Only days after surprising the state with news he would not seek re-election, Gov. Bill Ritter gave his fourth and final State of the State address today to a joint session of the Colorado Legislature, saying he decided to run for governor four years ago because Colorado had not been living up to its full potential.
“I have had the privilege of serving as the governor of Colorado for three years now. And what a privilege it is,” Ritter said in his opening remarks.
He spoke of strides that have been made toward education reform, fiscal reform and a new energy economy.
In reference to the federal “Race to the Top” grant money that the state is seeking for K-12 education, Ritter said that Colorado is well positioned to win some of the funding, that the state has been racing to the top for years and is ready to implement reform.
“We’re tackling the drop-out rate, and CSAPs are going the way of the dinosaurs,” declared Ritter, getting generous applause from the Democratic members in the audience. The state’s use of Colorado Student Assessment Program tests in public schools has been hotly debated for years and has many critics among Democrats.
On fiscal reform the governor talked of efforts made to stabilize the economy but acknowledged the state isn’t out of the woods yet.
“While an economic recovery is indeed underway, a revenue recovery is a year away. That means more tough, unpopular but necessary decisions,” Ritter warned, followed by a veiled jab at the GOP, which has called on the governor to cut the size of the bureaucracy.
“It will not be enough to stay on the sidelines, to constantly criticize, to offer nothing but $10 solutions to billion-dollar problems,” he said.
The governor touted his signature, New Energy Economy, contending it has created thousands of new jobs, new markets and new revenue.
“In these uncertain times, the New Energy Economy, which did not exist three years ago, continues to be our beacon to a brighter future,” Ritter said.
Republican lawmakers responded to the governor’s remarks with their own prescription for Colorado.
“As lawmakers we should have one thing in mind—implementing policies that set the stage for a return to economic prosperity,” said Assistant Senate Minority Leader Greg Brophy, R-Wray. “Republicans have one resounding message for our Democrat counterparts: Don’t raise taxes and fees during a recession.”
Ritter’s decsion last week not to seek re-election opened the door for Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to step into the 2010 governor’s race. Hickenlooper announced on Tuesday that he would seek the Democratic nomination against leading Republican contender Scott McInnis.