Colorado Capitol Journal

Ritter to be First CO Guv since 1970s to Miss Second Term

2010-01-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Gov. Bill Ritter's decision to step aside after one term is somewhat unique in Colorado history. Most chief executives have, at least in recent decades, been re-elected.

The last Colorado governor who did not serve a second term was John D. Vanderhoof. He served between July 1973 and January 1975 after succeeding John Love in office when Love took a job in President Richard M. Nixon's administration. Vanderhoof sought re-election in 1974 but was defeated by Democrat Richard D. Lamm.

Prior to Vanderhoof, who was a Republican, the last governor who did not serve a second term was Democrat Edwin Johnson. He served between 1953-55, during the era when the length of a governor's term was just two years.

Other one-termers since statehood include Democrat James Grant (1883-85), Republican Benjamin Eaton (1885-87), Democrat Alva Adams (1887-89), Republican Job Cooper (1889-91), Republican John Routt (1891-93), Populist party member David Waite (1893-95), Republican Albert McIntire (1895-97), Democrat Alva Adams (1897-99), Democrat Charles Thomas (1899-1901), Democrat James Orman (1901-1903), Republican James Peabody (1903-05), Republican Henry Buchtel (1907-09), Democrat Elias Ammons (1913-15), Republican George Carlson (1915-17), Democrat Julius Gunter (1917-19), Democrat William Sweet (1923-25), Republican Clarence Morley (1925-27), and Democrat Teller Ammons (1937-39).

Gov. Ritter Won't Seek Second Term

2010-01-06T11:36:00.001-07:00

Gov. Bill Ritter announced this morning that he will not seek re-election to a second term.

Ritter, 53, was elected in 2006. During his tenure he has led a charge to diversify the state's energy portfolio, improve public schools and expand health care coverage.

In the past year, however, as the national recession worsened, Ritter has been forced to ask the General Assembly for repeated budget cuts.

The governor said that his decision is based on a desire to strengthen his relationships with his wife and children and put aside partisan campaign pressures so that he can spend his last year in office dealing with the state budget and other issues.

"It is my family who has sacrificed the most," Ritter said. "My wife Jeannie, my kids, three of whom are here today. I haven’t found a proper balance where my family is concerned. I haven’t made them the priority they should be."

The Ritters have a grown-up son, a son in college and two other children at home.

The governor said that he is confident that he would have won a re-election bid and that he is not worried that his decision makes it more likely that the Republican party will win the governor's seat.

"It’s a long way to the election and I felt the election was absolutely winnable," Ritter said. "I’m a trial lawyer. I love a fight."

Ritter argued that the state's economy is improving and that, when he leaves office in Jan. 2011, the state will be in even better shape.

"Colorado is on the road to recovery," he said.

No other Democrats have announced plans to seek the governor's seat this year. Possible contenders include Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, and former state House speaker Andrew Romanoff.

Republican candidates include former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis and Evergreen businessman Dan Maes.

Ritter Reverses Course on LEAF Raid

2009-09-03T09:50:00.002-06:00

Gov. Bill Ritter said Wednesday that he would not, after all, seek to transfer more than $1 million from the fund to pay law enforcement officers overtime in order to enforce DUI laws on holiday weekends this year.

The governor had said on Tuesday that he would seek to shift the money to drug and alcohol treatment programs. The money in the so-called "LEAF" (for Law Enforcement Assistance Fund) was frozen in an executive order issued by Ritter on Saturday.

Ritter's spokesperson, Evan Dreyer, said the governor has not ruled out asking the legislature to shift LEAF money to drug and alcohol treatment programs in future years.

LEAF was created by the General Assembly in 1983 and is funded by an automatic fine assessed on every person convicted of DUI in the state.

O'Brien Announces $80 Million in Grants to Cities, Counties, Schools

2009-09-02T16:21:00.000-06:00

The Ritter administration announced Wednesday that more than 500 cities, counties and school districts across Colorado will receive about $80 million in grants funded by severance taxes generated from oil and gas extraction.

