Well Connected

In Your State - Colorado Click to select a state

Which telecom companies are pulling the strings in your state government? Find out which telecommunications companies are spending the most on lobbying and campaign contributions. Learn about your public utility boards, where they are located and how to file a complaint. Also, view the personal financial disclosure statements of board members and learn how much they earn.

The Public Utilities Commission of Colorado
1580 Logan Street, OL 2
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 894-2000

How to file a complaint
Online
Email: PUCConsumer.Complaints@dora.state.co.us

Jurisdiction: Electrical, common carrier, pipeline, gas, telephone, telegraph and water corporations.
Funding: funded with fees paid by regulated companies
Commissioners: 3
  Appointed by: Governor
  Term: 4 years
  Annual Salary: $93,684
Chairperson: Appointed by Governor
  Term: undetermined
  Annual Salary: $93,684
Commissioners

Greg Sopkin (Chair)
Term: 2003-2007
Financial Disclosure:  2003  2004 

Polly Page
Term: 2000-2008
Financial Disclosure:  2000  2004 

Carl Miller
Term: 2004-2009
Financial Disclosure:  2000  2001  2004 

Colorado Receives D for Disclosure of Utility Commissioner Outside Ties
Colorado ranked 22nd in the nation for making basic information on state legislators' income, assets and potential conflicts of interest available to the public. Colorado received 62 out of a possible 100 points.
See Report Card

Colorado Conflict-of-Interest Provision: "No person in the employ of or holding any official relation to any corporation or person, which said person is subject in whole or in part to regulation by the commission, and no person owning stocks or bonds of any such corporation or who is in any manner pecuniarily interested therein shall be appointed to or hold the office of commissioner or be appointed or employed by the commission …." (Colorado Revised Statutes § 40-2-102)


Telecommunications Industry

State Campaign Donations

Telecommunications industry donations, including legislative and statewide, throughout three election cycles, 1999-2000, 2001-2002 and 2003-2004. Click on total to see how this state stacks up:
Cycle Amount
2003-2004 $45,415
2001-2002 $600,588
1999-2000 $344,020
Total $990,023

Telecommunications interests donating $10,000 or more to state races, including legislative and statewide, throughout six years, from 1999 to 2004:
Name Total
Qwest Communications International Inc. $220,083
AT&T Corp. $145,946
National Cable and Telecom. Assn. and state orgs. $108,765
Liberty Media International $71,000
Level 3 Communications Inc. $68,250
Televents Cable Television $62,250
US Telecom. Assn. and state orgs. $52,300
MCI (formerly WorldCom Inc.) $49,125
Verizon Communications Inc. $38,775
Echostar Corp. $25,000

Source: Institute on Money in State Politics, with analysis by Center for Public Integrity

State Lobby Spending

Spending total includes only compensation/salary. Lobbyists report expenses on behalf of all employers as one lump sum, so telecommunications lobby expenses could not be separated and were therefore not included.

State-level lobbying by telecommunications companies in 2003 and 2004. Click on the total to see how the states stack up:
Year Amount
2003 $295,812
2004 $303,470
Total $599,282

Major telecommunications interests lobbying government in this state in 2003 and 2004:
Name Total
AT&T Corp. $135,532
Qwest Communications International Inc. $90,000
Deutsche Telekom AG (T-Mobile USA) $86,000
MCI (formerly WorldCom Inc.) $75,000
Sprint Corp. $68,845
National Cable and Telecom. Assn. and state orgs $56,250
US Telecom. Assn. and state orgs. $35,991
Verizon Communications Inc. $21,917
AT&T Wireless $15,248
XO Communications Inc. $14,500

Source: Source: Center for Public Integrity analysis of state records