2014 HOUSE MEMORIAL 14-1005 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Singer, Becker, Buck, Buckner, Conti, Coram, Court, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran, Everett, Exum, Fields, Fischer, Foote, Garcia, Gardner, Gerou, Ginal, Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst, Humphrey, Joshi, Kagan, Kraft-Tharp, Labuda, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock, Lee, May, McCann, McLachlan, McNulty, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Moreno, Murray, Nordberg, Pabon, Peniston, Pettersen, Primavera, Priola, Rankin, Rosenthal, Ryden, Saine, Salazar, Schafer, Scott, Sonnenberg, Swalm, Szabo, Tyler, Vigil, Waller, Williams, Wilson, Wright, Young, Ferrandino. MEMORIALIZING FORMER REPRESENTATIVE JACK MCCROSKEY. WHEREAS, Our respected former colleague Jack McCroskey, a former member of the Colorado House of Representatives, departed this life on January 8, 2014, at the age of 88; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey was born on June 26, 1925, in Dallas, Texas, and graduated from W.H. Adamson High School in Dallas; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Southern Methodist University, graduating in 1956, and later completed a Ph.D. in economics from Indiana University; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey moved to Denver in 1966 with his wife, Bettye, to become a professor of economics and finance at the University of Denver; and WHEREAS, First elected in 1975, Representative McCroskey served four terms in the House of Representatives; and WHEREAS, In the course of his legislative career, Representative McCroskey lent his expertise to an array of issues as he served on committees as varied as: Finance; Health, Environment, Welfare and Institutions; Judiciary; State Affairs; Transportation and Energy; Air Pollution; and Regional Transportation District (RTD) Oversight; and WHEREAS, In 1982, along with Speaker Bev Bledsoe, Representative McCroskey was part of a bipartisan group to reform and simplify Colorado's property tax system, which reform is now part of Colorado's constitution and statutes; and WHEREAS, As a legislator, McCroskey brought to the table his expertise as an economics professor, and he advocated for the particular needs of urbanites in the property tax process, promoting fairness for homeowners and for those residing in multi-family dwellings; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey introduced bills to eliminate the sales tax on food, eliminate the income tax on savings interest and dividends, and establish district-wide election of the Regional Transportation District's board of directors, all measures which eventually became law; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey had a wide-ranging interest in legislation that centered on financial, transportation, and equality issues, garnering broad bipartisan support as evidenced by the many cosponsors from both parties on his bills; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey fought for the funding of public libraries, the investigation of insurance costs, limitations on the influence of lobbyists, and many other issues; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey believed in not only the state government's capability to benefit Coloradans but also in the need to periodically review the efficacy of state agencies, a process now known as "sunset review"; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey played a significant role in the development of the RTD that Coloradans continue to enjoy and rely upon today; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey was at the forefront of the movement to replace RTD's appointed board of directors with an elected board; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey served as director of RTD for 12 years, during which he helped create Denver's first light rail line; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey, who rode the bus to work, advocated for equal access to public transportation, ensuring that all buses were accessible to wheelchair riders, a position that was, at the time, voluntary and largely without precedent; and WHEREAS, The wisdom of Representative McCroskey's vision spread, as other cities began to offer wheelchair-accessible public transportation options, and eventually became a mainstream concept at the national level with the passage of the "Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990"; and WHEREAS, Following Representative McCroskey's distinguished legislative service, he remained active in local and state affairs as a senior fellow with the Independence Institute, where one of his accomplishments included the defeat of the continuation of the tourism tax and helping disadvantaged students gain financial access to independent universities; and WHEREAS, Although Representative McCroskey retired from elected office, he continued to influence the course of events in Colorado in ways that will have a long-lasting impact on future generations; and WHEREAS, Representative McCroskey was preceded in death by his wife Bettye and his son Byron and is survived by his daughter Jacquelyn, son Thomas, and many grandchildren; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-ninth General Assembly of the State of Colorado: That, in the death of Representative Jack McCroskey, the people of the state of Colorado have lost a dedicated public servant and outstanding citizen, and that we, the members of the House of Representatives, do hereby extend our deep and heartfelt sympathy to the members of his family and pay tribute to a man who served his state well and faithfully. Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be sent to Jacquelyn McCroskey, Thomas McCroskey, Marissa McCroskey, Maura Pally, Tenlie Morning, and Representative Frank DeFilippo. ________________________________________________________ Marilyn Eddins Mark Ferrandino CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF REPRESENTATIVES