The purpose of the grants, which were calculated under a more generous allocation formula created by a 2008 law, is to "offset impacts from energy development, strengthen local economies and improve the livability of Colorado communities," according to a press release from Gov. Bill Ritter's office.

“These funds come at a critical time and will help local agencies and schools maintain quality services,” Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien said. “These direct distribution awards will allow local officials to decide how best to invest these funds and make the biggest difference in their communities.”

The amount of the grants is a state record. Prior to the enactment into law of SB 08-218 and HB 08-1083, grants from energy severance taxes and the federal government's mineral lease fund were based on the number of employees an energy company had in a particular community. The 2008 statutes require consideration of the number of drilling permits, amount of production, employee residences, population in the community, and the amount of highway user miles in a community.

The total of the grants last year was about $24 million.

Colorado's severance tax on oil and gas drilling accounted for $44.5 million of this year's grant fund, while the federal mineral lease fund is the source of the remaining $35.9 million.

The largest recipients of grant money from the state's severance tax were Mesa county (about $4.7 million), Garfield county (about $4.6 million), Weld county (about $2.7 million) and the city of Grand Junction (about $2.1 million).

Grants to school districts, and additional grant money for municipalities and counties, come from revenues generated by the federal government's mineral lease fund.

About $2.8 million is being provided to school districts from the federal revenues, with the largest recipients being Garfield School District RE-2 (about $454,000), Roaring Fork School District RE-1 (about $377,000) and Mesa County Valley School District 51 (about $306,000).

A complete list of recipients, and the amounts they received, can be found here.

Ritter Will Cut 331 Jobs to Balance Budget

2009-08-25T11:03:00.002-06:00

Gov. Bill Ritter has increased the number of state jobs he will cut in order to balance the budget.

The governor's office disclosed the higher number when it released documents relating to its financial plan Monday.

The Ritter administration had announced last week that the job losses would total 266.

Not all of the job reductions involve layoffs, since the governor's office is counting vacant positions that would be left unfilled.

The budget cuts announced by Ritter in order to close a budget deficit in excess of $200 million this fiscal year include:

• $25 million less for state prisons, including about $19 million saved by speeding up parole for eligible inmates and shortening parole supervision periods;

• a 1.5 percent reduction in the reimbursements paid to health care providers, which will save Colorado $8.6 million;

• elimination of 59 beds for mental health patients at a facility in Fort Logan and closure of a 32-bed facility for developmentally disabled patients in Grand Junction, which would save about $2.3 million; and

• reduction of $4.5 million from a program that gives $200 monthly stipends to disabled people awaiting federal Social Security benefits.

The governor's office also announced Monday that it would delay an effort to cut more than $475,000 from a program that allows some state employees to use publicly-owned vehicles as a means of transportation to and from work.

Suthers Obtains Guilty Pleas in Medicaid Fraud Cases

2009-08-25T09:58:00.003-06:00

Attorney general John Suthers announced today that his office has obtained guilty pleas in two Medicaid fraud cases.

Cortney Ileane Miller, 55, pleaded guilty Aug. 14 to forgery. She was sentenced to five years of probation, with conditions to include 100 hours of useful public service and restitution of more than $23,000.

The state alleged that Miller, who worked in an Adams County wheelchair supply company owned in part by her husband, acquired an invoice from a supplier for an expensive power wheelchair and then modified the invoice and included it in support of several bills that she submitted to the Colorado Medicaid program for other clients. Most of the bills were for much less expensive equipment, but Miller claimed the high price supported by the false invoice, plus profit.

In an unrelated case, Michelle Riley, 41, a former co-worker of Miller, pleaded guilty July 24 to theft, a class-four felony, and forgery, a class-five felony. Her convictions arise from charges that she submitted several false Medicaid bills to the state. Riley received five years probation and was ordered to reimburse teh state more than $63,000.

