State lawmakers took generally pragmatic approaches Thursday as they filled key leadership positions for the 2007 session. We hope they’re not teasing. A tone of cooperation will be invaluable in such an inherently partisan environment.
Democrats will bring both larger majorities and a more expansive agenda to the upcoming session – the first time since 1962 that they have controlled both chambers of the General Assembly as well as the governor’s office.
House Majority Leader Alice Madden told The Post that Democrats will focus on the “Colorado Promise” outlined by Gov.-elect Bill Ritter and also plan to revive some bills vetoed last spring by outgoing Gov. Bill Owens, such as a measure to help citizens reduce prescription drug costs through bulk purchasing pools.
Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald said lawmakers will look at upcoming recommendations by a commission established last year to examine the lapses in health care coverage in the state.
The Democratic leaders also pledged to press for development of alternative energy resources and conservation measures to cope with both rising energy costs and mounting worries about global warming.
Inevitably, the expanded Democratic majorities will face requests from interest groups, including labor unions, who helped them in the past election. In weighing such entreaties, the Democrats must take care not to rattle the cordial relationships with the business community they forged in last year’s Referendum C fight for fiscal reform.
A welcome sign that Democrats will concentrate on the centrist agenda advocated by Ritter is that key committee chairs and other leadership posts were parceled out to legislators with records of putting substance ahead of partisan bombast.
Republicans also opted to keep their seasoned minority leaders, Andy McElhany in the Senate and Mike May in the House. While both will press their partisan viewpoints vigorously, McElhany and May are also willing to work across party lines when appropriate – as May did last year as chief House sponsor of the new no-smoking law.
After being re-elected speaker, Romanoff took the unusual step of speaking to the Republican caucus and welcoming their participation in the upcoming session, quoting Owens in saying, “Neither party has a monopoly on good ideas.”
If a single theme stands out from Tuesday, it’s that voters are tired of infighting and expect their elected officials to work together to move Colorado forward. So far, the newly elected lawmakers are off to a positive start.
