Dems to Romanoff: We Must Protect This House!

Is Speaker Andrew Romanoff having trouble keeping his House in order? We've heard for weeks now that many Democrats are not that happy with Romanoff's leadership, saying that while he may be a great policy mind, his politics could use a little work. Those criticisms came to mind again today when some Democrats briefly attempted something they clearly shouldn't have tried. From the Associated Press:

House Democrats quickly abandoned a plan to restore a tax break for parents today when Republicans complained it would siphon away millions of dollars of extra tax revenue promised for education, health care and other programs.

Republicans accused Democrats of going on a spending spree, and some Democrats warned the tax break could jeopardize a proposal asking voters in November to give the state an extra $3.1 billion over five years to solve a long-term budget crisis.

The "spending spree" line is silly, first of all, and when Republicans insist on overdramatizing the budget it doesn't help them make their case to the voters. But Democrats had no business attempting to slide this measure in, and while many Democrats did speak out against it, Romanoff should have put a stop to it before it even began.

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, a co-sponsor of the child-care credit, reversed himself after an outcry and said it would be killed. He also promised to reject any further tax credit proposals.

Romanoff defended the child-care credit and accused Republicans of caring more about refunding taxes than building the state's economy.

"If that's the case, they can declare victory because we're going to spike this one," Romanoff said.

Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, the main sponsor of the bill to restore the child-care credit, said it would have helped 190,000 families. "We're talking about a small amount of money, $200 per child per year," she said. "This seemed to be the one tax credit leadership felt we should keep to help families."

Maybe Solano's proposal is the greatest thing since the Internet, but now was not the time to propose it. More from the AP:

Some Democrats also expressed dismay, saying the tax break could wreck the delicate compromise that ensured GOP Gov. Bill Owens' backing for the budget fix. "That wasn't part of our deal with the governor," Fitz-Gerald said. "I'm trying to hold to the deal we made. As much as we like child care, my obligation is to get a budget fix," she said.

Owens agreed to support the budget fix only after Democrats agreed to tell voters how the money would be spent. Democrats responded by saying the money would go for transportation, education, health care and pensions for firefighters and police officers. Owens also agreed to temporarily suspend some tax credits he supported, including one for capital gains, if the Democrats would give up some of their favorites, including the one for child-care.

Owens' spokesman, Dan Hopkins, said the Democrats should honor the compromise with Owens. "It's good we're sticking to the original agreement," he said.

Rep. Val Vigil, D-Thornton, chairman of the House Finance Committee, said lawmakers need to resist the urge to spend the rest of the money before voters approve the budget fix."I don't think we can do anything that jeopardizes the passage of the referendum. We can't ask people to keep some of their money and at the same time start handing out tax credits. We're wearing out the new shoes before we even buy them," he said.

Romanoff said he will ask Vigil's committee to formally kill the child-care credit (House Bill 1319) when it meets Wednesday.

Democrats have a good chance to come out ahead on the budget fix, since they'll be able to make the case that changes weren't possible until they got control of the legislature. But Romanoff better pull his head out of his policy books and start acting like a politician if they're going to make it that far.

 

Comments

[Donald E. L. Johnson]

Sorry, maybe I'm dense, but I'm not sure what Romanoff has done wrong. Seems to me he maintained his credibility by realizing he had to honor his commitment to Owens. Are you saying he never should have let the bill get as far as it did?

Are we picking nits, or just using this as an excuse to let the guy know some people are unhappy with his leadrship, which he undoubtedly already knows. Or are we just kissing up to the dissident Dems?

Ok, so it's late and maybe I'm just a little slower than usual. A little clarification would be appreciated.

[tommix]

As usual, no matter how thin you pour a pancake there are always two sides.

[Ralph]

Andrew needs to stop whining, put on his "big girl panties" and lead with maturity and poise. He has gifts, no question. But who would have thought that, as this session draws to a close, that it's Joan Fitz-Gerald who is emerging as the go-to person to achieve consensus and results and that Andrew is the one who is petulant, partisan and, regrettably, often marginalized? Let's hope that he's more effective and more astute as the TABOR referendum effort heats up in the summer and fall.

[Strider]

Nice bill but I would agree VERY bad timing. I think it is prudent to remember that this his Romanoff's first year as Speaker and mistakes like this will be made. The important thing is that he fixed it.

[Ter Ducken]

Donald thinks everything is a conspiracy. He probably is one of those people who believes that we never really landed on the moon, but shot footage of it in a Nevada desert.

The point of the post, as I read it, was that Romanoff should never have let this proposal see the light of day. I think it's pretty clear, actually.

[wonderwoman]

I hope that Romanoff runs for Statewide office, so another Democrat rising star bites the dust.

[Strider]

Keep underestimating Romanoff. Please!

[goper]

Romanoff is a policy wonk without social skills who will be destroyed should he run for statewide office... thank God!

[tommix]

You can learn social skills....harder to be smart.

[gil]

Yes but most people have learned social skills by their late 30's.

Keep underestimating? Up till now everyone has overestimated Romanoff's skills. I would say a little underestimating is more than called for.

[john]

People forget how long it took to get TABOR to be a polical imperative at the Capitol. Romanoff can take a great deal of credit for that.

Referendum C is a product of his strategic wisdom. Few strategists ever actually put their money where their mouth is and run for office.

Romanoff has done that and proven that a "so-called" policy wonk can become Speaker of the House.

[jesse]

People also forget that it took TABOR three consecutive cycles to get passed by th voters.

This stuff isn't as easy as it seems. Best of luch to Andrew, but I don't see this reform package working on the first attempt, even if the press has hyped it for three years on end.

[john]

Unfortunately, this reform package has to work on the first try -- otherwise Colorado's financial house will be the one to bite the dust.

That kind of desperation simply didn't exist when TABOR was being considered. In fact, it was the exact opposite situation.

The press has not been hyping this -- it is real, and has real consequence for Coloradoans.

[Margaret Atencio]

Remember Tabor has been like a leech on the neck of the people of Colorado. It was enacted supposedly to "help" but has done nothing but drain the life away. Anything that can be done to loosen this pest from our lives in any way will be a total boon to all of us.