The state alleged that Riley, who is the owner of a Denver-based wheelchair supply company, submitted bills to Medicaid for three wheelchairs which were never supplied to the recipients, and over-billed three other wheelchairs and one power scooter. Riley also allegedly falsified wheelchair repair records to collect for repairs that did not happen.

Riley and Miller had worked together in the past, but their crimes appeared unrelated.

Sen. Johnston Named to Education Commission

2009-08-20T12:44:00.002-06:00

Newly-appointed Sen. Michael Johnston, D-Denver, has been named to a prestigious bipartisan panel charged with recommending improvements to the country's most significant public education law.

Johnston, the former principal at Thornton's Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts, will join the Aspen Institute's Commission on No Child Left Behind.

The commission will study how to improve low-performing schools, teacher effectiveness, standards and assessments, and graduation rates.

The panel meets for the first time Sept. 2 at Howard University in Washington, DC.

Other members of the commission include former Health and Human Services secretary Tommy Thompson and former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes.

Ground Broken for New Colorado History Museum

2009-08-20T08:03:00.000-06:00

The Centennial state will soon have a new history museum.

About a hundred people gathered at 12th Avenue and Broadway in Denver Wednesday for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Colorado History Museum.

The new museum replaces the facility located adjacent to the state's Judicial Building west of the Capitol.

Construction of the $111 million replacement facility is being financed by certificates of participation. Build America Bonds issued by the federal government will reimburse Colorado for 35 percent of the interest paid by the state on the project.

The result of that federal assistance, made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted into law in February, will be that investors in the certificates of participation receive full return on their investment while the state's taxpayers pay an effective interest rate of only 4.24 percent.

State treasurer Cary Kennedy says that the federal help will save Colorado $77 million on the project.

The new museum, which will be about 190,000 square feet in size, is scheduled to open in 2011.

The new judicial complex, which is expected to cost about $250 million, is to open in 2013.

Ritter Announces More Budget Cuts for FY 2010

2009-08-19T10:56:00.000-06:00

Gov. Bill Ritter said Tuesday he will cut $320 million in state spending this fiscal year by releasing some prisoners and eliminating almost 270 government jobs, among other actions, and that he will seek to raise fees for background checks on those who seek to buy guns.

The announcement came as the governor works to close an expected $318 million shortfall this fiscal year.

The current budget gap follows earlier expected deficits of $1.4 billion, which were eliminated by other spending reductions and transfers from cash funds.

Ritter also plans to attack the current shortfall by relying on federal dollars provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Barack Obama in February. $52.5 million will be provided this year by Washington to pay for Medicaid programs. Ritter is also counting on $80.9 million to replace money Colorado cut from its higher education institutions.

So-called "stimulus" money from the federal government will be reduced next year and then be eliminated in fiscal year 2012.

The governor will also rely on additional transfers from cash funds.

Next year's shortfall could be larger than the one Ritter is currently dealing with under the authority granted him by state law to prevent budget deficits. Some estimates indicate that the state government could be facing an obligation to pay at least $350 million more for prisons, health care and social programs.

The spending reductions from corrections will come, according to Ritter, by releasing some prisoners six months early and by terminating post-release supervision of some convicts on parole.

Ritter also wants to eliminate 59 beds at a Fort Logan mental health facility and close a 32-bed nursing home in Grand Junction.

The plan also eliminates $200 monthly stipends given people who have applied for Social Security Supplemental benefits from the federal government but have not yet started receiving them.

The spending cuts amount to about 3.5 percent of the state's general fund.

The suggested fee increases include a new $10.50 charge for background checks assessed on those who attempt to purchase a firearm and an increase in the current $17.95 fee assessed on new government employees for a criminal background check.

The General Assembly would have to approve the fee increases for them to take effect.

The governor has the authority to execute the spending cuts without legislative approval. Most of them will take effect Sept. 1.

52 Colorado Swine Flu Cases

2009-05-13T17:36:00.000-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment, in its last planned daily update of the number of H1N1 cases in the state, said today that it has now confirmed 52 infections.

