Dear Editor,The Superslab Saga, Chapter HB08-1007 (Rep. Marsha Looper, R-El Paso), continues –unfortunately — with the Superslab corridor alive and well.During this bill’s Senate reference committee, Senator Bill Cadman (R-District 10) introduced an amendment that would have abolished the private toll road (superslab) corridor and require the company to a enter a Public Private Interprise with CDOT for a road in the comprehensive statewide transportation plan. Alas, Cadman’s amendment was over ruled by the chairman on a supposed technicality.Since I was not present when the Senate amended and passed HB08-1007, I am confused as to who introduced which amendments. But I give Senator Tom Wiens (R-District 4) credit for introducing a compromise amendment, again abolishing the corridor and denying private toll road companies “property rights and exclusive development rights.”I thank Senator Cadman and Senator Wiens for introducing amendments eliminating the superslab corridor. I regret that the bill’s sponsor Rep. Looper “blocked” the passage of the language “voiding” the toll road corridor when the bill returned to the House.When the Senate and House versions of a bill differ, the two houses must reconcile the differences. The process is complicated, but in this case Rep. Looper had the option of asking the House to pass her bill with the Wiens amendment intact. Instead she attempted and partially succeeded in “blocking” the amended version by requesting a Conference Committee.Rep. Looper said in two newspaper interviews that she intended to have the amendment eliminating the corridor removed from the bill in the Conference Committee.In the Conference Committee, Senator Cadman succeeded in retaining the language of the amendment denying a “toll road … company any property right or exclusive development right.” But, Rep. Looper succeeded in having the language “voiding” the toll road corridor deleted. The Senate passed this version of the bill last Friday.Monday, May 5, the House passed Rep. Looper’s bill — with the superslab corridor still intact in perpetuity. The bill now awaits the governor’s signature.Karen ShipperCalhan, CO
