Democrats, GOP both take credit for session

Measures on tourism, jobs cited as key achievements

April M. Washington And Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Democrats and Republicans held dueling news conferences Tuesday, praising accomplishments from the 2006 legislative session but already looking toward November elections.

Leaders in both parties took credit for a string of bills designed to help economic development, including money for tourism and job creation, that has business leaders equally happy with the session.

Democrats, who controlled both houses, said they kept faith with the voters by frugally doling out Referendum C money.

"I feel pretty good about this year," said Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Coal Creek Canyon.

But Republicans, fighting to win back the majority, said if Democrats kept their promises it was because the GOP forced them to.

"I think the promise was that if you give us more money, we would spend it, and they did that," said, Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs.

And so it went, the day after the legislative session ended and less than two weeks before both parties hold their state assemblies to kick off what is expected to be a bruising campaign season.

Republican Gov. Bill Owens, who is term limited, chimed in later Tuesday. He spoke proudly of deals bailing out the state employee pension fund and directing about $800 million of Ref C money into public schools, health care, higher education and roads.

"The state's in good condition because Father Owens is in charge," joked the governor. "It's all calm and quiet."

Owens characterized the session as relatively businesslike, but overshadowed in part by minor ethics scandals that led to the resignation of a Democratic senator and prompted a GOP House member to resign his leadership position.

The focus now is which bills will survive Owens' infamous veto pen.

The governor said he doubts he'll veto a record 47 bills like he did last year, but already he has concerns about the measures headed his way.

Owens said he views himself as a buffer against anti-business bills, but Fitz-Gerald noted that some measures Owens killed last and this year passed with broad or unanimous bipartisan support.

She also said Owens this year has nixed a whistle-blower protection bill for workers in the health care industry, tougher clean air standards and a proposal to allow local voters to decide whether to pay for all-day kindergarten.

"The vetoes tell the story," she said, and will help voters in November decide which party should control the governor's mansion.

Among bills Owens must address by June 7 is one that offers discounted prescription drug coverage for uninsured Colorado residents or those with high-deductible health plans.

The bill also allows Colorado to enter a multistate purchasing pool to buy drugs in bulk for Medicaid recipients. The volume discount would lower the price for the state.

To join a pool, Colorado would have to come up with a list of the most effective and cheapest drugs to treat its Medicaid patients.

Owens vetoed a similar measure last year because, he said, Medicaid patients, including the disabled, feared their health could suffer if the best drugs to treat their condition weren't included on the list.

It's the only drug bill to reach Owens' desk this session.

The governor said he will likely veto a bill he says is designed to embarrass Wal-Mart and other employers whose employees rely on Medicaid for health care.

Owens said he will likely sign a bill that bans lawmakers from accepting cash gifts for so-called "office accounts," despite concerns rural lawmakers need the money because their districts are vast.

On immigration, Republicans railed throughout the session when their bills died and accused Democrats of trying to hijack the GOP's cornerstone issue.

McElhany said the GOP gets credit for pushing Democrats to approve the immigration bills that did pass.

Some of the Republican immigration bills that died did so after witnesses testified they were unworkable, unconstitutional or anti-business, Fitz-Gerald said.

"When you're in the minority, you have the luxury of putting forward just anything," she said.

Said Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon, D-Denver: "Immigration is a real issue, but a lot of the Republican interest in it is political and not trying to solve a problem."

Republicans blasted Democrats for killing a plan that would have set up a rainy-day fund the state could tap during lean times.

They said the state brought in $170 million in additional Ref C money, and lawmakers passed bills that increase fees to the sum of $48 million. That windfall should have been banked for economic downturns, said McElhany and Owens.