A politically motivated attack aimed at gubernatorial candidate Walker Stapleton landed with a flop this week when leading Democrats, Reps. Chris Hansen and Daneya Esgar, unsuccessfully tried to accuse him of delaying a financial transaction that is being completed nine months before the statutory deadline.
As Treasurer, Stapleton is responsible for issuing Certificates of Participation under Senate Bill 17-267 to fund a variety of transportation and capital construction projects. In testimony before the Capital Development Committee this morning, the Treasurer’s office assured members that the funds would be issued in September.
It is important to note that the bill authorized the Treasurer’s Office to issue any time during fiscal year 2018/2019. Colorado’s fiscal year starts July 1 and ends June 30, which means the deadline for issuing these COPs is June 30, 2019. To be getting it done in September of this year is pretty darn impressive and shows how the Treasurer’s office has bent over backwards to get this done quickly.
Not only is it clear to anyone with half a brain that the funds are not being delayed, but neither are projects relying on that money.
In other words, Stapleton: 1; Jared Polis Foot Soldiers: 0
The person who comes out looking the worst is 100% the overly ambitious Hansen, who works so hard to position himself as a moderate that Chamber-types can rely on when they need a Democrat to carry water for them. Letting himself be used as a tool to land a poorly orchestrated political attack is not a good look for him.