Loading
  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

Don Marostica

Don Marostica (born March 7, 1948) is a real estate developer and former legislator in the U.S. state of Colorado, currently serving as director of the state's Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

Raised in Colorado, Marostica is an Army veteran, former high school teacher, and most recently a prominent real estate developer in northern Colorado. After several years serving on the Loveland, Colorado city council, Marostica was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2006, represented House District 51, which encompasses the city of Loveland.

Marostica, regarded as a moderate Republican, focused heavily on fiscal issues as a legislator, including transparency and loosening budgetary restrictions, and sat on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee during the 2009 session. In July 2009, Marostica resigned from the legislature to accept the post of economic development director in the cabinet of Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, where he has focused on attracting and growing business in the state of Colorado during the ongoing recession.

Early career

Marostica was born in Sterling, Colorado and graduated from Roosevelt High School in Johnstown. He attended Colorado State University on football and wrestling scholarships, graduating in 1970 with a degree in physical science and geology. In 1975, he earned a master's degree in secondary school administration from the University of Northern Colorado

Have been commissioned through the ROTC program at Colorado State, Marostica served in the United States Army and the Colorado Army National Guard, leaving the service at the rank of captain in 1979. After leaving the army, Marostica taught and coached wrestling at Rocky Mountain High School in Fort Collins. Marostica currently resides in Loveland, Colorado with his wife, Carol.

Marostica entered the real estate industry in 1977 and is currently a partner in Loveland Commercial, LLC. In 1982, during a downturn in the real estate market, Marostica declared bankruptcy and had judgements from creditors filed against him. He also had tax liens filed against him both in the early 1980s and in the mid-1990s, and has since paid all back taxes. Marostica became financially successful in real estate, and, together with other partners in Loveland Commercial, has donated extensively to local causes, including endowing a chair in the business department of Colorado State University. As a developer, Marostica specialized in commercial real estate, spearheading five Planned Unit Developments in Loveland and Milliken, Colorado.

Marostica was elected to the Loveland City Council in 2001, serving for three years, including a span as mayor pro tem, before resigning in 2004 because of professional conflicts of interest. During his 2006 legislative campaign, he was criticized for, as a city council member, voting to award city money to his company for a development contract; the city council had to authorize a special exception to its conflict of interest rules to approve the contract.

Marostica has served on over 60 boards and commissions in the Loveland area, with an emphasis on transportation-related issues (Loveland Transportation Finance Committee, Loveland East-West Mobility Study Committee, Loveland Eisenhower Boulevard Alignment Analysis Committee, Fort Collins-Loveland Airport Master Plan Update Committee). He has also served as the chair of the board of directors of the Poudre Valley Health System Foundation and the Medical Center of the Rockies Foundation, and on the bond oversight committee for the Thompson School District. He is also an avid motorcyclist and regularly participates in the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Ride to the Wall, a cross-county ride ending at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Legislative career

2006 election

In seeking the 51st House district state house seat, representing Loveland, Marostica first faced a challenge from Kevan McNaught in the Republican primary. McNaught was endorsed by the Colorado Club for Growth, who criticized Marostica for his support of higher taxes and his use of eminent domain when he was a member the Loveland city council. Marostica edged out McNaught in the Republican primary by about 250 votes, or 5% of voters. In contrast with McNaught's conservative credentials, Marostica was considered by observers on both the left and the right to be a moderate Republican; he supported Colorado's 2005 Referendum C, a loosening of state spending restrictions under the state's Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

In the general election, Marostica defeated Democrat Jodi Radke in the general election with 56% of the vote. Marostica raised and spent roughly $350,000, of which $220,000 — almost least two-thirds of the money his campaign spent — was donated by Marostica himself, to win the contested primary and general elections.

2007 legislative session

For the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Marostica was assigned to seats on the House Finance Committee and the House Transportation and Energy Committee, while expressing an interest in eventually serving on the powerful Joint Budget Committee. Following the legislative session, Marostica sat on the interim Transportation Legislation Review Committee.

Although a Republican serving in a legislature controlled by Democrats, Marostica was relatively successful at passing legislation. During his first session, Marostica sponsored bills to streamline the issuance of search warrants, to give volunteer reserve peace officers the same status as regular peace officers, and to require that powersports vehicles be sold only by licensed motor vehicle dealers. Marostica, an avid motorcyclist, was among the prominent opponents of a bill that would have required minors to wear motorcycle helmets while riding, even wearing his own motorcycle helmet to a committee hearing at which the bill was debated.

