The 2008 session, while neither sexy nor flashy as last year’s eruptive battles, saw Mesa County’s legislative delegation and the leaders of the state House and executive branch largely achieved their goals.
However, as the dust settles and business slows beneath the golden dome this year, not everyone came out ahead.
Here is a look at who ended the session in good standing or in the gutter.
Winners
Gov. Bill Ritter — Yes, Ritter did not single-handedly resolve many of the major issues confronting Colorado this year, including fully funding the state’s transportation system or giving every Coloradan health insurance, but he did score some key victories.
Ritter backed a widely supported bipartisan measure to align K-12 content standard with what it takes to attend college in Colorado. He also supported a measure to stow away a sizable chunk of Colorado mineral revenue for higher education and communities experiencing the ongoing mineral boom.
Those victories might not be flashy or controversial in an election year, but they represent sea changes for Colorado’s education and fiscal futures.
Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction — The second-year senator not only pushed through a series of complicated and important bills on education, energy exploration and criminal justice, Penry maintained his mantle as a conservative crusader. From lobbying against the possible ill effects of a series of new oil and gas regulations to providing alternatives to the Democratic agenda, Penry remained a strong voice for conservative Coloradans at the state Capitol.
Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction — It’s been a long time coming, but Buescher finally achieved one of his goals since joining the Legislature: a rainy-day fund.
At the end of months-long negotiations, Buescher, along with Penry, negotiated a plan to stash away a significant portion of the state’s federal mineral leasing revenue for higher education and Western Slope communities experiencing an energy boom.
Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver — The term-limited leader of the Democratic Party’s House delegation made his last year at the Capitol one for the books. From trying to unravel conflicting provisions of the Colorado Constitution to dealing with one petulant Colorado Springs lawmaker to securing more funds to repair crumbling schools, Romanoff rose above it all and maintained order in his House.
Losers
Rep. Doug Bruce, R-Colorado Springs — From garnering the state House’s first ever censure to annoying just about everyone in his wake, Bruce was neither the most productive nor the most popular lawmaker this year.
An army of one, Bruce angered members of both parties by referring to Mexican immigrant laborers as “illiterate peasants” and refusing to cosponsor a measure honoring veterans. To top off the 120 days, Bruce was accused late in the session of sexually harassing a woman at the Capitol.
Though he was strangely ebullient in his endeavors, Bruce accomplished little other than keeping his name in the news.
If nothing else, Bruce made the recently unveiled “Colorado Channel,” which allows Coloradans to watch the debate in the House chambers live, more interesting to watch.
Colorado’s transportation system — State leaders punted this year on figuring out a way to funnel $500 million, $1 billion or $1.5 billion a year into the state’s aging and ailing transportation system. Due to the massiveness of the solution needed, it seems it might take an emergency or fiscal fiasco for someone to act.
In the meantime, Russ George, director of the Colorado Department of Transportation and a former Rifle lawmaker, will be left to play trans-triage as the state’s silent crisis persists.
Drunken drivers — Through two bills this year, Rep. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, has made life more difficult for those who choose to drink and drive. From higher mandatory bail for repeat offenders to a felony DUI charge, King’s efforts are sure to make tipsy and trashed Coloradans think twice before driving.
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E-mail Mike Saccone at msaccone@gjds.com.
