There's leadership in both chambers who support it.

And, I'm sure you'll have a lot more to say about it, but it's probably one of the bigger issues at the Capitol this year.

From our perspective, this is the biggest issue at the Capitol this year.

One thing I'd say is I think there's a little bit of confusion frequently about what that second vote means.

It doesn't impact whether workers can unionize.

That's dictated by a federal process.

It's 50% plus one of workers who vote in favor of that.

They can form a union.

They can collectively bargain.

The second vote is only about if every employee is mandated to to pay into the union, whether that's dues or fees, regardless of whether they want to join.

So a change like this means that you could legitimately have a workplace where half of the employees have voted for it and the other half don't want to join.

They don't want to take dollars out of their paycheck to go towards this.

But that would be out of their hands.

So that 75% vote, that second vote says that.

And that really is the crux of the Labor Peace Act, says that actually, 75% of workers have to be in favor of everyone paying.

And for that to be the case, you can see how it would be incredibly divisive in a workplace hard for an employer who has to take money out of an employee's rightfully earned paycheck to go towards something they may not support or want to be involved in.

So there are a lot of complications there.

And on a bigger scale, this has been the Labor Peace Act has been really critical for Colorado in terms of our economic competitiveness.

We actually rank above both right to work states and closed union shop states when it comes to job growth and economic competitiveness.

So this has been a win for Colorado.

If we make a change, we can expect to see a decline in our ability to compete for a lot of jobs and a lot of companies to come here.

Okay, one thing I'll add about other, I think it's important for folks to know is that 75% vote, if it does pass, it doesn't automatically enact the insecurity.

You need security.

It just allows the union to start negotiating with the employer over that issue.

So unions will point out that that's that's something that folks should know.

But it's there's a lot of interesting feelings about.

And this was negotiated a long time ago.

Colorado is kind of upheld as, you know, being a certain standard.

And, and it would definitely shake up the business community.

I'd say it's certainly something that was negotiated a long time ago.

But I think that doesn't mean that it's stale.

I think the two sides are still firmly in their camps.

You've got unions who would like to see that at 50%.

You've got a lot of employers, including the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, who think that every employee should be able to choose whether they pay in themselves, who would like to see a right to work type of option.

75% is exactly in the middle of those two positions that while it's 80 something years old, those positions haven't changed in 80 years.

Okay.

What has changed in 80 years is we suddenly have a lot of unusual moves for unionization, for example, Casa Bonita.

Now, we should say no worker was forced to do bad things to make that because they're only sold online.

Right?

Right.

Okay, so we don't have to worry about your sweater, but you have, the Alamo Drafthouse was unionizing this year.

We have Mercury Cafe, which is really a sad story because you have people who were unionizing over the issue of their hours, more and less.

The Mercury Cafe, a 50 year old institution in Denver, is really in trouble.

It had encampments outside.

It's been in trouble during the pandemic, and now they have.

It's not just a call for a union because they did vote.

They followed the current plan.

It worked fine.

They got the union in, but then they called for a boycott because they're not negotiating.

And right now, a little struggling business in Denver being boycotted by people who aren't putting events there and aren't going to drink there or celebrate the holidays, it's really hurting the Mercury Cafe.

So feel free to support the union, but go there.

Okay?

You know, this debate is interesting if you look at it in the context of time.

Yes, it's a very old law.

It's been around for about 80 some years.

But when you look at the history of it and look at where we are now, it's probably the time to at least have the debate.

I don't know where the legislature is going to end up.

there is an argument to be made that the reason the labor piece exists the way it is now is 80 years ago, it was used as a tool, the 75% second vote to limit the ability of blacks and Latinos to be involved in the agricultural and the mining industries, and keeping them out and keep and suppressing wages, which is essentially what it does if you if you vote to have the union but can't hit the 75% threshold to let collective bargaining begin, and then the mandatory payment of representation fees, you can't fund the effort.

The other issue is the whole freeloader issue, which many unions complain about, which is we've now got a union.

You can't have a union and let some people opt out of paying dues, but they get all the benefits of what the union has negotiated on their behalf.

So the second vote is, I think, going to be it's going to be an interesting debate.

The other piece to watch out for sort of piggybacks on Patty's point.

The workforce is changing radically.

now's the appropriate time to have this conversation.

I don't know where it's going to end up, but I'm glad that the legislature is going to put it front and center so we can see where people are now.

