COLORADO SPRINGS — John Hicken-looper and the newly elected governors of 14 other states showed up here Saturday for what amounted to a pretty sobering freshman orientation.
Led by fellow Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter, 14 veteran governors gathered to welcome the newcomers at a weekend retreat of the National Governors Association held at the Broadmoor Hotel.
There are new governors in 28 states and one U.S. territory, the most in recent memory. The last crop that large was in 1920, when there were 27 newly elected governors.
The stoic veterans told the newcomers of the obstacles they would be facing as governors during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and one session focused just on drawing up state budgets. Approval ratings for many governors have been below 50 percent over the past two years as they consider budget cuts and tax increases.
“People recognize how difficult our challenges are,” Hickenlooper told reporters during a break. “Obviously, in an economy like this, it’s difficult to build very high approval ratings.”
The state of Colorado faces up to a $1.1 billion budget deficit for the fiscal year that begins in July.
Still, Hickenlooper said, if you involve citizens in the budget-balancing process, it can help alleviate disappointment and anger.
“A lot of that’s how you communicate with people,” he said. “If you communicate clearly, I think people will accept even some difficult decisions.”
Ritter and governors from several other states told reporters that governors, who cannot deficit spend and must balance their budgets, recognize how difficult it is to be a state’s top executive these days.
“We’ve lived through the worst recession since the Great Depression,” Ritter said. “There’s a lot about the economy that continues to lag in many respects, and because of that, there are unenviable choices.
“That can tend to alienate interest groups, alienate people along the way. That’s just part of serving now in a time that’s very difficult.”
Maine Gov.-elect Paul LePage, a Republican, pointed out that governors weren’t the only ones facing low approval ratings.
“It’s legislators, it’s congressmen, it’s senators and it’s even the White House,” LePage said.
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire, a Democrat, relayed a conversation she’d had with Democratic Gov.-elect Jerry Brown of California, who couldn’t make it to the conference. California is facing a $25 billion deficit, a shortfall bigger than the entire budget of Colorado and many other states.
Gregoire, who is the new chairwoman of the governors association, said she asked about the tough road ahead for Brown politically, and he said he would make tough decisions regardless of polling and without thinking about the next election.
“At the end of the day, I think that’s the attitude of all the governors,” Gregoire said. “We don’t have the luxury of loaning or borrowing or making new money.
“We have to balance a budget.”
Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com
