DENVER-
House Democrats prepared to wrap up the session by next Wednesday with hope they could adjourn a few days early as a symbol of the Legislature’s accomplishments, which they say includes a course toward a new economic boom built around renewable energy.
House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said having a Democrat in the governor’s office helped by outlining goals that focused on bipartisan support instead of conflict.
“We found a governor of real vision and leadership,” Romanoff said.
Romanoff said that’s not to say there hasn’t been conflict. He said the biggest issues this year were not conflict between Democrats and Republicans, “it’s conflict between some powerful special interests and the interests of ordinary Coloradans.”
He cited fights over a bill that would change the makeup of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after Gov. Bill Ritter said it had gotten too cozy with the industry it regulates, efforts to hold homebuilders responsible for construction defects and proposals to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
“This session, I think has been characterized by conflict between big oil and gas companies and ordinary Coloradans, between big drug companies and ordinary Coloradans, between some shoddy homebuilders and ordinary Coloradans, on occasion, big insurers and ordinary Coloradans. Each time, the ordinary Coloradans won,” Romanoff said.
House Democrats said industries like oil and gas had up to 30 lobbyists at the Capitol, and there was no one but lawmakers to represent consumers.
A spokesman for the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry that represents businesses at the Legislature declined comment.
Making good on Ritter’s Colorado Promise to build the economy around renewable energy and improve Colorado’s business climate, the Legislature passed and Ritter signed a bill requiring the state’s largest utilities to get 20 percent of its power from renewable energy sources such as wind turbines.
House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, said Democrats also got a number of bills passed this year that were vetoed when GOP Gov. Bill Owens was in office, including programs to reform school accountability reports, provide emergency contraception and full-day kindergarten.
Romanoff said he was disappointed when the Legislature killed a plan to create a rainy day fund in the event of an economic downturn, and he plans to launch a campaign to convince voters of the need to make it harder to change the state constitution after lawmakers killed that proposal.
He said his goal next year is to focus on health care, which is the next major issue pending on the Democratic agenda.
Republicans issued their own report cards, dubbed “We did not see this in the Colorado Promise,” saying Democrats also focused on their other agendas, including social issues, union bills, increasing fees and regulating industries.
He cited a measure that would create recycling programs and grants funded with three new solid waste disposal fees and a 50-cent increase in tire disposal fees of examples of Democratic attempts to raise fees.
May said Democrats introduced bills that would hurt businesses, including attempts to regulate tanning beds, art therapists, mortgage brokers and a plan that would increase property tax revenues by $1.7 billion over 10 years by freezing residential property mill levies.
“It is extremely unfortunate that our governor and the Democratic leadership of the Legislature were not willing to explore other options before placing an additional financial burden on our citizens,” May said.
Madden said it’s hard for Republicans to criticize those bills since many of them voted for them.
