Two Things Governor Ritter Is Willing to Pay for During a Recession

The state budget might be in a rough place, but Governor Bill Ritter has found a way to pay for new National Guard armories in Windsor, Grand Junction, and Alamosa, as well as for road projects. Ritter wants to use $6.4 million from the Colorado Veterans Trust Fund and Real Estate Proceeds Fund to draw $1.3 million in federal matching funds, while also seeking an additional $10 million in federal funds, for the armories, according to the Northern Colorado Business Report. The armories will help house a new 800-soldier infantry battalion that was assigned to Colorado via the Army’s “Grow the Force” initiative. Major General H. Michael Edwards, the Adjutant General for Colorado, says the armories will bring millions of dollars and jobs to the state. Ritter has also proposed a $1.03 billion transportation budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year, which represents a six percent increase over 2009. Deteriorating roads and bridges will be repaired through fees, according to the Denver Business Journal.