Marostica failed to win legislative approval what he described as his "most important" proposal — the "Taxpayer Transparency Act," which would have required that government expenditures larger than $300 be reported on a searchable government website. Although supported by Republican House leadership, the bill died in committee; however, Marostica saw his transparency proposal implemented in 2009 by an executive order of Gov. Bill Ritter.

2008 legislative session

In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Marostica sat on the House Health and Human Services Committee, the House Transportation and Energy Committee, and the Joint Capital Development Committee.

Marostica declared his "favorite bill" among those he sponsored during the session to be a measure to exempt owners from property tax on buildings leased to public universities, an idea Marostica attributed to a local developer. Marostica also sponsored legislation signed into law to allow statutory counties, cities, and towns to spend money on marketing in addition to advertising, in response to a lawsuit challenging the town of Estes Park's ability to engage in marketing.

2008 election

Marostica announced his bid for re-election to the legislature in January 2008; Marostica's campaign raised about five times as much money as that of Democratic opponent Kenneth Bennett, bringing in over $80,000 by mid-October, of which $10,000 was contributed by Marostica personally; His re-election bid was endorsed by the Denver Post, Marostica ultimately won with 58 percent of the vote.

In the contested 2008 Republican presidential primaries, Marostica supported former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, helping to organize a November 2007 fundraiser for Giuliani's campaign that was reported to net over $60,000. After John McCain secured the Republican nomination, Marostica supported the McCain-Palin ticket, including kicking off a Sarah Palin rally in Loveland in October.

2009 legislative session

For the 2009 legislative session, Marostica was named to a seat on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee, and a seat on the House Appropriations Committee as the ranking Republican member. During hearings before the beginning of the legislative session, Marostica supported withdrawing all state funding from public research universities, a move opposed by university leaders, but which was discussed more seriously after poor economic forecasts. Marostica also helped to lead an effort to allow the state to tap the financial reserves of Pinnacol Assurance, a quasi-governmental worker's compensation insurer, in order to balance the state budget. Following the legislative session, Marostica served on Colorado's Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission, a panel created by legislation during the 2009 General Assembly to consider changes to constitutional constraints on the state budget.

In February, Marostica was the only Republican who announced plans to support legislation to repeal Colorado's Arveschoug-Bird limit, which capped the growth of general fund expenditures at 6 percent per year. Marostica faced pressure from prominent Republicans, including Independence Institute President Jon Caldara and former state treasurer Mark Hillman, to drop his support; in response, he referred to Hillman and Caldera as "has-beens" and "losers," earning him additional criticism from House Republicans; Marostica later promised to apologize to Hillman and Caldera. Marostica was the prime sponsor of the bill in the House, where, after surviving an attempted Republican filibuster in the Senate, it was ratified, and later signed into law. Marostica also broke with other Republicans as the only member of his party to vote in support of a failed effort to repeal Colorado's death penalty; the proposal passed the Colorado House by one vote, but was defeated in the Senate.

Marostica also sponsored bills to allow golf carts, scooters, and small electric vehicles to travel on some public roads, to allow state veterans organizations to provide burial for unclaimed remains of Colorado military personnel, and to allow building inspectors from other municipalities to assess structural damage to properties, a proposal stemming from a May 2008 tornado in Windsor, Colorado. to enable increased state funding for online education, and to keep Colorado's tobacco litigation settlement cash fund open for one additional year. Marostica announced plans to introduce legislation to expand the definition of cigar bars to increase the number of establishments exempt from Colorado's indoor smoking ban, but withdrew the legislation after facing opposition from Democrats; that same week, he denounced as "inappropriate and offensive" a British National Health Service flyer distributed by a lobbyist linking smoking to erectile dysfunction, calling for an ethics investigation into the flyer.

Director of Economic Development

In July 2009, Democratic governor Bill Ritter named Marostica, a Republican, to the post of executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, replacing Don Elliman, who Ritter had tapped as Colorado's chief operating officer. Marostica resigned his House seat to take the position, and handed control of his development company to his partner and son in order to avoid conflicts of interest, Marostica named opening Asian markets to Colorado exports as a priority for his time in the new position, in addition to encouraging new venture capital investment and retaining existing major employers despite the late-2000s recession. Marostica was replaced in the House by small business owner Brian DelGrosso, and on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee by the more conservative Rep. Kent Lambert.

