“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”
— Abraham Lincoln
It was a small speech for a small crowd. Offering little more than a perfunctory rehash of initiatives, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper on Tuesday delivered one of the least coherent or inspiring State of the City speeches in recent memory.
Assuring us that Denver is a place of renewal and innovation, he spoke of national polls and unnamed experts that confirmed the credibility of our fair city. Bragging that last year’s Democratic National Convention put Denver on the “world’s stage,” he assured us that next summer’s Biennial of the Americas will “allow us to talk to a larger audience.”
How about talking to a smaller audience? Like the bankers who are refusing to lend money to developers. They blame regulators insisting on long-term leases and 100 percent pre-leasing. What savvy developer would agree to a long-term lease in a renter’s market? Public investment is important, but without private development, revenues lag, joblessness rises and values decline.
Gov. Bill Ritter and his top two political advisers attended. Too bad the four didn’t explain exactly how to get the region’s most important infrastructure project — FasTracks — off dead center. Hickenlooper reiterated support for the project without revealing the steps needed to make it a reality.
The mayor claims budget challenges caused an eleventh-hour rewrite of the speech. Too bad he didn’t seize the opportunity to outline measures necessary to rectify a $120 million budget shortfall, declining sales and use tax collections and the dearth of private development in Denver and the region.
Risk aversion must be a contagious political disease because another Colorado Democrat is also reluctant to talk straight. Sen. Michael Bennet has carefully avoided taking a position on key national issues. Of course, the never-elected senator must raise millions for his first election in 2010. Does money translate to votes if people don’t know what you believe?
What is his position on President Barack Obama’s climate change legislation? Does he support the inclusion of a public option in health care reform? Will he really be able to remain undecided on the Employee Free Choice Act?
I understand that kill-or-die sound bites on either side of an issue won’t make for an easy campaign. On the other hand, you can’t afford to be color blind in this purple state. Are you a blue dog or a yellow one? Look in the mirror and get back to us, senator.
Colorado’s other leading Democrat, Gov. Ritter, seems more comfortable with color. Exhibiting chameleon-type characteristics, he has taken positions running the full spectrum. His pro-environmental instincts led him to champion a poorly thought out severance tax, alienating Western Slope voters and the oil and gas industries. Conversely, his enthusiastic support for the Colorado Regional Tourism Act flies in the face of fiscal restraint and environmental stewardship.
Amid unprecedented budget challenges, Ritter’s approval of tax-increment financing to build a NASCAR- type racetrack close to DIA confounds. Noise, pollution, sprawl and low-paying jobs — are those the principles of the new energy economy?
You are a good man, governor. Perhaps your experience as Denver’s district attorney hasn’t given you all the skills necessary to navigate the tumultuous rapids of the Capitol’s diverse interests and complex budget constraints. Maybe it’s time to bring in a new team who can balance your strengths — and weaknesses.
Susan Barnes-Gelt (sbg13@comcast.net) served on the Denver City Council.
