Colorado’s legislative session ended Wednesday, but the Legislature could be back at the Capitol in a matter of days.
While both parties were able to reach some last-minute bipartisan agreements that brought some money in to address state roads and highways, health care concerns, education issues and construction defects, Governor John Hickenlooper says there were some shortfalls that need to be taken care of right away.
On this week’s Politics Unplugged, legislative leaders are split on what the Governor wants to be taken care of now or if it can wait until the next session begins in January.
“I’m not convinced of that at this moment. That's what happened toward the end of the session and the differences that exist will be different a week from now,” Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Fremont County, told Anne Trujillo. “Maybe they’ll be different a month from now, but we can keep talking.”
“If we’re able to find common ground on transportation, on rural broadband, on making sure we have energy policies that work, I don’t see why we wouldn’t try to come up with a solution,” Speaker of the House Crisanta Duran, D-Denver, said.
Overall, both party leaders say they accomplished a lot this session and would give their respective parties good grades.
“I would give us an A when it comes to having tough conversations and taking on the most challenging issues and being able to deliver results,” Duran said.
“Based upon the sentiments at the beginning of the session and regardless of the hiccups we’ve seen in the last days, I’d give us a B+/A-,” Grantham added.
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Politics Unplugged airs Sundays at 4:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Denver7.
