April 16, 2015 Dear Legislator: Attached you will find a petition, signed by over 3,100 Coloradans from over 200 communities, asking you to do whatever you can to ensure that Colorado’s students benefit from our state’s nation-leading economic recovery. You will also find 600 comments and stories, conveying the impact that inadequate education funding is having on schools in Colorado – including those in your district. Please note, for your convenience the signatures are organized by city. The Coloradoans who have signed this petition seek to convey to you the urgent need to repay the debt we owe our students after years of budget cuts. They seek to remind you that there are still decisions that the legislature could make during this legislative session to increase education funding this year and for years to come. The decisions you make – or that you fail to make – in the next four weeks will have a profound impact on the quality of education available to every student in Colorado. We hope you will carefully consider the words, stories and comments attached to this letter as you help determine Colorado’s moral and fiscal path. Thank you for your service and for your attention to the future our children, our state and our economy. To: Governor Hickenlooper and Members of the 70th General Assembly: We are parents, grandparents, educators, businesspeople and community members who have a simple message for you now that Colorado’s rebounding economy is producing revenues above the TABOR limit. Keep the surplus for kids. In bad economic times, Colorado’s kids suffered well over $1 billion in cuts to education. Now that times are better, you should be using new revenues to eliminate that debt to K-12 and to support the best teaching and classrooms in America. Instead – unless you act quickly – TABOR will put preschool, K-12 and higher education back on the chopping block. That’s just wrong. Colorado shouldn’t be on autopilot when the quality of education in Colorado is on the line. Every student should have great, well-supported teachers, safe schools, and individual attention. Every student should be able to afford college. Only the most fortunate students will have those opportunities if you don’t take action to let Colorado invest instead of cut. We implore each of you to do whatever it takes to keep the surplus for kids: explore all legal options, refer a ballot measure, or lead the way for a citizen initiative to let the voters decide – just as TABOR provides. Great Education Colorado • 303-722-5901 • 1000 E. 16th Avenue • Denver, CO 80218 Save the “Surplus” for Kids Petition Signatures – April 16, 2015 Linn Baker, Aguilar • Kyle Dorrenbacher, Akron • Lee Alsbaugh-Lesueur, Alamosa • Benjamin Borgelt, Alamosa • Josh Cantu, Alamosa • Janine Christensen, Alamosa • Michael Creel, Alamosa • Segundo Diaz, Alamosa • Ana Guevara, Alamosa • Robert Hall, Alamosa • Robin Hall, Alamosa • Shae Haslett, Alamosa • David Judd, Alamosa • Leslie Kelley, Alamosa • Karrie Kooiman, Alamosa • Darrell Meis, Alamosa • Kim Meis, Alamosa • Pam Meis, Alamosa • Krista Middlemist, Alamosa • Linda Montoya, Alamosa • Janet Nelson, Alamosa • Jose Ortega, Alamosa • Jessica