Okay.

All right.

Just in time for Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, the city of Denver and sports fans across the metro area appear to be getting a huge gift.

Earlier this week, word got out that the National Women's Soccer League is talking exclusively with an ownership committee or ownership group here in Denver for the league's next expansion team.

And this is a huge financial deal to Carli.

I'll start with you.

Sure.

I am so excited about this.

I love this.

You know, 30 years ago, the city rallied behind bringing a professional baseball franchise to Colorado, and we have seen what the Rockies have done for us in terms of really building out that reputation as a sports city.

We've got seven professional sports teams in Denver, and we know what that looks like in terms of the economic activity that brings on game days, when we have people come in from out of town, folks are downtown, they're visiting bars and restaurants and staying in hotels, and there is a lot of economic vibrancy that comes from having those sports teams, not to mention the national clout that we get out of this as well.

So really excited to see what comes here.

You know, we've got seven professional teams, but I'm really excited to see us take a step into women's professional sports as well.

So excited to see what happens next.

And I don't think we're jinxing it, but it's not a complete done deal.

They say January, but they're only talking with Denver right now.

And this would be like the most expensive expansion fee for any women's sports team in this country.

This is a big deal.

It's a great deal.

I don't want you to think I only talk about bars every round, but there's a new women's sports bar.

Yes.

So 90 niners.

So you can see just how excited people are.

Male and female, any gender, any nonspecific gender over women's sports.

It's gotten so exciting.

And these teams are so interesting to watch.

The so new bar where you'll be able to watch not just women's sports, but maybe this soccer group too, if it comes through.

And it's it's a great move for Denver if we get it.

Can your thoughts?

Absolutely.

I think it's great.

You know, my dad was involved with, the Colorado Rockies coming here, and building Coors Field.

So I really support this expansion effort.

Personally, I can't wait until we get a WNBA franchise here.

That's what I really want to see.

but I think this is great.

I, I am worried a little bit about the entry fee because the, the franchise fee they're talking about is actually greater than all.

But for the value assigned to all but four of the existing 15 franchises now.

So that's a pretty steep entry fee.

I don't know who's going to pay it.

It'll be interesting to see who the ownership group is.

but I think it's great for Denver.

I think it's great for women's sport.

and, you know, we can't miss it.

It's a good deal.

It's good.

Deal.

And much like the Rockies, this group is planning to build eventually a new stadium for these.

Therefore, this team.

I hope you build.

They build it somewhere in downtown.

Yeah.

Jesse.

I don't want any more new stadiums.

I don't know, firstly, I've, we've got enough downtown, enough traffic.

If you if you want to drive downtown on the Rockies later at, at night or whatever.

I just think it's another cool thing for Denver in terms of making this kind of a major league city.

Right?

We've we've grown up a lot in the 10 or 15 years that I've lived in Colorado.

And, just another, thing to make us a real legitimate place that people don't consider just a flyover state or flyover city.

Yeah.

And in other promising news this week, sports news Coach Prime says he's staying here.

He's not going anywhere.

So that's a good thing for sports fans too.

All right.

Let's talk about some of the highs and lows of this week.

We will start on the low point.

So we end on a good note.

Patty another cool thing about Colorado.

We are still tagged as of Columbine, most recently by the Wisconsin shooter who killed a teacher and a student and was apparently a fan of the Columbine killers.

Yep.

frustrated with the president elect, he killed an immigration bill compromise before he got elected, let him set policy once he's president.

I'd prefer he'd not try to set policy before he takes office.

But my low of the week is forgetting my ugly sweater.

But I made do with, props around the around the newsroom.

snow snowpack is just not doing so well as the central mountains are getting, a decent amount of snow.

But right now, southwest Colorado and northern Colorado is still struggling.

So as a skier, I'm bummed.

Okay.

All right.

So to the point of the president elect, he has said that on day one, he is going to move Space Command out of Colorado and back or to Alabama.

this raises national security concerns.

It raises concerns about the Colorado ecosystem that's built around this, about diversification of where we locate our bases.

And at a minimum, it's a situation where we don't want to have these national security threats and be running Space Command out of the back of a U-Haul while it's on its way to Huntsville.

So we're having a lot of conversations with, congressional leaders and other folks about how we make a case for why this should stay in Colorado, but that's that's my low.

Okay.

All right, let's talk about something good, Patty.

Well, and, of course, Santa is being tracked right now by Nora.

