Some on the right flank of the Republican Party seem to believe 2005 was the year Gov. Bill Owens chucked his conservative credentials and his future political ambitions – all because he made a pact with the devil, er, the Democrats.
With a year left on his watch, and with Democrats again controlling both chambers of the statehouse, we hope the governor will build upon the relationships he forged in 2005 and make his final year in office a productive one.
If he chooses, Owens can be much more than a veto machine. Democrats will set the agenda, but the governor can have singular influence as the statehouse grapples with legislation ranging from immigration to eminent domain. He’ll get in the first word on Thursday morning when he delivers his final State of the State address to the legislature and a statewide television audience. To finish his tenure on a high note, the governor could make these contributions, among others:
Fix the mess known as the Colorado Benefits Management System. Designed to serve Coloradans who receive public assistance such as food stamps, the CBMS went on line in 2004 despite warnings that it was not ready. Its breakdowns created a backlog of people who needed food, medical benefits and other assistance. His administration is responsible, and it needs to be fixed before the governor leaves office.
Lead a budget compromise that adequately funds education – that’s K-12 and higher education – and beleaguered health programs while still finding adequate new funding for transportation. The prospects for such a deal are good if the bipartisan spirit shown Tuesday at a legislative budget briefing is any indication. Mike Mauer, the legislature’s chief economist, emphasized that voter approval of Referendum C last November avoids the need for major budget cuts but won’t provide much, if any, money for new programs.
Veto with a practical pen, not a political one. We understand the governor will want to protect programs that are important to him, and he’ll be tempted to spank down any initiatives that Democrats might brag about in legislative campaign debates. That’s a political dynamic that can lead to a successful session if both Owens and the legislature will indulge in practical compromise.
