The final State of the State speech by Gov. Bill Owens set out ambitious goals for the 2006 legislature – a sure sign that he won’t be content to spend his lame-duck year as governor on the sidelines deferring to the majority Democrats. Sweet farewells – that’s for later.
If there was a surprise in Owens’ address to the joint session of the legislature Thursday, it was that there were no surprises and no sharp elbows. The Republican governor made no effort to smite party conservatives who ridiculed him mercilessly last year when he partnered with Democrats to pass the fiscal fix known as Referendum C. He praised the bipartisan effort behind C’s victory, without which he said he would have been outlining $500 million in cuts for next year. Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald called it “the most conciliatory speech I’ve heard the governor give.”
As Owens ends his tenure as Colorado’s 40th governor, he pronounced the state of Colorado’s economy “strong and getting stronger,” then delivered an issue-oriented address, emphasizing transportation programs, reforming the state employee pension plan and getting rid of the auto emissions testing program. He noted that First Lady Frances Owens’ absence was due to the death of her mother Grace Westbrook in Texas, and that he would be joining her later in the day.
The governor reflected only briefly on past accomplishments, citing among other things education reform, including an accountability system for students and teachers, and T-REX, the $1.67 billion project to add more lanes and light rail to interstates 25 and 225. But it was clear from the first ovation that he was not giving a farewell address and that he intended to stay engaged in his final year.
Lawmakers have agendas of their own, of course, but many of the governor’s priorities deserve serious consideration: keeping higher education affordable by limiting tuition increases to 2.5 percent; reining in Medicaid spending by combining the CHP+ and children’s Medicaid program under one umbrella called Colorado Family Care; boosting funding for youth programs; increasing energy assistance for low-income people; and strengthening the state’s community notification program for violent sex offenders.
Owens reminded the legislature that he has the veto pen and will use it to block legislation he cannot abide. But his final declaration was about working together. GOP leaders Sen. Andy McElhany and Rep. Joe Stengel pronounced his speech upbeat, and House Speaker Andrew Romanoff said he was encouraged by the themes of “cooperation and bipartisanship.”
We admired the governor’s optimistic tone and his ambitious agenda and hope the 120-day legislative session will address the state’s most important issues.
