Face the State Staff Report
During his 2006 campaign, Gov. Bill Ritter established his platform in the "Colorado Promise," a 54-page document containing dozens of pledges to Colorado voters. In his third year as governor, experts and pundits are weighing in on his progress and shortcomings thus far.
Ritterthanasim25/Flickr
Of the dozens of areas outlined in the Colorado Promise (PDF), four have been of particular interest since we checked on Ritter's progress last year: The economy, energy, education and transportation. Ritter has taken action in each of these areas, with mixed results.
The Economy
In his 2009 State of the State address, Ritter promised to focus on the economy and state budget throughout the legislative session. "Over the next 120 days, our collective focus must be on protecting businesses, creating jobs, and managing the budget," he said. "Our first order of business this session must be to prudently manage the budget." Six months later, state economists predict revenues to be at least $384 million short through fiscal year 2010, due to a growth in spending combined with dropping tax revenues.
During the state's hiring freeze, in effect from October 2008 through April, the state realized a net gain of 511 employees. Senate Republicans estimate at least 2,500 employees have been added to the state payroll under Ritter's watch. Recently, the governor came under harsh criticism for hiring Don Elliman as the state's first Chief Operating Officer, as well as bringing on a minority outreach coordinator, an $80,0000 position for which the funding source is "unclear."
Ritter's supporters, in contrast, point to the state budget as evidence of Ritter's leadership. Rich Jones, policy analyst at the liberal Bell Policy Center, said Ritter's administration deserves credit for moving the state's economy forward.
"It was a really miserable budget year, with such a large drop off in the revenues the state collected," said Jones. "We give the governor and the legislature a lot of credit for getting the budget balanced. They protected a lot of important state spending that promotes opportunity for Coloradans."
Constitutional mandates require a balanced state budget, and shortfalls cannot be covered by taking on debt.
The Colorado Promise states Ritter would "Institut[e] state government performance and financial reviews that have generated savings of as much as 6 percent in other states." In the 2009 legislative session, Ritter worked with lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 228, a repeal of the 6 percent growth cap on general state spending. After signing the bill, which was opposed by budget hawks who said it would grow the size of government, Ritter said it was key to giving Colorado lawmakers more flexibility to manage the budget and to make “wiser investments with existing resources.”
Energy
The "New Energy Economy" remains a top priority, Ritter having first used the term in the Colorado Promise. He defined the term: "Our unique home-grown blend of wind, solar and agricultural energy supplies offers Colorado an unprecedented opportunity to create jobs, protect the environment and decrease our dependence on foreign oil. As Governor, I will establish Colorado’s 21st century New Energy Economy through strong leadership, responsible investment and a clear vision for the future."
Most notably, Ritter led fellow Democrat lawmakers and the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission on the creation and implementation of strict oil and gas regulations that faced bipartisan opposition. Rural legislators are especially critical of the new rules, saying they are likely to cause increased utility rates and decreased oil and gas production across the state.
"It has been well been stated many times that alternative energies are going to be developed in tandem with and by the very companies that are already in the energy business that includes fossil fuels," said Rep. Laura Bradford, R-Grand Junction. "If this is his idea of promoting alternative energy, he has done it by throwing the baby out with the bathwater by making the state so unfriendly to the oil and gas industry."
Environment Colorado, a left-leaning non-profit based in Denver, is supportive of Ritter's New Energy Economy agenda. According to legislative director Pam Kiely, the wind and solar focused program is a "home run."
"Right now, we are in the middle of an international economic downturn that has effected the United States as a whole and Colorado specifically," said Kiely. "Colorado has been able to remain one of the few places where new development is coming into the state because of the focus the governor has put into the new energy economy. Governor Ritter has become a national leader and allowed Colorado to grow its own export market for energy."
Kathy Hall, Western Slope Representative for the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, says Colorado's oil and gas economy should be able to co-exist with wind and solar programs.
"The two economies could co-exist, but the desire to stop the natural gas economy really hurts the state economy," said Hall. "We would like to have the same respoect for the existing energy economy that was bringing a great deal of money and jobs to our state as he has for the New Energy Economy. But his focus has been on rules that hinder our sector."
Last November, Ritter backed a ballot initiative, Amendment 58, that would increase the state's severance tax, raising the cost of energy for both producers and consumers. It was rejected by nearly 58 percent of voters.
Education
One of Ritter's most prominent campaign promises was to make higher education "an available reality for any young person with the ability and determination to pursue it." He promised to double the number of degrees and technical certificates awarded by 2016. Since 2006, tuition has continually increased at the state's flagship school, the University of Colorado. Since the state's budget shortfall has continued to increase, the university's budget has also tightened, with administrators preferring to impose annual tuition and fee increases instead of significant salary cuts to salaries or programs.
Jessica Peck Corry, a higher education expert with the Independence Institute, is concerned the increased tuition rates aren't buying students a better education, and says Ritter's standards for measuring success are out of touch with reality.
"Success isn't doubling the number of degrees awarded when our colleges are failing to adequately teach students," Corry wrote in an e-mail to Face the State. "If Governor Ritter is serious about improving our educational system, he must hold administrators accountable, while also demanding that professors devote more time to in-class instruction and less to questionable out-of-class research projects."
Transportation
Arguably, Democrats' biggest legislative victory this year was the passage of the "FASTER" transportation bill. Ritter's Colorado Promise language on transportation is particularly vague, saying only that "our network and funding mechanisms [for roads] are outdated and must be modernized." The Promise includes a pledge to "[s]eek adequate funding to maintain existing infrastructure, alleviate congestion and improve mobility."
Senate Bill 108, titled "Funding Advancement for Surface Transportation and Economic Recovery," was touted as a way to address lagging funding for the state's highways and bridges as well a source of employment amidst a recession. Since going into effect this month, the fees have stirred "shock and anger" among Colorado residents, some of whom are hit with hundreds of dollars in registration and late fees.
FASTER was widely criticized by Republican party leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry and House Minority Leader Mike May. Both voiced concerns that the money generated from FASTER would not actually be put to use for it's intended purpose. “How long before that money is kicked into other pet projects?” May asked upon the bill's passage.
FASTER is expected to generate $265 million for road repairs through increased vehicle registration fees and other tax increases, in addition to the $500 million in federal funding the state received for "shovel ready" projects, which have "created or sustained" only 65 jobs through the Colorado Department of Transportation.
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As Ritter prepares for a 2010 re-election campaign, it is likely some variation of the Colorado Promise will serve as a campaign platform. Multiple inquiries to Ritter's campaign management firm, The Kenney Group, were not returned.