Democrat Roy Romer holds his final press conference in January 1999 as he prepares to leave office after 12 years as Colorado governor. (The Denver Post)
Gov. John Hickenlooper invited three former Democratic governors to offer advice for his second term at his inaugural celebration Tuesday evening.
It started lighthearted with former Gov. Dick Lamm. But then former Gov. Roy Romer gave him an earful.
“This is an evening both of fun and seriousness,” Romer started. “I’m going to be the serious part.”
“My advice is, governor, lead a movement in this state to repeal the TABOR amendment,” he said to cheers from the crowd at the Fillmore Auditorium, . “We need to invest in the future of our children’s education and the infrastructure of this state. We need to return that power, that authority, that decision, to the people’s representative, the legislature and the governor.”
Romer kept at it. “We need to revise this tax system and do what the conservatives do — invest in the future of this state,” he continued. “We need to revise the TABOR amendment and get a better tax system it needs not a political election, it needs a movement. Governor, lead that movement.”
Hickenlooper clapped when Romer finished and smiled. He was not available for an interview after he left the stage. (though not by name) as he said it created a “financial thicket.”
And in recent days, , saying residents need to know the stakes about what happens when taxpayer refunds go out the door when state programs still need money. But he stopped short of saying TABOR needed to be repealed.
Romer said the words that current politicians find it difficult to say — in part because TABOR is a political third-rail, a polarizing issue between Republicans and Democrats.
Romer, of course, knows what he’s talking about. He served as governor in 1992 when the TABOR spending limit — then Amendment 1 — won at the ballot.
Former Gov. Bill Ritter remarked on the fire in Romer’s voice. “He’s still got it,” he said.
