On the August 9 broadcast of Denver ABC affiliate KMGH's 7News 5 p.m., reporter Hendrik Sybrandy uncritically aired comments by Republican congressional candidate and former executive director of the Colorado Commission of Higher Education (CCHE) Rick O'Donnell, who claimed he had a track record of “keeping college tuition costs low.” Sybrandy did not note that the College Opportunity Fund (COF), a voucher program supported by O'Donnell in 2004, created a mechanism that allowed Colorado education institutions to raise tuition rates significantly during O'Donnell's tenure as CCHE executive director. For example, according to the Rocky Mountain News, tuition at the University of Colorado rose by 28 percent for full-time, in-state undergraduate students for the 2005-06 school year.

Following the 2005-06 tuition hikes, O'Donnell did back a successful effort to cap 2006-07 tuition increases at 2.5 percent.

O'Donnell's website lists “implementing the nation's first higher education voucher” as part of his "[t]rack record of accomplishment". Presumably, that education voucher is part of the COF. An April 4, 2004, Denver Post article noted that “O'Donnell supports ... the College Opportunity Fund.”

Before the COF's passage, Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) amendment -- which limited state revenue and spending increases -- restricted the ability of the state's public universities to raise tuition significantly. As noted by the National Conference of State Legislators, under TABOR, “tuition and fees” in Colorado's higher education system “count[ed] toward the state government TABOR limit.”

The Post explained in an August 26, 2004, article that the COF allowed the University of Colorado (CU) and other higher educational institutions to fall under “enterprise” status -- a “designation [that] frees schools from TABOR limits”:

As an enterprise, CU is freed from revenue limitations spelled out in the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, opening the door for higher tuition revenue.

Public universities and other state agencies that receive less than 10 percent of their total budget from the state are eligible to become enterprises.

All state colleges will be eligible next fall thanks to the College Opportunity Fund, the first law in the nation to give some taxpayer money directly to students instead of to colleges. By sending money to students, the plan exempts schools from the state revenue limits.

According to a November 8, 2005, News article, tuition for full-time, in-state undergraduate students at public Colorado colleges and universities increased between 7 percent and 33 percent for the 2005-06 school year:

School

2005-06 tuition increase*

Colorado School of Mines

33%

University of Colorado

28%

Colorado State University

15%

University of Northern Colorado

12%

Colorado Community College System

9%

Metropolitan State College of Denver

7%

*Increase for full-time resident undergraduate students

Source: Colorado Commission On Higher Education

A June 8, 2005, Post editorial noted that despite their support for the COF, O'Donnell and Gov. Bill Owens (R) were not “happy with the result”:

Owens and Colorado Commission of Higher Education director Rick O'Donnell say they were surprised by CU's big tuition hike. But the state and CU very clearly agreed to increase tuition revenue -- not just individual tuition rates -- by 11.3 percent, or $43.5 million in the state budget bill. So where did they think that extra $43.5 million was going to come from?

[...]

Part of the dispute stems from the fact that education is funded differently now because of the Colorado Opportunity Funds, which are individual state vouchers credited to students to escape revenue limits under the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights.

CU was given more flexibility in how it raised its revenue, and Owens and O 'Donnell aren't happy with the result.

The November 8 News article reported that a year after the COF implementation, O'Donnell spearheaded a 2.5 percent tuition cap in order to address the large tuition increases allowed by COF's implementation:

CU sparked controversy earlier this year when it increased tuition 28 percent for some students -- much more than the CCHE and many lawmakers expected.

Next fall, O'Donnell said, there shouldn't be any such “surprises.”

This is the first year the CCHE is putting a ceiling on tuition rate increases.

From the August 9 broadcast of KMGH's 7News 5 p.m.:

SYBRANDY: This promises to be a hard fought campaign. It should also be close and very, very expensive. The 7th Congressional District race is among the most competitive according to Congress-watchers. Democrats believe they have a good shot at picking up a seat. Republicans want to hold on to the seat vacated by Bob Beauprez. Both candidates say they would bring a fresh perspective to Washington.

O'DONNELL: I'm a new generation of leadership. I'm 36 years old. I offer new blood. I've got a track record fixing K-12 public schools in Colorado, keeping college tuition costs low.

ED PERLMUTTER (Democratic candidate in 7th District race): We've got to make this country stronger militarily, financially, and socially and that isn't going to happen if we have more of the same and a Congress that continues to rubber-stamp the president's programs.

SYBRANDY: Now Democrats need a pick up of 15 seats in the House of Representatives to reclaim control of the House so obviously they're very keen on picking up this seat. They think it's very vulnerable to the Republicans. Republicans are going to fight equally hard to reclaim the seat and hold on to it so it's going to be a very tough contest as we head into the fall.