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  Home Page » News » Bill Ritter Industry Key To Colorado Economy

Bill Ritter: Industry key to Colorado economy

Tells Durangoans additional budget cuts are needed

by Dale Rodebaugh
Herald Staff Writer

Manufacturing, more than real estate or construction, will be the wind in the sails that pulls Colorado out of its economic doldrums, Gov. Bill Ritter told The Durango Herald editorial board Friday.

“Colorado is poised to take advantage of the new energy economy,” Ritter said. “We’ve established incentives for companies to create jobs and provided businesses with access to credit and strengthened job-training programs at community colleges.”

He cited renewable energy and aerospace as fields that could help turn the economy around.

Ritter also hosted an afternoon town hall meeting in the waiting room of the new Durango Transit Center. He covered some of the same topics, then took a dozen questions from the audience of about 100.

The economy was front and center all day – as it was Thursday when Ritter spoke to Rotary Clubs in south Denver.

While the state has closed a $1.8 billion shortfall in the last two state budgets, it will be necessary to cut an additional
$250 million next week, which will include jobs and programs that won’t be restored. But there’s more grief in the offing.

“Our next fiscal year will be the worst ever,” Ritter said.

Even after a recovery occurs, state funding will lag a year, he said.

“In a slow recovery we need to streamline operations, but we also must invest to bring us out of the recession,” Ritter said. “We’re lucky that our economy is diverse and unemployment is three points below the national figure.”

In his meeting with Herald editors, Ritter said a task force is studying educational reforms, including a master plan for funding. But current jurisdictional differences hamper a “seamless” policy that covers kindergartners through college grads, Ritter said. Federal stimulus money was a life-saver for higher education, he said, backfilling cuts the state had to make.

Four Durango High School seniors who sat in on the meeting offered insights into how the tight economy has affected them – crowded classes, fewer electives, advanced-placement courses available only online and schedules that don’t allow them to take a job or enroll at Fort Lewis College.

Among his answers to questions at the town hall meeting, Ritter said:
► A single-payer system for health care must await what happens at the federal level. It’s too expensive for the state alone.

► Natural gas isn’t a bridge fuel to alternative energy, but will be needed to satisfy demand. Renewable energy sources are limited.

► The state constitutional amendment known as the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, which requires voter approval of tax increases and limits the amount of revenue the state can keep, must be modified. A 2011 ballot measure on the matter is a possibility.

► Southwest Colorado television viewers are stuck with Albuquerque programming until the Federal Communication Commission changes its rules. He promised to bring the situation to the attention of the Colorado delegation in Washington.

► As governor he can’t be furloughed as other state employees are as a cost-cutting measure, but he writes a check to the state for a day’s salary on furlough dates. The governor’s annual salary is $90,000.

Most of the audience didn’t stick around to shake hands but dispersed quickly at the end of the meeting.

“I thought it was fairly informative,” said Cherry Miloe. “He didn’t pooh-pooh any challenges but looked you in the eye and said he would check on something if he didn’t have the answer.”

Rancher Tom Compton said he appreciated the time Ritter took to visit and his willingness to tackle economic challenges.

daler@durangoherald.com'>daler@durangoherald.com