When then Colorado-gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter brought his whistle-stop campaign tour through the Brighton and Fort Lupton area five years ago, his message was one of hope and the creation of his “new energy economy.”
Last week’s announcement that Ritter would finish out his term but not seek re-election seemed to be an anticlimactic end to many of the promises Ritter made out on the campaign trail and tried to follow through during his time in office.
It is hard to judge what Ritter’s legacy as Colorado governor will be. There will certainly be ample time over the next year to debate that very question. Part of the challenge in giving Ritter a proper historical context will be the unprecedentedly bad economic times he faced during his tenure, especially in the latter part of his term.
Colorado, obviously, did not dodge the fallout from this country’s recession and, before he leaves office, Ritter will likely confront more tough decisions on the state’s budget. The economic woes make it hard to believe Ritter’s performance can be judged on a level playing field in reference to past Colorado governors.
Many credit Ritter’s vision of building Colorado’s future on the business of renewable energies as a key reason the state is not in even worse economic shape. But, again, time will be the greatest factor in a determination of whether the new energy businesses brought to Colorado have the long-term sustainability to help our state’s economy soar to new heights.
Ritter was among those who excitedly shoveled dirt at Vestas’ groundbreaking in Brighton. But a downturn in the company’s orders now has many waiting with bated breath and fingers crossed. It’s a harsh reminder of staking our hope in such speculative business.
Ritter’s legacy may very well be judged across this state not by economic initiatives but by unpopular decisions that still rankle Coloradoans. Sit down at a community meeting or at a dinner table, and it’s hard not to hear Ritter’s name associated with a very audible grumble of a hike in auto registration fees in spite of the country’s economic downturn. Those sentiments, coupled with sharp state education funding cuts that school districts are bracing for this year, could overshadow any positives Ritter was able to accomplish in his time as governor.