9News allowed GOP lawmaker to misrepresent a portion of Ritter's budget

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published

Reporting on Gov. Bill Ritter's (D) budget proposal, KUSA 9News on November 1 cited “Republican leaders” as claiming that “the record state budget spends money in some areas that don't make sense,” and uncritically quoted state Rep. David Balmer's (R) assertion that Ritter is “spending 70 new employees on workforce development,” while Republicans would “like to see some of that money go to driver's license offices.” However, the 9News report did not mention Ritter's statement that the budget seeks to “offset decreased federal funding” for workforce development or a news report that the state began hiring driver's license office workers last summer.

After reporting that “Republican leaders at the state capitol” say that Gov. Bill Ritter's (D) budget request “spends money in some areas that don't make sense,” the November 1 broadcast of KUSA's 9News at 5 p.m. website uncritically quoted state Rep. David Balmer's (R-Centennial) assertion that Ritter is “spending 70 new employees on workforce development.” Balmer further stated during the 5 p.m. report and in an article on the station's website that Republicans instead would “like to see some of that money go to driver's license” offices. In fact, rather than adding “new employees,” Ritter has reported that his budget request to the legislature's Joint Budget Committee seeks "$4.5 million to offset decreased federal funding and restore service levels at Workforce Centers around Colorado." As The Denver Post reported on November 2, "[T]he state had to take over funding the 74 positions [at Workforce Centers] after the federal government stopped doing so." The 9News report also omitted that, as the Post noted, "[S]tate driver's license offices began hiring 65 new workers this summer."

9News co-anchor Bob Kendrick stated, “Ritter's priorities for Colorado's next state budget include more money for health care, higher education and renewable energy.” Introducing the report by Adam Schrager, Kendrick said that “Ritter's priorities are not shared by everybody.” Later, 9News aired footage of Balmer, who is assistant house minority leader, criticizing the proposed budget and contending that “Colorado is among the states with the lowest unemployment rates, and yet he's [Ritter] spending 70 new employees on workforce development. We'd like to see some of that money go to driver's license offices where it will try to make the driver's license offices less of a hassle.”

Similar to the 9News report, the Post noted that “Republicans also criticized Ritter for proposing to fund 74 jobs in workforce training centers instead of spending more to hire workers in driver's license offices.” Unlike 9News, however, the Post article added, “State budget director Todd Saliman said the state had to take over funding the 74 positions after the federal government stopped doing so. He also pointed out that state driver's license offices began hiring 65 new workers this summer.”

Further, the Rocky Mountain News reported on November 2 that "$4.6 million" in Ritter's budget proposal would be used “to restore 74.5 staff positions at work force development centers.”

From the November 1 broadcast of KUSA's 9News at 5 p.m.:

KENDRICK: Governor Bill Ritter's priorities for Colorado's next state budget include more money for health care, higher education, and renewable energy. The governor is submitting his plan to the legislature's budget committee today, and as 9News reporter Adam Schrager shows us, Ritter's priorities are not shared by everybody.

[begin video clip]

RITTER: We feel like we're in a pretty good place.

SCHRAGER: Governor Bill Ritter says Colorado's economy is growing, supporting an $18 billion-dollar budget highlighted by an attention to the state's public universities and colleges and money designed to keep criminals from re-offending in the future.

RITTER: It is a place where I really believe that you can spend money and at the end of the day save money.

SCHRAGER: That's the thinking behind an investment in renewable energy technology. The governor is proposing rebates for homeowners who use solar power and swapping out 500-plus state cars for hybrids. He also says that applies to increasing the number of low-income kids with health insurance and a significant boost in mental-health funding.

RITTER: The population of people with mental-health issues is an investment opportunity for us. We spend those dollars in the right way, we save money in other places.

BALMER: We also have seen what we think are misplaced priorities.

SCHRAGER: Republican leaders at the state capitol, though, say the record state budget spends money in some areas that don't make sense.

BALMER: Colorado is among the states with the lowest unemployment rates, and yet he's spending 70 new employees on workforce development. We'd like to see some of that money go to driver's license offices where it will try to make the driver's license offices less of a hassle.

SCHRAGER: The governor's ideas will be debated by lawmakers early next year. It's a group that will be the final voice on how much to spend and where.

RITTER: I feel like the Colorado economy is strong.

SCHRAGER: At the capitol, Adam Schrager, 9News.

[end video clip]