Press Release - Job Creation, Infrastructure Investments
OFFICE OF GOVERNOR BILL RITTER, JR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, DEC. 2, 2008
CONTACT:
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER PUSHES FOR JOB CREATION, INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS
PHILADELPHIA -- Gov. Bill Ritter joined the nation's governors today in sharing their ideas with President-elect Obama on how an economic-recovery package could best create new jobs and spur economic growth in their states.
Gov. Ritter is particularly focused on a recovery package that includes investments in transportation and energy infrastructure as a way to both meet important and unmet needs and stimulate employment opportunities.
"Colorado's two most pressing needs are in transportation and energy infrastructure," Gov. Ritter said, following a National Governors Association meeting in Philadelphia with President-elect Obama. "We are experiencing a sharp decline in transportation revenue -- our transportation budget is the equivalent of what it was 25 years ago -- and we lack sufficient natural-gas pipelines and electricity transmission lines.
"Any future economic-recovery investments would not only help meet those vital needs, but they also would stimulate Colorado's economy and create thousands of new jobs for Coloradans," Gov. Ritter said.
Gov. Ritter said he is pleased that President-elect Obama is listening to governors and demonstrating that he will be a strong federal partner with the states. Gov. Ritter will present additional details about Colorado's infrastructure needs, as well as information about Colorado's successes at building a New Energy Economy, to members of President-elect Obama's transportation and energy transition teams in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
Last month, Gov. Ritter urged Colorado's congressional delegation to include transportation funding in a recovery package aimed at helping states.
After today's meeting in Philadelphia, Gov. Ritter said Colorado has 157 highway, bridge, transit and aviation projects, valued at more than $1.2 billion, that could move forward in less than 180 days if a federal recovery package included funding for transportation infrastructure and job creation.
Gov. Ritter also emphasized the need for infrastructure and job-creation investments in natural gas pipelines, transmission lines to load wind and solar power onto the electricity grid, incentives to spur growth in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and research and development in areas such as cellulosic ethanol, plug-in hybrid vehicles and clean-coal technologies.