Governor Bill Ritter
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DENVER, Colo. -
Republicans at the state Capitol are demanding to know the names of every elected or appointed state official who sent discretionary bonuses to staff members at the end of a four-month legislative session dominated by efforts to trim more than $1 billion from the state budget.
Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, and several other Republican state senators and representatives sent a letter to Gov. Bill Ritter Wednesday afternoon. In the letter, they ask Ritter to disclose publicly anyone else in his administration who may have awarded bonuses to staffers and the bonus amount.
That follows Monday's news that former Senate President Peter Groff gave four staffers $30,000 in bonuses at the end of the legislative session before resigning to take a position in the Obama administration.
"Revelations about bonuses recently awarded to Senate Democrat staff in the General Assembly came as an affront to the many Coloradans who are facing the threat of furloughs, pay cuts and layoffs amid our nation's devastating recession," reads the letter signed by Harvey and Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton.
"We were dismayed to learn that your administration has not suspended the same practice, or at least established clear guidelines, in the executive branch," the letter continues. "Instead, it appears that despite our current economic straits, you do not even know whether bonuses have been handed out within your cabinet agencies."
That statement is based on Ritter's chief of staff, Jim Carpenter, who allegedly said "that they don't know, they left it up to the cabinet members in their departments," said Harvey. "I think that's poor management. The fact the governor doesn't know what's going on in his administration is troubling in and of itself."
But Ritter's spokesman, Wil Alston, claimed that Carpenter never said anything like Harvey claims he did -- and that the governor has indeed told his cabinet not to give any bonuses this year.
"Gov. Ritter has made it clear to Executive Directors that no bonuses are to be paid and none have (been)", said a statement released to Fox31 from Ritter's office Wednesday afternoon. "In addition, he has called for furloughs and no raises for state employees, and is currently working with his leadership team to develop additional ways to manage these challenging times."
Whereas the departed Groff faces no political repercussions from his decision to give bonuses, Ritter, who faces a difficult reelection bid next year, could be hurt politically if Republicans are able to tie him to his Democratic counterparts at the Capitol -- which is seemingly what they're trying to do. "This is not just a political opportunity," Harvey said. "This is reality. And the Democrat leadership and governor is out of touch with what's going on out on Main Street Colorado."
Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, and several other Republican state senators and representatives sent a letter to Gov. Bill Ritter Wednesday afternoon. In the letter, they ask Ritter to disclose publicly anyone else in his administration who may have awarded bonuses to staffers and the bonus amount.
That follows Monday's news that former Senate President Peter Groff gave four staffers $30,000 in bonuses at the end of the legislative session before resigning to take a position in the Obama administration.
"Revelations about bonuses recently awarded to Senate Democrat staff in the General Assembly came as an affront to the many Coloradans who are facing the threat of furloughs, pay cuts and layoffs amid our nation's devastating recession," reads the letter signed by Harvey and Sen. Mike Kopp, R-Littleton.
"We were dismayed to learn that your administration has not suspended the same practice, or at least established clear guidelines, in the executive branch," the letter continues. "Instead, it appears that despite our current economic straits, you do not even know whether bonuses have been handed out within your cabinet agencies."
That statement is based on Ritter's chief of staff, Jim Carpenter, who allegedly said "that they don't know, they left it up to the cabinet members in their departments," said Harvey. "I think that's poor management. The fact the governor doesn't know what's going on in his administration is troubling in and of itself."
But Ritter's spokesman, Wil Alston, claimed that Carpenter never said anything like Harvey claims he did -- and that the governor has indeed told his cabinet not to give any bonuses this year.
"Gov. Ritter has made it clear to Executive Directors that no bonuses are to be paid and none have (been)", said a statement released to Fox31 from Ritter's office Wednesday afternoon. "In addition, he has called for furloughs and no raises for state employees, and is currently working with his leadership team to develop additional ways to manage these challenging times."
Whereas the departed Groff faces no political repercussions from his decision to give bonuses, Ritter, who faces a difficult reelection bid next year, could be hurt politically if Republicans are able to tie him to his Democratic counterparts at the Capitol -- which is seemingly what they're trying to do. "This is not just a political opportunity," Harvey said. "This is reality. And the Democrat leadership and governor is out of touch with what's going on out on Main Street Colorado."