During Marostica's first months in the position, he helped lead Colorado's effort to keep Frontier Airlines jobs in Denver following its merger with Republic Airways; ultimately, Frontier moved several hundred jobs, and Frontier's headquarters, to Wisconsin and Indiana, which offered greater tax and economic incentives. When legislators proposed eliminating business tax credits in late 2009 to help balance the states budget, Marostica publicly defended many of those credits, but he did support limited cuts to tax credits in Governor Ritter's proposed 2010–2011 budget.

In late 2009, Marostica was also involved in attracting a wind turbine parts supplier to Colorado, announcing a renewed emphasis on natural gas development on Colorado's Western Slope, and pushing to speed the permitting process for oil and gas operations. In 2010, Marostica pushed for additional incentives for the "creative industry," including arts, media, and film, in Colorado.

References

  1. ^ "House Journal – January 12, 2010" (PDF). Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved March 23, 2009.
  2. ^ Bartels, Lynn (March 7, 2008). "Citizen Legislator, March 7". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved March 7, 2008.
  3. ^ "State House District 51". COMaps. Archived from the original on March 4, 2008. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  4. ^ Staff Report (October 7, 2009). "Progressive 15 names Alumni of Plains". Fort Morgan Times. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  5. ^ "Don Marostica". DonMarostica.com. Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  6. ^ Staff Reports (2006). "Don Marostica – Republican". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
  7. ^ "Don Marostica's Taxes". LovelandPolitics.com. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
  8. ^ P., Blake (November 1, 2006). "Blake: Roy can't give up politics". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on February 5, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  9. ^ "Company Profile". Loveland Commercial, LLC. Archived from the original on September 13, 2005. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  10. ^ "Don Marostica". Loveland Commercial, LLC. Archived from the original on February 13, 2005. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  11. ^ "Marostica jons race". Loveland Reporter-Herald. April 14, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  12. ^ Martin, Kate (July 27, 2007). "Political blogger blasts hopeful". Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald.
  13. ^ "Don Marostica's History of "Public Service"". LovelandPolitics.com. Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  14. ^ "City Council Agenda – June 1, 2004". City of Loveland, Colorado. Archived from the original on August 31, 2006. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
  15. ^ Svaldi, Aldo (August 11, 2009). "New economic-development chief Marostica will try to get Colorado back on its feet". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  16. ^ Pilsner, Jon (December 26, 2008). "Drop in enrollment changes focus". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  17. ^ "Colorado Club for Growth Endorses Kevan McNaught" (Press release). Colorado Club for Growth. July 17, 2006. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  18. ^ Larimer County, Colorado. "Election Information". Larimer County Virtual Courthouse. Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved 2007-03-14.
  19. ^ "BREAKING: HD-51 to stay in the R column". SquareState.Net. April 13, 2006. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  20. ^ "What do Republicans stand for?". BlogforGrowth.com. July 24, 2006. Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2007.
  21. ^ Martin, Kate (July 26, 2007). "Marostica says he has experience". Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald.
  22. ^ Crowl, Douglas (October 22, 2008). "Marostica fundraising tops Bennett totals". Fort Collins Coloradoan.
  23. ^ "Candidate Summary: Marostica, Don". Follow The Money. Retrieved January 20, 2008.
  24. ^ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved December 11, 2007.
  25. ^ Kosena, Jason (October 24, 2007). "Northern lawmaker has eye on big post". Fort Collins Coloradoan.
  26. ^ "Archives Transportation Legislation Review Committee 2007". Colorado Legislative Council. Archived from the original on August 30, 2010. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  27. ^ Boyle, Rebecca (November 4, 2007). "Admitted thief says it makes him a good candidate". Greeley Tribune. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  28. ^ Kosena, Jason (March 2, 2007). "Ritter streamlines search, arrest warrants for police". Fort Collins Coloradoan.
