| Dear Friend,
It's real.
The global economic downturn is not like other stories we read about in the morning paper. No one is removed from this story. It affects us all -- here in Colorado and across America.
How has the recession affected you, your family, and your community? Please share your story with me today.
You are receiving this message as a Coloradan interested in our state's future. If you do not wish to receive emails from Ritter for Governor, please click here to opt-out and we will immediately remove you from our list. We respect your privacy and will honor your request.
As someone who grew up in a working-class Colorado family, I ran for Governor to make our state's working families "Priority #1" in the capitol, once more. Together, we've done just that.
By seeking common ground and common sense solutions, we are helping hard-working Coloradans find work and weather these tough economic times.
Yesterday I signed a number of bills to help responsible homeowners avoid foreclosure, extend unemployment benefits for Coloradans who have lost their jobs, and ensure that no family is improperly cut off from unemployment or other benefits -- right when they need them most
Some say our recovery efforts shouldn't focus on providing relief to struggling Coloradans, but I believe we cannot enjoy a full recovery if working families get left behind.
I'm confident our "Working Families First" strategy will lead Colorado out of the recession stronger than ever, but I want to know how it's working for real Coloradans like you.
We've also launched a number of innovative initiatives to put unemployed Coloradans back to work by creating new jobs and attracting new businesses.
The Colorado Job Growth Incentive Program, for instance, offers a state income tax credit to any company that creates at least 20 good-paying jobs in Colorado. And the Cluster-Based Job Training Program offers grants to companies who partner with community colleges to train out-of-work Coloradans for the jobs of tomorrow.
As we implement innovative strategies to create jobs and put working families first, it's important we understand how these programs impact individuals like you, your family, and your community.
Please share your thoughts with me today.
Not everyone thinks our "Working Families First" strategy is the right approach, but the results speak for themselves. Colorado's unemployment rate is falling, and remains well below the national average. Foreclosure rates have stabilized. And we're attracting new businesses everyday, including a major Fortune 500 company that just announced it is moving its corporate headquarters to Colorado, creating hundreds of new jobs.
We are by no means "out of the woods" yet, and Coloradans continue to struggle. But by focusing on what's best for Colorado's working families, we will emerge from this recession stronger than ever.
Sincerely,
Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor
|
