With the legislative session over and lawmakers back in their home districts, the Capitol is a much quieter place these days. This same is not true at Governor John Hickenlooper's office, where many big issues are stacked up on his plate. In his monthly conversation with CPR's Colorado Matters, Hickenlooper discusses what he's working on:
- The governor says he has staff working seven days a week to broker a deal between the oil and gas industry, local governments and environmental interests on a policy that would put more regulatory power in the hands of cities and counties. The goal is to avoid a costly ballot showdown, although the governor only puts the odds of success at 50-50. At the same time, a number of grassroots groups complain they're being shut out of negotiations.
- June 6 is the deadline for the governor to veto any bills from this past legislative session and there are several he's considering. One in particular would increase public oversight of transportation contracts with private companies. The policy was inspired by outcry over a public-private partnership to manage the Boulder Turnpike. Hickenlooper says he likes the transparency mandates in the bill, but the devil is in the details.
- With the Colorado Symphony holding marijuana-themed fundraisers, and state regulators debating stiffer regulations for pot edibles, the governor weighs in on how marijuana legalization is affecting Colorado's image.
- Read the full transcript of Gov. Hickenlooper's full conversation with CPR's Colorado Matters