The cases are from these counties: Adams (8), Arapahoe (13), Boulder (2), Denver (11), Douglas (2), Eagle (3), Fremont (1), Garfield (4), Jefferson (6), La Plata (1), and Morgan (1).

DPHE will continue to publish tables containing information on the number of
confirmed cases of H1N1 virus in the state each afternoon on its website.

Eighth Judicial District Gets New Chief Judge

2009-05-13T13:54:00.000-06:00

A veteran trial judge has been appointed by the state's chief justice to serve as the top jurist in the Eighth Judicial District, which includes Jackson and Larimer counties.

Stephen Jon Schapanski of Fort Collins, who has been on the district court bench since 2007, was chosen by chief justice Mary J. Mullarkey to replace retired judge James H. Hiatt as chief judge.

Before taking on his current role as a district court judge, Schapanski was a magistrate for fourteen years in the same district. Before becoming a judge he was in private law practice since 1974. Schapanski's legal expertise was in the areas of domestic relations, civil, juvenile, criminal defense, probate, estate planning, bankruptcy and real estate law.

He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1971 and earned his law degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana in 1974.

Colorado is divided into 22 judicial districts, each with a chief judge. The chief judge serves as the district's senior administrator, responsible for appointing the district administrator, chief probation officer and clerks of the court, assisting in the personnel, financial and case management of the district, and assuring that the business of the courts is conducted efficiently and effectively. A chief judge also makes judicial assignments within the district.

DPHE: H1N1 Cases Now Total 48

2009-05-12T16:33:00.000-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment reported today that there are now 48 confirmed cases of the swine flu virus in Colorado.

The cases are from the following counties: Adams (6), Arapahoe (13), Boulder (2), Denver (9), Douglas (2), Eagle (3), Fremont (1), Garfield (4), Jefferson (6),
La Plata (1), and Morgan (1).

For general information about H1N1, call CoHELP between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday at 1-877-462-2911 or visit the DPHE's web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

Ritter Releases Recovery Act Report

2009-05-12T11:49:00.000-06:00

Gov. Bill Ritter has released a report detailing the ways in which Colorado expects to use federal dollars provided by recently-enacted economic stimulus legislation, as well as opportunities for private citizens and business to benefit from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The report, prepared by the governor's economic recovery advisors, is available here.

Educator to Replace Groff in Senate

2009-05-12T00:49:00.003-06:00

A charter school principal will replace Peter Groff in the state senate.

A district 33 Democratic party vacancy committee selected Mike Johnston, the principal at Thornton's Mapleton Expeditionary School for the Arts, to complete Groff's term, which ends in January 2013.

Johnston, 34, was chosen on the first ballot. Among the hopefuls he defeated was former Rep. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver.

Groff, who was originally appointed to the Senate in 2003 and then re-elected in 2004 and 2008, accepted an appointment as a senior advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Education. His resignation from the Senate took effect last Wednesday after the General Assembly adjourned its 2009 session.

H1N1 Infections Now at 43

2009-05-11T16:43:00.000-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment has now confirmed 43 cases of swine flu infection in Colorado.

The confirmed cases of H1N1 virus are from these counties: Adams (6), Arapahoe (9), Boulder (2), Denver (8), Douglas (2), Eagle (3), Fremont (1), Garfield (4), Jefferson (6), La Plata (1), and Morgan (1).

For general information about the H1N1 virus, call CoHELP between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday at 1-877-462-2911 or visit the department’s web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

DPHE Reports 38 H1N1 Cases in Colorado

2009-05-08T16:22:00.002-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment announced today that there are 38 confirmed cases of H1N1 infection in the state.

The cases come from these counties: Adams (6), Arapahoe (8), Boulder (1), Denver
(7), Douglas (1), Eagle (3), Fremont (1), Garfield (4), Jefferson (5), La Plata (1), and Morgan (1).

None of the cases involved hospitalization. All of the patients are recovering from the swine flu infection.

