FACT SHEET: The Truth About Government Hiring

(Tuesday, October 13, 2009)

The Denver Post this past weekend shattered one of the most ridiculous myths that a few lawmakers have been spreading for months – that Governor Ritter has grown government by adding 4,400 new employees to the state workforce since taking office.

In fact, the Post story reported, the figure is 645 -- and where jobs were added, many were required by legislation co-sponsored or supported by the very lawmakers now criticizing and attacking Governor Ritter.

Talk about irresponsibly overstating the facts.

As Governor Ritter said in the Post story, it's one thing to engage in an honest debate, it's totally another thing to ignore easily obtainable data and twist the facts for nothing more than political gain.

It's yet another glaring example of how some have decided not to offer serious solutions to the economic crisis and have instead chosen to stand on the sidelines and do nothing but criticize.

Truth is, Governor Ritter has taken great care to manage the state's finances, keep the budget balanced during the worst economy since the Great Depression, and fundamentally re-think the way government does business and delivers services.

Working together, Governor Ritter, the nonpartisan Joint Budget Committee and legislative leaders have closed recession-caused shortfalls of $1.8 billion, with another $240 million gap to be erased this month.

They have reduced spending 10½ percent, eliminated 300 positions, imposed unpaid furlough days and frozen employee salaries.

Just as working families and small businesses are tightening their belts, Governor Ritter is doing the same for state government.

And he's doing it in a way that's thoughtful, surgical and compassionate. He's preserving core services, protecting the safety-net and maintaining investments in public safety and in our economy, education and infrastructure.

His strategy is working. As difficult as things are in Colorado, we remain in much better shape than many other states.

Our unemployment rate has remained below the national average all year. CNBC and Forbes.com recently ranked Colorado among the top five states in which to do business. And experts say we'll be one of the first states to emerge from the downturn.

The recession has slowed us down, but it hasn't stopped us. And we'll get through these tough times stronger, healthier and faster by working together -- not by twisting the truth, making false accusations and betting against the promise of Colorado.