Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Divided over new jobs

GOP, Dems debate the hiring of more state employees

Alan Gathright and Chris Barge

Published March 26, 2008 at 12:30 a.m.

Text size  

More Colorado Government

More stories »

Republican lawmakers accused Democrats of courting disaster by adding 1,334 new state jobs in the state budget as the Colorado economy - and tax revenues - are tanking.

"Will the state have the money to pay for that?" Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, asked fellow members of the House Appropriations Committee Tuesday before they advanced the $17.6 billion budget bill. The state may be forced to lay off all the new hires, or raid coffers as it did during the 2001 recession, McNulty said.

But Gov. Bill Ritter and fellow Democrats said Republicans talk a good game about cracking down on crime and improving the state's economy, then duck the tab for hiring people to get the job done.

"Look at the places where the (jobs) are added: prisons and higher education," Ritter said. "There are people in this building that will build prisons 'til the cows come home and then they turn around and try to criticize you for staffing them."

Joint Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Bernie Buescher, D-Grand Junction, echoed that frustration.

"I think it is the height of hypocrisy for this legislature to increase criminal penalties to lengthen sentences and then criticize the necessary steps that you have to take in order to put those individuals safely away (in prison)," he told the appropriations committee and McNulty.

The sharp exchanges foreshadowed today's House floor debate over the budget bill.

Ritter said there is a 750-bed prison being built now, and the state has a low ratio of parole officers to offenders, which he considers a public safety issue.

"Am I adding parole officers? You bet. Am I adding corrections officers? You bet I am," Ritter said.

Defending the higher education jobs he wants to add, Ritter said no one has disagreed with his goal of doubling the number of college diplomas earned over a 10-year period. That requires more staff at colleges and universities, Ritter said.

Finally, Ritter said he is adding people to process permits for the oil and gas industry because that's good for the economy.

But Republicans hinted that a budget proposal to turn contract workers into permanent state employees smacked of a pro-labor payback by Democrats.

"Those are your future union members," said Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument. "Those are people you will never be able to cut."

Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo West, said making contract workers state employees ensures continuity in providing services.

State personnel rules require contract workers to take a two- week break every six months, hamstringing projects, said Rep. Al White, R-Hayden, a budget committee member.

House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, awarded the state budget bill his weekly "golden anvil" award for weighing down business.

"In bad times, you do the best with what you have," May said. "You don't push it to the limit and see what happens. That's just bad economic policy."

gathrighta@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5486 The Associated Press contributed to this report.

More staff

1,334 full-time jobs or their equivalent would be added to the state payroll under Gov. Bill Ritter's budget, a 2.7 percent increase that brings the government's full-time work force to 50,823.

* Most of the slots are for prison guards, judges and probation officers, university instructors and staff, as well as staff for the governor's new homeland security and energy offices.

* The bulk of new jobs would go to these state programs:

* Corrections 268

* Higher Education 524

* Judiciary 221

* Human Services 45

* Governor's office 40

* Transportation 37

* Natural Resources 30

Comments

  • March 26, 2008

    6:18 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Michael writes:

    If these people are in operations and not administrative paper pushers then they add producitvity value to the areas they are deployed in. If we are simply rewarding friends with "cushy" 6 figure jobs in a nice office then I think that has to be looked at more closely. For instance, are those 524 in "higher education" professors, asst. professors, or teachers who will actually teach classes? Or just another layer of educrats? Does the guv's office really need 40 new staffers and what will they do? And the 268 "corections" people - are they guards in prisons or in prison operational support? Let's drill down more and see EXACTLY what positions are being filled here and do any of the people filling them have any connections to any elected or appointed officials in the current administration.

  • March 26, 2008

    6:36 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    vudumom writes:

    That sounds reasonable,Michael.Unfortunately there is no reasonable in government.
    The higher education number seems a little high. With all the Universities crying for more tax money,I think it's time for them to start looking for ways to save and stay within a budget. How many full-time professors do we have drawing full-time salaries and are hardly in the classroom?How many classes are taught by teaching assistants?Wouldn't that be an eye opener?I'd venture to say a minimum of 40% of Professors are pulling in big bucks for not teaching but handing of their duties to teaching assistants.

  • March 26, 2008

    9 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kathyM writes:

    vudumom, You're not too far off. Over 50% of classes in American universities are taught by adjunct instructors: part-time workers whose employment is semester to semester, no benefits, and half the pay of full-timers. To make a living wage, a typical adjunct must teach as many as 8-9 classes a semester, usually at multiple colleges. A university full-timer teaches 2-3 classes/semester. Community college full-timers are required to teach 5, but at a higher pay rate and with benefits.

    There are many gifted teachers out there who literally can't afford to teach our college students. If we want the best for our kids, I agree that more full-time TEACHING positions should be added to Colorado colleges and universities. However, colleges shouldn't expect the state to foot the entire bill--especially those colleges sitting on huge nest eggs (endowments).

  • March 26, 2008

    8:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    lijakuciai writes:

    As far as 40 people for the governor's office, I know for a fact that Owens the predecessor cut the advocacy office. These are people who work for you and me when there is a problem with government. If government is such a problem, don't you want some help in dealing with them? I think it speaks to how the predecessor and friends talk a good game but then leave it to their opposition to clean up the mess with the tough decisions about budgets and the like.