The public may continue to get general information about H1N1 by calling CoHELP at 1-877-462-2911. CoHELP hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday. Recorded messages continue to be available at CoHELP 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People also can find information by visiting DPHE's web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

DPHE Reports 25 H1N1 Cases in Colorado

2009-05-07T16:16:00.003-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment reported today that there are now 25 confirmed cases of H1N1 virus in Colorado.

The infections are in the following counties: Adams (4), Arapahoe (6), Boulder (1), Denver (3), Douglas (1), Eagle (3), Fremont (1), Garfield (2) and Jefferson (4).

None of the patients in these cases were hospitalized, and all are recovering.

The public may continue to get general information about H1N1 by calling CoHELP at 1-877-462-2911. CoHELP hours are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday. Recorded messages continue to be available at CoHELP 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People can also find information about the swine flu virus by visiting DPHE's web site at http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

Cold Case Funding Bill Again Includes Death Penalty Ban

2009-05-06T10:38:00.002-06:00

A conference committee restored this morning to a bill funding investigations of "cold cases" a provision repealing Colorado's death penalty.

The senate had removed the death penalty repeal during debate on HB 1274 earlier in the week, adopting a bipartisan amendment offered by Sens. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Josh Penry, R-Fruita, that would directly appropriate funds for such investigations from a new $2.50 fine applicable to all criminal convictions and traffic infraction verdicts.

The conference committee, which included members of the House of Representatives who had supported the death penalty repeal, returned to the proposal to fund cold case investigations by using money that would otherwise go toward capital punishment.

Both chambers of the General Assembly will consider the conference committee report today before adjourning the session.

Gov. Bill Ritter, a former prosecutor, has not publicly said whether he would sign a bill repealing the state's death penalty.

Former Sen. Grossman Named to Ethics Panel

2009-05-05T23:06:00.003-06:00

A former Democratic state legislator has been appointed to one of the five seats on the state's Independent Ethics Commission.

Dan Grossman, who served as a state representative between 1997-2003 and as a state senator from 2003-2007, was nominated by Senate president Peter Groff, D-Denver, to replace Republican Sally Hooper.

Grossman's nomination will have to be confirmed by the state senate. The vote on the nomination is expected to occur Wednesday.

Gov. Bill Ritter will name a replacement for Democratic commission member Nancy Friedman. Ritter is required by law to appoint a Republican to that seat.

The Independent Ethics Commission is responsible for enforcing Amendment 41, the far-reaching anti-corruption initiative approved by voters in 2006.

Ten Colorado H1N1 Cases

2009-05-05T16:02:00.000-06:00

The state has used a new laboratory testing procedure to confirm four additional cases of swine flu infection in Colorado, bringing the total to ten.

The new cases reported today are two elementary school-age children, from Adams and Jefferson counties, as well as a college-age man from Adams County and a Fremont County woman.

There were six cases confirmed earlier.

The Department of Public Health and Environment recommends that people who experience influenza symptoms should stay home for seven days after onset of symptoms or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

Six H1N1 Cases in Colorado

2009-05-04T14:04:00.000-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment is now reporting six confirmed cases of H1N1 virus.

The six confirmed cases are in the following counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, Eagle and Jefferson (2). Four of the victims are men, one is a woman, and one is a pre-teenage boy.

Only one of the six cases required hospitalization. That patient has been discharged and all who have been confirmed as having contracted the virus are recovering.

There is evidence that the swine flu virus is circulating in the United States and Colorado. Individuals do not need to have traveled to Mexico or another area of the U.S. to have been exposed to the virus.

Local public health agencies are responsible for investigating cases in their communities.

People who experience influenza symptoms should stay home for seven days after onset of symptoms or at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved, whichever is longer.

The public can obtain general information about H1N1 by calling 1-877-462-2911 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday through Friday and between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Information is also available at DPHE's web site, http://www.cdphe.state.co.us.

DPHE Announces 2 New Colorado Swine Flu Cases

2009-05-03T18:40:00.000-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment said today that there are two new cases of swine flu in Colorado.
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Both are in Jefferson County and neither patient was hospitalized.

