The legislature adjourned Monday, two days before its Wednesday deadline, an early shutdown that will save state taxpayers about $30,000, mostly in reduced salaries for legislators. That’s a solid and symbolic contribution to easing the state’s budget crisis.
But much more important is the bipartisan fiscal rescue package that key lawmakers and Gov. Bill Owens hammered out during the 118-day session.
The package will go before voters Nov. 1 as Referenda C and D. If approved, the measures will release the “ratchet” from the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights that would otherwise prevent the state from restoring cuts in higher education, highways and health care that were forced by the 2001-02 recession. The plan is expected to garner about $3.1 billion in added revenues through 2011 without raising tax rates.
The early end to the productive 2005 session was in stark contrast to the 2004 legislature, a hapless affair that adjourned in acrimony without resolving the budget crisis. The new Democratic leadership team of Joan Fitz-Gerald, Ken Gordon and Peter Groff in the Senate, and Andrew Romanoff and Alice Madden in the House, avoided the problems of their Republican predecessors by working on fiscal reform from the session’s opening days. Owens had his own plan and he stood his ground, setting the stage for an artful compromise that lawmakers and voters can embrace. Referenda C and D drew vital Republican backing. Sen. Norma Anderson, R-Lakewood, began the session by clashing with Fitz-Gerald, but then they forged a productive relationship that paid major dividends for the rest of the session. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, served as chief Senate sponsor for the budget package, and eight Republicans joined 18 Democrats in approving the compromise 26-9. Senate Minority Leader Mark Hillman didn’t vote for the package, but he encouraged Republican participation in the process and deserves a fair measure of credit as a result.
In the House, it was a different story. GOP Leader Joe Stengel initially joined Owens and key legislators in a news conference supporting the budget package, but unaccountably, he later changed his mind. At that point, Larson emerged as a leader of Republican moderates determined to resolve the budget crisis. Eleven House Republicans backed the reform package, which passed the House 46-19.
Another House Republican, Rep. Josh Penry of Grand Junction, won passage of House Bill 1177 setting up “water roundtables” to seek cooperative solutions to the state’s water needs. The bill marks a major step away from past bitter wrangling.
Another major accomplishment came when the legislature and the governor agreed on a plan to earmark new cigarette tax revenues approved by voters last fall. Among other items, the new money will add about 90,000 children to Medicaid or other health programs.
The legislature also enrolled Colorado in a multistate drug-buying pool to lower the costs of Medicaid prescription drugs, toughened regulations on underage drinking and passed a law setting up a database to track immunization of children.
One disappointment of the session was defeat of a statewide smoking ban. The death of that key health measure was in striking contrast to Georgia, where Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue Monday signed a law making many bars, restaurants and other public places smoke- free. Ten other states already have such laws, and our legislature should try again next year to protect the health of workers in our vital hospitality industry.
In the area of social policy, lawmakers extended existing hate-crime legislation and workplace anti-discrimination laws to cover gays. Both measures are now headed to an uncertain fate with Owens. An elections bill included welcome reforms.
Except for health programs funded by the cigarette tax, the 65th General Assembly’s opening session added no major new spending programs. Given the fiscal crunch, that was wise. But the legislature’s overall tone of civility and bipartisanship was a fine beginning for this fall’s campaign to pass the fiscal rescue package.
