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Congressional Candidate Forum on Transportation
Monday, September 25, 2006
Colorado Mountain Center, Golden, CO

Moderator: Margo Zallen - Chairperson of Plan Jeffco, resident of Jefferson County

Panelists:
Rob Medina - CINQ (Citizens Involved in the Northwest Quadrant)
Melanie Keen - Director of Communities United of Lakewood
Gary Frey - Lakewood Resident, Trout Unlimited
Dick Bartlett - Lookout Mountain Resident, C.A.R.E (Canyon Area Resident for the Environment)

Candidates for 7th US Congressional District of Colorado:
Democrat - Ed Perlmutter
Republican - Rick O'Donnell

Click a link below to hear an audio recording. Files are in MP3 format. Please click only once. Download may take several minutes depending on your connection speed. Due to size, you may need to right-click and save these files.

Margo Zallen - Welcome, Opening Remarks, Introductions, Forum Rules (2.18MB)

Ed Perlmutter and Rick O'Donnell - US Congressional Candidates for the 7th District

Opening Statement
	Ed Perlmutter (1.23MB)
	Rick O'Donnell (1.01MB)

Rob Medina - Mr. O'Donnell, in a transportation survey done by the City of Golden you responded that you will "fight for appropriate federal funding and involvement." To some people this could mean you might provide special earmarks for a beltway and circumvent DRCOG and local decision making. If elected would you agree not to circumvent the local decision on the beltway, or would keep earmarks as an option? (334KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (481KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (404KB)

Melanie Keen - In the last six years, out of pocket health care costs have risen 80%, and an Associated Press article today predicted an 11% in overall cost of health care this year. Earlier this year, Congress approved a measure that favored HMOs over families that are struggling. Given the opportunity, what would be your first steps in addressing the constant increases in health care costs for Coloradans? (169KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (528KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (477KB)

Gary Frey - From a federal perspective, what is your vision for transportation development in the 21st century and how will you use your position in Washington to implement that vision? (171KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (433KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (496KB)

Dick Bartlett - I would like to get your opinion about light rail or other public transportation from the Denver plains or the Metropolitan area up into the mountain areas. (227KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (535KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (482KB)

Rob Medina - Do you think the current administration has taken its eye off the ball in Afghanistan by invading Iraq? (114KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (429KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (444KB)

Melanie Keen - After this year's vote to increase their salary, congressional representatives will be paid approximately $168,000 annually, while the average annual salary of Coloradans is $41,000 and decreasing in recent years. If elected how would you work to stimulate the economy to benefit the average Coloradan, and what be your position on future congressional pay increases? (196KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (498KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (525KB)

Gary Frey - Many states and communities throughout the nations are taking actions to combat global warming while there appears to be little leadership from the federal government. In your view, should the federal government be active in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, please elaborate on your position and how you will implement your vision. (250KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (437KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (474KB)

Dick Bartlett - The FCC has a preemption right over local government decisions that would favor or not favor their constituents in the way of health dealing with radiation from towers and specifically here we're looking at Looking at Lookout Mountain and Mount Morrison. What is your opinion of this FCC preemption and what would you do about it? (276KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (444KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (480KB)

Rob Medina - It is highly likely that CDOT will propose a toll road as part of the beltway. Is it responsible and sound fiscal judgment to support a toll road in Jeffco in light of the financial failure of the Northwest Parkway toll road? (211KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (480KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (240KB)

Audience Question - How you and your opponent differ on taxes and immigration? (609KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (409KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (575KB)

Audience Question - O'Donnell says that you plan reduce Social Security in his literature. What do you have to say about that? (48KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (400KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (519KB)

Audience Question - Colorado is 49th of 50 in state support for higher education and 46th on the affordability index. How did we get into this mess and how do we get out of it? (96KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (511KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (515KB)

Audience Question - What is you position on the Iraq war and it's relation to our national debt? (52KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (511KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (533KB)

Audience Question - Do you support requiring increased fuel efficiency standards for all automobiles as a matter of national legislation? (71KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (9KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (265KB)

Audience Question - I've lived here most of my life and I'm a native. It keeps getting hotter every year and I'm thinking of moving to the South Pole. Can you pledge to take decisive action on global warming, and if you will do have a specific plan on what your going to try to do in the Congress? (157KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (427KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (442KB)

Audience Question - Are you for or against the Geneva Convention and what is your opinion on the current legislation before Congress on this matter? (75KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (247KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (470KB)

Audience Question - Do you support nuclear power and where do you propose we store the waste? (36KB)
	Ed Perlmutter (431KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (408KB)

Closing Statement
	Ed Perlmutter (971KB)
	Rick O'Donnell (1.03MB)

Margo Zallen - Closing remarks, Thanks (369KB)

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The following organizations endorse CINQ’s position: Colorado Environmental Coalition, Jeffco League of Women Voters, Plan Jeffco, Friends of the Foothills, former Colorado Gov. Dick Lamm, Canyon Area Residents for the Environment (CARE), Blue Mountain Land & Homeowners Association, Apple Meadows Homeowners Association, Village at Mountain Ridge Homeowners Association, Meadow Run Homeowners Association, and Harmony Village Community Association.