9NEWS’ Brandon Rittiman reports, Gov. John Hickenlooper has declined the “request” from Senate President Kevin Grantham to call off next week’s special session of the legislature to fix a drafting error in a fiscal stabilization bill pass this year that’s costing special tax districts millions of dollars–in more polite terms than we would:
Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) is unwilling to call off the special session of the state legislature he scheduled to begin on October 2, his office tells 9NEWS.
In an interview Thursday for Balance of Power, Republican Senate President Kevin Grantham asked the governor to call off the special session, arguing that Republicans weren’t brought on board.
The special session is aimed at fixing a mistake lawmakers made in a tax bill earlier this year, which accidentally blocked so-called “special districts” like RTD from collecting sales tax on recreational marijuana.
“The governor has circled back with stakeholders who have reiterated the need for a special session,” the governor’s press secretary Jacque Montgomery wrote in a statement. “He certainly appreciates that a special session may be inconvenient for some legislators, [Pols emphasis] but special districts and their residents trying to get to work on a bus or visit a beloved cultural institution should not have to pay for an inadvertent mistake. The right thing to do is come together, fix it quickly, and be done with it.”
The bottom line here is that the governor has the power to order the Colorado General Assembly to convene, but once that happens the General Assembly can do what it wants–including adjourn if that’s what they choose. The Democratic-controlled House will of course take the action requested by the governor, but the obvious question is whether GOP Senate President Kevin Grantham will allow the fix legislation–in all likelihood the same bill introduced by fellow GOP Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg for the 2018 session–through his chamber. In the next few days, we expect affected stakeholders and editorial boards across the state to make it plain to Grantham that this is not an acceptable pretext to “starve the beast.” The argument that fixing this mistake “can wait” until January is not supported by special districts who asked the governor to intervene–and the cost of the special session is a tiny fraction of the revenue those districts would lose in that time.
What will break this logjam? Republicans realizing that the political cost of digging in their heels over a drafting error going into a tough midterm election exceeds any potential benefit. The attack this sets up against Republicans, that they are once again choosing political games over elementary responsibility, could be quite damaging in close Senate races next year.
And have we mentioned recently that Senate Republicans have no margin for error in 2018? Stay tuned.
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Awwww. Senate Reublicans have to do their jobs? THE HORROR!!! They're not capable of governing.
Maybe they should try to repeal Obamacare. if they can't do it nationally, maybe they could do something closer to home.
They tried. Getting rid of the exchanges. They gave that up when it couldn't even get out of the Senate. The house would have massacred it.
Apparently all of Colorado's GOPer representatives want to be Walker Stapleton?!?
I see Grantham shaved. Somewhat.
I hope the governor is more respectful of the Senate President when he calls than Colorado Pols and your slime ball commenters are. Not how to win friends and influence people! I would tell you to pound sand now just because you're being jerks.
Wouldn't Grantham have to have earned some respect by showing that he cares about the lives of his fellow Coloradans and the institutions that serve them enough to take a few days out of his life for them?
Oh. Talking about a Republican who doesn't want to do his job makes us jerks? Snowflale much Moldy? You seem a little sensitive.
Since we're all jerks, you can leave and stay in your safe space. Where you only have your fellow Nazis and fascists to talk to.
Fluffy, shouldn't you be saving your gunpowder for Monday Night Football?
One of these doesn't belong with the other, Fluffy…
Seriously. Do yourself a favor. Run down to the local dispensary and get some natural medication.
Looks like that medicine I slipped in his water the other day wasn't enough. Guess I'll have to try a bigger dose.
Just slip him a mickey.