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Dem lawmakers blast Ritter's construction priorities

April M. Washington

Published November 30, 2007 at 12:30 a.m.

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Democratic lawmakers took shots at Gov. Bill Ritter on Thursday over his construction priorities, signaling an intraparty battle for limited capital funding.

The governor and his aides are out of touch with the critical needs, especially at the Auraria campus in Denver, said Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada.

"They need to travel in the 18-passenger vans like we did to tour these schools instead of limos with drivers and view and smell the buildings on some college campuses to get sense of the real need," she said.

Ritter has proposed halving the money for expanding Auraria's science building to $25 million. Campus leaders told the Capitol Development Committee on Thursday that drastic cuts could delay the project, slated to break ground next Friday, or doom it.

Ritter is recommending that the state spend $180 million next year to fund 23 capital construction projects. The CDC wants that amount bumped to $238 million to fund some two dozen projects.

Ritter's focus is to fund building and technology projects that are under way, pay for the upkeep of the state's existing infrastructure, and repair and update buildings that threaten the life and safety of the public, said Todd Saliman, his budget director.

State agencies are seeking funding for about 154 projects totaling $597 million.

Some lawmakers said the governor ignored the traditional process and made up his own list.

The Colorado Commission on Higher Education approved the Auraria science lab project, which will cost an estimated $111 million.

It ranked fourth on its priority list, but it's 21st on the governor's list.

Dean Wolf, Auraria's executive vice president for administration, said the campus has run out of space.