Democratic candidate for governor Noel Ginsburg outlined creative solutions for education, realistic expectations for renewable energy and more local control for economic stimulus while campaigning Friday in Durango.
Ginsburg, an entrepreneur in manufacturing, is one of five Democratic candidates vying to replace Gov. John Hickenlooper in 2018.
He founded his company, Intertech Plastics, while attending the University of Denver, and he is also the CEO of Intertech Medical. The Colorado native is married and has two adult children, Corey and Ali.
He’s been active in the nonprofit world, recently founding CareerWise, an apprenticeship program. The new program is aimed at filling the void for highly skilled workers.
It’s based on highly successful model in Switzerland that is responsible for a youth unemployment rate of 3.2 percent.
“It’s not because their kids are smarter than our kids, they are trained better,” he said.
CareerWise has been introduced in four school districts, including one on the Western Slope, and plans to expand into the Edwards area next year.
The program is funded mostly through foundations, and the long-term funding is designed to be paid for by businesses.
He pointed to the program as an example of his leadership.
“I build trust, I build a coalition and I get it done,” he said.
The candidate took issue with some of the promises of his competitors. Democratic candidates Jared Polis and Mike Johnston have promised education programs that will carry high price tags, he said. For example, Johnston promised two years of free college or skills training to anyone willing to provide service to the state.
“I don’t think it serves our democracy, I don’t think it serves Colorado, to be saying things that I don’t think are doable or real,” Ginsburg said.
He also took issue Polis’ and Johnston’s goal for Colorado to rely on 100 percent renewable energy by 2040 because the technology to make that happen does not exist.
By the end of two terms in office, Ginsburg wants to attain the goal of 50 percent renewable energy on average across the state.
To bolster economic development in rural areas, he would like to offer state grants to communities that would allow local leadership to determine the type of industry they would like to attract and what incentives should be offered.
“The state incentives should flow down to them in a way that allows the community to develop the type of opportunities for their citizens that they want,” he said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
If you go
As part of his statewide “All Voices Count” tour, Noel Ginsburg, a Democratic candidate for governor of Colorado, will hold a meet-and-greet from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the La Plata County Democratic Headquarters, 1911 Main Ave.
From noon until 1:30 p.m., Ginsburg will be at the Spruce Tree Espresso House, 318 Main Ave. in Cortez.
For more information, visit
www.noelforcolorado.com
.
