State of the State

OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
WWW.COLORADO.GOV/GOVERNOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, JAN. 13, 2010

CONTACTS
George Merritt, 303.918.1071, george.merritt@state.co.us
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us

GOV. RITTER CALLS FOR FOCUSED 2010 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Click here to view the full text of the 2010 State of the State

Gov. Bill Ritter, delivering his fourth and final State of the State Address, called on lawmakers today “to set aside the weaker impulses of partisanship” and remain focused on job creation, economic recovery and keeping the state budget balanced.

“While this has been a tough time, and while there will be setbacks, we are making progress,” Gov. Ritter said. “Colorado has one of the best business climates and economic outlooks in the country, and if we stay disciplined and determined, we will get our economy back on solid footing. I know we can do this, because we’ve been doing it.

“Over the last three years, we have been changing course and changing the culture of government – thinking bolder, doing better. Our strategies are working. Even in the worst global economic conditions in generations, we’re leading Colorado to a stronger, brighter future.

The Governor outlined his top priorities for the legislative session, including:

• Keeping the state budget balanced, saving money and making government more effective through proposals such as the Medicaid Efficiency Act.
• Creating jobs and growing Colorado’s New Energy Economy through proposals such as an increase to the state’s renewable energy standard, boosting it from the current 20 percent by 2020 requirement to 30 percent by 2020, and increasing demand for Colorado’s cleaner-burning natural gas.
• Making the Colorado State Park system the first in the country to use zero net energy.
• Modernizing teacher and student assessments, including replacing the CSAP test with a new assessment tool by 2011 or 2012.
• Strengthening public safety through legislation to regulate and rein in abuses in Colorado’s voter-approved medical marijuana program, toughen penalties for repeat drunk-driving offenses, and improve the state’s child-protection system.
• Shoring up the state’s Public Employee Retirement Association pension fund.

“We have a higher responsibility to join together, to overcome our challenges, to turn to what Abraham Lincoln called the ‘better angels of our nature,’” Gov. Ritter told lawmakers. “Decades from now, our grandchildren will look back at this moment and ask us what it was like, the same way we look back at the Great Depression. This is a hinge in history, and I hope we can tell them that yes, it was tough, but we worked together and rose to the challenge.”

[ Read the entire speech ]