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March 04, 2010 09:59 PM UTC

Hickenlooper, McInnis Address Springs Chamber

  • 42 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

Another stump speech joint appearance for gubernatorial candidates John Hickenlooper and Scott McInnis, this time before the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce–the Gazette reports:

Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper made his first pitch to the Colorado Springs business community Wednesday during a session of dueling stump speeches that included Scott McInnis, the GOP frontrunner in the governor’s race.

McInnis told more than 100 members of the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce that he’ll cut spending to balance to the state’s budget gap and hold the line on taxes. Hickenlooper, unopposed in the Democratic primary, focused on himself and the Cascade Avenue brew pub he started during a 30-minute talk…

It was Hickenlooper’s first address to a Colorado Springs audience since entering the governor’s race in January. He’s still trying to introduce himself to voters outside Denver and hasn’t tangled with Republicans on major issues.

McInnis has been courting Colorado Springs Republicans for months in his primary bid against Denver businessman Dan Maes. McInnis’ political lines are well-known and well-honed…

Hickenlooper bought the Phantom Canyon building at the corner of Pikes Peak and Cascade avenues to save it from the wrecking ball and turned it into a successful restaurant and micro brewery before selling his interest. The tale of his Colorado Springs success, which some say was key in the revitalization of downtown, may win him friends in the Pikes Peak region…

Jonathan Dorsey, a Colorado Springs financial planner, said he hasn’t made up his mind in the race, but liked the way Hickenlooper came across.

“He was the one I understood,” Dorsey said.

McInnis is having a hard time luring his likely November opponent into the traditional campaign war of words.

“The mayor and I have never had a cross word between us, but there is a difference, and there is a choice you have to make,” he said.

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42 thoughts on “Hickenlooper, McInnis Address Springs Chamber”

  1. Hickenlooper, even under questioning from the Colorado Springs crowd, avoided taking anything that could be construed as a stance on issues facing the state.

      1. We’re willing to bet that there’s a decent number of uninformed voters out there who are really going to like the fact that Hickenlooper owned/owns brewpubs (heck, it probably helps any candidate if they can say that). Gives new meaning to the old idea of “which candidate would you rather have a beer with?”

    4. Hickenlooper bought the Phantom Canyon building at the corner of Pikes Peak and Cascade avenues to save it from the wrecking ball and turned it into a successful restaurant and micro brewery before selling his interest.

      What has McInnis done to create jobs? Has he ever had to meet payroll?

      Everybody knows that painful cuts are coming next year. At least Hick isn’t promising to increase spending on roads and higher education and starting a rainy day fund while simultaneously cutting the state budget. McInnis is. How can you defend that?

      Oh wait. You’re not.

      1. Admittedly it’s more fun to walk into a bar and have a beer than a JBC hearing on the state budget.  And more popular I might add. Hick’s success in the brewery business is well known and no one argues the point.

        But we’re talking tax policy here that affects Colorado businesses for better or worse. McInnis has the depth of experience in the legislative process and is willing to express his views. Hick it appears is unwilling to go there.

          1. it gets in the way of her saying McInnis “is willing to express his views,” even though he still hasn’t expressed any views on the budget, just that he opposes fee increases and loophole rollbacks and wants to increase spending on some things.  

              1. when we’re good and ready. He’s willing to express his views, if only we could handle them. It’s really our fault Scott keeps his wisdom to himself.

        4. 1. Still waiting for a defense of McInnis’ position that he can simultaneously increase spending and cut the state budget.

          2. McInnis may be willing to express his views, but I seriously question those views (see #1 above) and he frequently repeats documented falsehoods (O&G talking points).

          3. Depth of experience in the legislative process? Would that be as a lobbyist and a Tom Delay crony? Good luck with that one.

          4. Governor is an executive position. I think Hick has more relevant experience, in both business and government.

          5. Nice spin, trying to position McInnis as the “serious” candidate. Do you really think that will stick with Hick’s background as a successful scientist/entrepreneur/mayor? I don’t.

      2. Hickenlooper has actually been dealing with balancing a budget in times of declining revenues – and he has done it without asking the voters to approve a tax increase.  There had been a lot of pressure from some City Council members to increase some fees or raise taxes (there was a strong push to institute a trash hauling fee for residential customers, and he resisted).

        His first year in office he had to reduce the city budget.  He has also had to do so, drastically, the last two years and is facing another year (2011) in which he will be responsible for reducing the city budget even more.

        When has Scooter ever had to do that as an executive?

        Talk is cheap, Scooter, but actions speak for themselves.

  2. When the military and energy industry flee the state, it’s good to know Hick will open a bar. We’ll need it then, won’t we?

    The choice is for responsible leadership, and that is the cop not the beer guy. Not worried about the Springs vote!

    1. You mean the animal control officer, who went on to become an entrenched congressman who kept threatening to run for statewide office and then dissing the candidates who did, and is now a fat-cat lawyer-lobbyist? That cop?

      3. Was he really an animal control officer?

        His official bio on the official congressional bio directory say Police Officer.  Are you saying he engaged in resume inflation?

    2. Anadarko Petroleum Corp. plans to operate up to eight rigs and drill 450 wells in the northeastern Colorado Wattenberg Field this year, company officials said Tuesday at an investor conference in New York City.

      Suburban Houston-based Anadarko said it plans to spend up to $2.3 billion to drill 2,100 to 2,750 wells in the Wattenberg in the next five years.

      The push in the Colorado field is because the investments are “very capital-efficient,” said Charles Meloy, the company’s senior vice president for worldwide operations.

      “If you can save a penny on any one task in drilling . . .,” Meloy said, “with this many wells and this much production, that penny per barrel over that much production makes a huge difference.”

      In the Wattenberg, the number of wells drilled has risen without adding employees, and the average time to complete a well has dropped in three years from eight days to less than five, the company said.

      The addition of two pipelines out of the Wattenberg has improved the sale value of Anadarko production by about $110 million a year, Meloy said.

      Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/ener…

      After years of claiming Colorado’s new oil and gas regulations will chase the energy industry and its jobs from the state, oil and gas operators and an industry group are now saying the rules will have little impact on future energy development here.

      That comes after an oil well in northern Weld County’s Niobrara Formation recently gushed more than 1,000 barrels of oil in one day. The gusher is giving the industry and Weld County hope that a new oil field with more than 17,000 wells could be developed near the Wyoming border, sending newfound economic prosperity pulsing through the region.

      We get that this might play with the generally uninformed base that is the GOP.  But I am not sure being non-reality based plays well with the general public.  Hick is a proven success.  McInnis is old news.  Even if your and LB’s dreams come true, nationally, Hick will do well in CO and McInnis will have to go back to lawyer-lobbying.  

      ______________________________________

    3. To all the other states where the market is just as bad? please. BTW I was at that meeting The funniest thing I heard from Scooters mouth was he wants to repeal A/Byrd. Lmao! good luck to him. If that isn’t a clear sign of fiscal moronity I don’t know what is 😐

        1. I hear Morse won’t hold him to it. I stuck around for his and Mitchell’s exchange as well.

          PS I can’t stop laughing at the cartoon below me

    4. “He has a strong personality and is a successful businessman,” said chamber member Steve Hicks, an avowed McInnis supporter who still found something to like in Hickelooper’s style.

      McInnis and Dick Wad must be feeling.

      1. I heard that Hickenlooper had several companies go into bankrupcy–is that true. Also, understand the biz in C. Springs was one of them.

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