Seal, Alamosa • Cheryl Shults, Alamosa • Jackie Webb, Alamosa • Kevin Wright, Alamosa • Lara Ramsey, Almont • Shane Walkinshaw, Anton • Dave Clarkson, Anton • Kristie Duran, Antonito • Charles Anderson, Arvada • Kyle Anderson, Arvada • Linda Anderson, Arvada • Myrta Anderson, Arvada • Erin Anna, Arvada • Bryan Archer, Arvada • Josh Augustin, Arvada • Gregory Avedikian, Arvada • Karen Baer, Arvada • Julia Baldwin, Arvada • Patricia Barrie, Arvada • Thomas Barrie, Arvada • Therese Batts, Arvada • Lynee Beck, Arvada • Aerin Bender-Stone, Arvada • Amanda Benson, Arvada • Angela Blakeslee, Arvada • Suzanne Bolton, Arvada • Darcie Bolton Weiser, Arvada • Lorraine Bowen, Arvada • Valerie Braginetz, Arvada • Dottie Brenner, Arvada • Toni Budoff, Arvada • Alisyn Bukowski, Arvada • Pamela Burns, Arvada • David Carroll, Arvada • Tammy Chaptman-Moore, Arvada • Cheryl Cheney, Arvada • barbara Dachtler, Arvada • Kathleen Dano, Arvada • Mike Dano, Arvada • Jill Darnill, Arvada • Mary Ann Dimand, Arvada • Katherine Dockerty, Arvada • Brenna Eaton, Arvada • Dale Eaton, Arvada • Weiser Engineering, Arvada • Sharon England, Arvada • Roger Fairchild, Arvada • Tim Fallon, Arvada • Jill Fellman, Arvada • Krista Florea, Arvada • Kimberley Fulcomer, Arvada • Kathy Fullerton, Arvada • John Gallup, Arvada • Liz Geisleman, Arvada • Ivan Geisler, Arvada • John Giardino, Arvada • Curtis Graham, Arvada • Isidro Griego, Arvada • Elise Guest, Arvada • Deborah Guiducci, Arvada • Kimberly Guinn, Arvada • Mary Beth Haas, Arvada • Larry Hansen, Arvada • Kellen Hatch, Arvada • Tonia Heffley, Arvada • Laura Hemming, Arvada • Michelle Henninger, Arvada • Larry Hofer, Arvada • Kathy Jackson, Arvada • Jan Johnson, Arvada • Nancy Johnson, Arvada • Julie Ann Kanics, Arvada • Ken Karnisky, Arvada • Dawn Kettler, Arvada • Edna Lou Kionka, Arvada • Peter Knott, Arvada • Lindsay Lagh, Arvada • Paula Langhorst, Arvada • Mary Ann Larsen, Arvada • Karen Lauffer, Arvada • Jonna Levine, Arvada • Amy Livingston, Arvada • Don Mangus, Arvada • Leonard Mcbroom, Arvada • Alicia Mccuistion, Arvada • Tracy Mcilrath, Arvada • Anne Medina, Arvada • Bernadette Medina, Arvada • Kirstin Miller, Arvada • Dawn H Mitchell, Arvada • Kelly Mueldener, Arvada • Dale Mumholland, Arvada • Jenna Mundell, Arvada • Susan Mundell, Arvada • Dale Munholland, Arvada • Barb Mutnan, Arvada • Maralee Nobis-Jacobsen, Arvada • Molli Noga, Arvada • Christopher Oster, Arvada • Mary Patee, Arvada • Akacia Pennington, Arvada • Amy Phelps, Arvada • Theresa Picconi, Arvada • Lori Plate, Arvada • Alaine Pope, Arvada • matt Pozorski, Arvada • Brian Pugliese, Arvada • Bruce Randall, Arvada • Nicolette Reynolds, Arvada • Stephanie Rossi, Arvada • Marie Rotter, Arvada • Sara Rowley, Arvada • Clay S, Arvada • Marcella Safe, Arvada • Euell Santistevan, Arvada • Michelle Schiffbauer, Arvada • Catherine Schramm, Arvada • Major Seery, Arvada • Rita Setera, Arvada • Pat Smart, Arvada • Bonnie Snelling, Arvada • Dwayne Stephens, Arvada • Dwayne Stephens, Arvada • Kayla Stover, Arvada • Sandra Strong, Arvada • Matthew Tate, Arvada • Jody Thomas, Arvada • Leslie Tremayne, Arvada • Lisa Vavrik, Arvada • Laura Velapoldi, Arvada • Denise Walker, Arvada • Kathryn Wallace, Arvada • Margaret Waller, Arvada • Save the “Surplus” for Kids Petition Signatures – April 16, 2015 Leigh Webster, Arvada • Catherine Williams, Arvada • Leigh Wilson, Arvada • Katie Winner, Arvada • Amy Woodley, Arvada • Andrea Wright, Arvada • Mary Wylie, Arvada • Christy Yacano, Arvada • Lori Young, Arvada • Diana Healey, Arvada • Debra Shirley, Arvada • Geoffrey Bruce, Arvada • John Phillips, Arvada • Valerie Carlin, Aspen • Bernice Durand, Aspen • John Maloy, Aspen • Shirley Ritter, Aspen • Renee West, Aspen • Dolou David, Aurora • Judith Browne, Aurora • Scott Alverson, Aurora • Frederick Ames, Aurora • John Bengston, Aurora • Myrna Blair, Aurora • Carol Boller, Aurora • Kelly Boyle, Aurora • Leigh Brazee, Aurora • Rebecca Brindle, Aurora • Cecilia Burns, Aurora • Anthony Bustamante, Aurora • Selena Byrd, Aurora • Walter Clark, Aurora • Tiffany Crump, Aurora • Sheryl Cunningham, Aurora • Jasmine Davis, Aurora • Mary Derose, Aurora • Kenneth Dobrovolny, Aurora • Andy Drance, Aurora • Susan Duff, Aurora • David Dye, Aurora • Kemberlea Ellis, Aurora • Stephanie Farkash, Aurora • Tom Flowers, Aurora • Amanda Gonzales, Aurora • Jennifer Gottschalk, Aurora • Sharon Gregory, Aurora • Kathryn Hale, Aurora • Michelle Hannawald, Aurora • Janice Hommes, Aurora • Sherry Hon, Aurora • Annie Howard, Aurora • Pamela Howard, Aurora • Scarlett Jimenez, Aurora • Gladys Jones Turnbough, Aurora • Paul Kemp, Aurora • Brian Langenfeld, Aurora • Brenda Learned, Aurora • Mary Lewis, Aurora • John Likes, Aurora • Lindsey Long, Aurora • Brandon Mason, Aurora • Joseph McEldowney, Aurora • Larry McLaughlin, Aurora • Tom Ordish, Aurora • Rose Pompey, Aurora • Shannon Pray, Aurora • Patricia Redifer, Aurora • Noquetta Ricks, Aurora • Barbara Salame, Aurora • Barbara Schulmeister, Aurora • Megan Schwietz, Aurora • Katie Self, Aurora • Vicky Sheehy, Aurora • Becky Sheinbaum, Aurora • Peter Tauer, Aurora • Roberta Trine, Aurora • Suzanne Williams, Aurora • David L. Willman, Aurora • Wilhemina Wright, Aurora • Sandy Apps, Avon • Tatiana Arce, Avon • Nicole Bentzoni, Avon • Kimberly Biniecki, Avon • Kimberly Brewster, Avon • Greta Campanale, Avon • Ben Castenor, Avon • Kari Corbin, Avon • Adriana Duron, Avon • Michelle Gennett, Avon • Cheryl Goldberg, Avon • Sheila Griffith, Avon • Amy Guercio, Avon • Lindsay Hawkins, Avon • Jerome Isaacs, Avon • Natasha Jones, Avon • Berit Kirchner, Avon • Meggen Kirkham, Avon • Julia Kozosko, Avon • Jennifer Laackman, Avon • Rebecca Larson, Avon • Caroline Leonardo, Avon • Amy Lewis, Avon • Wendy Martin, Avon • Reyna Misakian, Avon • Julie Norberg, Avon • Megan Orvis, Avon • Mary Perdue, Avon • Patricia Plavec, Avon • Amber Prince, Avon • Patrick Rameaka, Avon • Claire Richardson, Avon • Rosangela Ruiz, Avon • Mary Stalnaker, Avon • Richard Lee Steele, Avon • Tracy Teetaert, Avon • Taralyn Walters, Avon • Tracy Walters, Avon • Ginger Woodworth-Seki, Avon • Holly Bukacek, Avon • Laura Eisele, Bailey • Michelle Haich, Bailey • Chet Lawrence, Bailey • Mark Meeks, Bailey • Kay Erickson, Basalt • Karl Herr, Bayfield • Harris Murphy, Bayfield • Elizabeth Oetter, Bayfield • Laurie Roberts, Bayfield • Duane Tucker, Bayfield