Yes, we lost Jerome Kern this week.

We are losing so many of the civic leaders who really helped make this city what it is.

He saved the Colorado Symphony, worked really hard to keep it going.

So it's a real loss.

But he did great things.

Jerome Kern.

You're here.

correct.

Congratulations to Colorado, the state, government.

We are one of only three states to have stood up in office promoting employee ownership of small businesses.

Carly can tell you the numbers better than I in terms of the percentage of businesses that are small businesses.

But the state is actively encouraging small businesses through their offices to help their employees acquire to continue on going success of these small businesses.

That's a good thing and.

Is a good thing.

Okay.

Jesse Colorado Carlson, self-directed, nonprofits, we were an employee owned business until we became a nonprofit.

Now we're employee directed nonprofit.

So I'm very cool.

my, hi.

Is I'm excited that United Airlines is now going to have a direct flight from Denver to Rome, starting this summer.

And I think it's just it's just awesome the number of places you can fly to now.

Turkey, London, Canada, wherever you want to go.

Let's broadcast from Rome.

And my fear.

Is that when I started the first for my first.

All right.

Rome is lovely in May.

I'm ready.

You come in.

All right.

Be there.

Come in.

Over the holidays, my alma mater, CSU, is going to be playing in the Snoop Dog Arizona Bowl.

I am so excited about this.

I'm excited to see my school and my team on a national stage.

And I'm hoping that we spot Martha Stewart in the crowd.

And I think it's a snoop Dog.

Gin and juice, Arizona Bowl.

I think it's gin and juice presented by Drake.

And remember, daylight savings is not observed in Arizona, so don't get confused on time okay?

Okay.

All right.

So I'm going to put you on the spot for another extra Christmas gift.

Hanukkah gift.

Give me something else that's good.

Something that you're looking forward to in the new Year.

Well, I'm looking forward to before it ends.

Is the drone that's been overhead.

It's a good drone, remember, they're good drones and their bad drones.

And visit Denver had 40 nights of drones that end with the end of the year.

So get out and see it.

It's a cool show, isn't it?

All right, Penn.

I'm looking forward to construction on the 16th Street Mall, concluding in the city of Denver and RTD getting together and talking cooperatively and comprehensively about how best to use the mall as a way to bring people back downtown.

And the summer is when they're expecting it to be all finished 16th, maybe.

Summer of what.

Year?

Yeah.

Well, yeah, Patty goes where I didn't want to go.

Let's put him on the spot.

All right.

Just.

I'm just.

Hoping this next year.

So I know in May I'm going to be back here complaining about the legislature.

No.

yeah.

We'll be in Rome, right?

Yeah.

I'll be looking forward to that trip.

But in all honesty, it is a super exciting time at the Capitol.

starting back up in January 8th, with all the new lawmakers, we have 21 new people in the House, brand new to the legislature, one brand new person in the Senate.

And it's just exciting to see all those new faces and voices and hear kind of what proposals they have to bring.

And I think it'll be a really interesting year.

Although challenging with the budget constraints that folks have.

So, you know, it's, we call it the Gold Dome High School.

First day of school is always super fun.

I've been there and this will be my eighth session.

So I'm like a super duper senior, and, it'll be.

Fun.

Okay.

And what are you looking forward to in the new Year?

The sock show is coming.

Boots and businesses right around the corner.

About 1400 of Colorado's legislators, leaders and business folks gathered to celebrate at the stock Show.

This is a crowning jewel for our city and super excited for it this year.

Yeah, And I want to give a shout out to all the doctors and nurses, the police officers, firefighters, EMTs, every emergency responder and caregiver who will be on the job next week when many of us will be with our family and friends.

No one wants to work over the holidays, but no one wants to be in the hospital or in a car accident, or are displaced in a house fire either.

So thanks to those angels in Colorado who are gearing up to help people and lift up their spirits despite whatever challenges they may be facing on what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year.

So thanks to all those people who are the backbone of our community.

And thanks to my panel, I have some cookies for us from ghetto, very well known Bakery here in Denver.

thanks you all for coming every week.

Thanks for getting dressed, Jesse.

Thanks for finding things to decorate yourself with.

and thanks to you all for watching.

We appreciate you joining in every week by watching the show or the stream or listening to our podcast.

I am Kyle Dyer.

I will see you next week here on PBS 12.

In the meantime, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa.

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