Gov. John Hickenlooper delivered one of his last State of the State addresses to the Colorado legislature on Jan. 12. He didn鈥檛 delve into specifics, but instead talked broadly about policy, including infrastructure investment and potential health care reform.
He pledged to create a broadband office to increase broadband internet coverage from 70 percent to 85 percent of households before he leaves office in 2018, and to 100 percent coverage by the year 2020.
鈥淚n rural Colorado, only 7 in 10 households have [broadband] access. Tonight, somewhere in one of these communities, a high school student will sit in a parked car outside her town library. She鈥檒l huddle over her laptop, face glowing from the screen as she tries to finish her paper, because it鈥檚 the only place she can get Wi-Fi. This isn鈥檛 right,鈥� said Hickenlooper.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle could be seen standing and clapping for the proposal Representative Millie Hamner (D-Dillion) said it鈥檚 an issue for her constituents on the Western Slope.
鈥淭hey have broadband but not always the redundancy or backup if there鈥檚 an emergency. There could be really critical repercussions,鈥� she said.
The governor said he hopes to prioritize transportation funding and improvements to roads and bridges. While lawmakers in both parties agree, there鈥檚 not consensus on funding. Hickenlooper believes the current budget cannot make up for the $9 billion transportation funding shortfall over the next decade.
鈥淲e鈥檙e already squeezing every penny out of our transportation revenue, but efficiencies can only get us so far. With the gas tax unchanged since 1992, more fuel efficient cars and normal inflation: it鈥檚 basic math. It鈥檚 a funding problem. We鈥檝e had this debate for too long,鈥� said Hickenlooper.
He said he would like to put the question of transportation funding before voters this November. Republicans aren鈥檛 sold on the idea, and any referred measure would need bipartisan support.
鈥淲e can control the general fund this session and actually do something for transportation this session,鈥� said House Minority Leader Patrick Neville.
Other Republicans, such as Sen. Bob Gardner of Colorado Springs, say they鈥檒l take a wait- and- see approach.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 sort of inevitable that the transportation question whatever it is will have to go to voters ultimately,鈥� said Gardner. 鈥淭he fundamental discussion between Republicans and Democrats is about whether there should be new revenue, which is the Democrat position. Republicans, I among them, believe we have to re-prioritize.鈥�
While GOP leaders in the statehouse have introduced a bill to repeal the state鈥檚 health care exchange, Hickenlooper urged caution in the face of potential changes from Washington.
鈥淚f changes are inevitable, I will fight for a replacement plan that protects the people who are covered now and doesn鈥檛 take us backwards,鈥� he said.
While issues like health care expose stark partisan differences, Colorado鈥檚 lawmakers said they feel confident they can make headway on other, less divisive issues such as making housing more affordable and discussing constitutional budget provisions that may require action in future years.
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