  29. ^ Boyle, Rebecca (August 5, 2007). "Big bucks didn't buy this election". Greeley Tribune. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  30. ^ "House Committee on Transportation & Energy (02/01/2007)". Colorado General Assembly. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  31. ^ Gathright, Alan (February 14, 2007). "Helmet bill gains speed". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on February 19, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  32. ^ Roll Call (February 28, 2007). "A House United". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  33. ^ Staff Report (May 5, 2007). "Legislation to brag about". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on May 14, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  34. ^ May, Mike (January 10, 2007). "Minority Leader Mike May addresses lawmakers". Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on January 26, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  35. ^ Dailey, Kathyrn (January 7, 2009). "Jobs top NCLA's wish list". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
  36. ^ Sealover, Ed (April 2, 2009). "Ritter signs online-transparency order". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  37. ^ "House Committees of Reference". Colorado General Assembly. Retrieved January 19, 2008.
  38. ^ Crowl, Douglas (May 15, 2008). "Marostica bill exempts some property taxes". Loveland Connection.
  39. ^ Dailey, Kathryn (April 13, 2008). "With a month to go, legislators assess bills' progress". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved April 13, 2008.
  40. ^ Crowl, Douglas (May 13, 2007). "Marostica-sponsored bill exempts some property taxes". Loveland Connection.
  41. ^ Dailey, Kathryn (February 14, 2008). "Law signed into effect will allow statutory entities to market". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
  42. ^ Cordsen, John (February 27, 2008). "Off to market". Estes Park Trail-Gazette.
  43. ^ Kosena, Jason (January 3, 2007). "Rep. Don Marostica announces re-election bid". Fort Collins Coloradoan.
  44. ^ Dailey, Kathryn (March 6, 2008). "Ken Bennett likely candidate to oppose incumbent Marostica". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved March 6, 2008.
  45. ^ Editorial Board (October 17, 2008). "Post's picks in Colorado's House of Representatives". Denver Post. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  46. ^ Dailey, Kathryn (November 5, 2008). "Marostica keeps state post". Loveland Reporter-Herald.
  47. ^ "2008 Election – Abstract of Votes Cast" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 27, 2010. Retrieved April 20, 2010.
  48. ^ Kosena, Jason (November 11, 2007). "Cheers, jeers for Giuliani". Fort Collins Colorado.
  49. ^ Boyle, Rebecca (November 14, 2007). ""America's Mayor" Elicits Both Jeers and Cheers". Fort Collins Now. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
  50. ^ Staff Reports (October 20, 2008). "Palin promises lower taxes, more oil production and a balanced budget". Greeley Tribune. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  51. ^ "House Republican Committee Assignments Announced" (Press release). Colorado House Democrats. November 18, 2008. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  52. ^ Sherrry, Allison (December 18, 2008). "Could higher ed go solo?". Denver Post. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  53. ^ Seallover, Ed (December 24, 2008). "Budget cuts could end funding for higher ed". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved December 27, 2008.
  54. ^ Mook, Bob (April 14, 2009). "House committee advances bill to put Pinnacol under state control". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  55. ^ Hoover, Tim (April 2, 2009). "Stash seen as budget fix". Denver Post. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  56. ^ Kosena, Jason (July 10, 2009). "Budget panel told state is headed for cliff". Colorado Statesman. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  57. ^ Ashby, Charles (February 20, 2009). "Legislature to consider dropping spending cap". Pueblo Chieftain. Archived from the original on January 19, 2013. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
  58. ^ Sealover, Ed (February 19, 2009). "Marostica sorry for calling GOP leaders 'losers' and 'has-beens'". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
  59. ^ Schroyer, John (February 19, 2009). "Lawmaker defiant after dropping bill". Colorado Springs Gazette. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2010.
  60. ^ Kosena, Jason (February 28, 2009). "Rep. Marostica's SB 228 defies GOP". Colorado Statesman. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  61. ^ Schroyer, John (March 17, 2009). "Senate OKs bill on broader spending". Colorado Springs Gazette. Archived from the original on April 17, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  62. ^ Villegas, Andrew (March 10, 2009). "Spending cap fight continues today at Capitol". Greeley Tribune. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  63. ^ Kosena, Jason (March 6, 2009). "SSB 228 survives filibuster". Colorado Statesman. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  64. ^ Bartels, Lynn (June 3, 2009). "Ritter signs bill repealing limit on general-fund growth". Denver Post. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  65. ^ Sealover, Ed (June 3, 2009). "Overhaul of Colorado spending rules signed into law". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  66. ^ Ingold, John (April 21, 2009). "Death-penalty repeal passes House by single vote". Denver Post. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  67. ^ Kass, Jeff (August 16, 2008). "Golf carts touted for streets use". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
  68. ^ Marcus, Peter (August 20, 2008). "Commute in golf carts?". The Denver Daily News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2008.