“The new cases are not unexpected, and do not change the state’s
approach to the H1N1 flu outbreak,” the state's chief medical officer, Dr. Ned
Calonge, said at a news conference.

The new cases involve a middle-school aged man who had recently traveled to an affected area in the U.S. and another man in his twenties.

“Of the two new confirmed cases, both had possible exposure to travelers having visited Mexico or a part of the country where H1N1 is known to be circulating,” Calonge said.

DPHE is awaiting confirmation of six additional cases from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Colorado has had four confirmed cases of H1N1 infection this year. Other than the two announced today, a person in Arapahoe County and a person in Douglas County have been infected.

State Health Department Distributes H1N1 Vaccine

2009-05-01T15:56:00.000-06:00

The Department of Public Health and Environment, which received 167,000 courses of a vaccine for the swine flu virus from the federal government, has distributed the stockpile to 13 locations around Colorado.

The location to which the drugs were transported was based on population density. The goal is to ensure a rapid delivery of medicines to any area of the state in the event of an outbreak of the H1N1 virus this year.

“The highest priority for the antiviral stockpile is to meet unmet needs in communities around Colorado,” the state's chief medical officer, Dr. Ned Calonge, said. “The antiviral drugs are primarily intended for use with severely ill patients in hospitals.”

Calonge said it that the supply provided by the U.S. government is for emergency purposes. Only public health agencies will be able to obtain the anti-viral medication. Individuals cannot have prescriptions for the vaccine filled at those agencies.

Shipments were made to storage facilities in Alamosa, Arapahoe, Boulder, Denver, Eagle, El Paso, Jefferson, La Plata, Larimer, Mesa, Otero, Pueblo and Weld counties.

The vaccine was obtained from the Strategic National Stockpile, which is maintained by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to respond to public health emergencies.

Weissman's University Transparency Bill Gets Initial House OK

2009-05-01T14:33:00.001-06:00

A bill that would require the state's colleges and universities to use an open search process before hiring new leaders gained initial approval in the House today.

HB 1369, sponsored by Rep. Paul Weissman, D-Louisville, would require the use of search committees and mandate development and publication of job qualifications before institutions can hire a chancellor or president.

The bill is motivated by concerns over the selection process for a chancellor at Colorado State University.

“I have real concerns about how the search process for new leadership at CSU is progressing," Weissman said. "I want to make sure the decision is made in the light of day, not behind closed doors. It should be made with the input of students, alumni, faculty, and other stakeholders. The era of closed door governing is over.”

The bill must pass third reading in the House before being considered in the Senate.

Ritter Awards Grants for Local Infrastructure Projects

2009-05-01T14:16:00.000-06:00

Municipalities and counties around Colorado were awarded Friday more than $23 million from the state's severance tax and mineral lease revenues for a variety of infrastructure projects, according to an announcement issued by Gov. Bill Ritter's office.

“Communities all across Colorado are struggling to cope with the challenges of current economic conditions,” said Ritter. "These grants will allow communities to make key investments in projects that will put people back to work and strengthen local economies in the short-term, while making communities more sustainable and economically healthy in the long-term.”

The 47 funded projects include construction of a library in El Paso county, design of a water treatment plant for Rifle, replacement of a natural gas pipeline in Ignacio, replacement of the Beaver Creek Bridge in La Plata county, construction of a wastewater treatment plant in Fruita and a new police station in Windsor, and provision of digital mammography equipment at the Salida hospital.

Energy and Mineral Impact Assistance Grant funds are matched by other private and public funds, which will result in the $23.2 million announced by Ritter being leveraged to $218.5 million for construction and other development activity around the state.

"Projects that meet basic needs like water, sewer, drainage, and local roads received highest priority," Department of Local Affairs director Susan Kirkpatrick said. "Projects that demonstrated a strong energy conservation or renewable energy component also received priority.”

The grant program was created by the General Assembly in 1977.