  69. ^ Migoya, David (February 13, 2009). "Bill would require scooter insurance". Denver Post. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  70. ^ Dailey, Kathryn (February 2, 2009). "Bill regarding military remains now in state Senate". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved July 3, 2009.
  71. ^ Dailey, Kathryn (February 23, 2009). "Keep tabs on state legislators". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  72. ^ Sealover, Ed (January 21, 2009). "New bill could allow smoking back in bars". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  73. ^ Marcus, Peter (January 23, 2009). "Lawmaker takes aim at smoking ban". Denver Daily News. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  74. ^ Schroyer, John (February 12, 2009). "Smoking bill withdrawn, likely to be back". Colorado Springs Gazette. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  75. ^ Sealover, Ed (February 13, 2009). "Did smoking flier hit below the belt?". Rocky Mountain News. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  76. ^ Luning, Ernest (February 14, 2009). "Marostica: Avert thine eyes from 'obscene' British anti-smoking flyer". Colorado Independent. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  77. ^ Bartels, Lynn (July 23, 2009). "Ritter taps GOP lawmaker for economic post". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  78. ^ Sealover, Ed (July 23, 2009). "Ritter picks maverick GOP lawmaker Marostica as Colorado eco-devo chief". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  79. ^ Hacker, Tom (March 16, 2010). "Loveland's growth stalls". Loveland Reporter-herald. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  80. ^ Svaldi, Aldo (August 11, 2009). "Colorado economic-development chief has 100-day plan". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  81. ^ Dailey, Kathryn (August 13, 2009). "DelGrosso to fill House District 51 post". Loveland Reporter-Herald. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  82. ^ Staff Report (July 30, 2009). "News Nuggets: 30 July 2009". Colorado Independent. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  83. ^ Hoover, Tim (February 28, 2010). "Kent Lambert gets mixed reviews on state budget panel". Denver Post. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  84. ^ Schrader, Ann (August 14, 2009). "Republic deal beats Southwest, keeps Frontier intact". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  85. ^ Staff Report (August 14, 2009). "Frontier to become part of Republic Airways". Northern Colorado Business Report. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  86. ^ Sealover, Ed (August 16, 2009). "Denver readies incentives to keep Frontier Airlines jobs". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  87. ^ Sealover, Ed (November 10, 2009). "Denver losing hundreds of Frontier Airlines jobs to Milwaukee". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  88. ^ Schrader, Ann (December 9, 2009). "Denver losing another 140 Frontier jobs". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  89. ^ Schrader, Ann (January 15, 2010). "Republic Airways to move Frontier's headquarters out of Denver". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  90. ^ Harden, Mark; Cathy Proctor; Ed Sealover (January 14, 2010). "Frontier Airlines management moving to Indianapolis; Menke out". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  91. ^ Boven, Joseph (December 10, 2009). "Rep. Judd to go after business subsidies, 'wipe out' enterprise zones". Colorado Independent. Archived from the original on January 3, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  92. ^ Hoover, Tim (November 13, 2009). "Lawmakers hear debate on value of state's tax incentives". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  93. ^ Svaldi, Aldo (October 28, 2009). "Official: Fund cuts risk jobs". Denver Post. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  94. ^ Hanel, Joe (October 13, 2009). "Ritter targets tax breaks to fix budget". Durango herald. Archived from the original on January 22, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  95. ^ Staff Report (September 17, 2009). "Vestas attracts Danish company to Fort Lupton". Northern Colorado Business Report. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  96. ^ Staff Report (September 17, 2009). "Up to 150 new jobs available in Fort Lupton with Vestas supplier". Greeley Tribune. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  97. ^ Anderson, Emily (November 5, 2009). "Speaker: Natural gas innovations could be Grand Junction's next legacy in state". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  98. ^ Staff Report (September 14, 2009). "Protest outside, cheers inside for Ritter at Club 20". Durange Herald. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  99. ^ Webb, Dennis (November 8, 2009). "Ritter appointee's job is to cut permit lag time". Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  100. ^ Hanel, Joe (January 6, 2010). "Measures aim to boost art economy". Durango Herald. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  101. ^ Sealover, Ed (January 5, 2010). "Ritter unveils bills to boost arts in Colorado". Denver Business Journal. Retrieved January 16, 2010.