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By Todd Shepherd | Colorado Watchdog
State Treasurer Walker Stapleton
DENVER — Colorado State Treasurer Walker Stapleton is weighing in on the unsuccessful recall of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
The election was not only seen as a potential bellwether for the November presidential election, but also as a strong indicator about public sentiment regarding public employee unions and their strength.
Speaking on the 1310 KFKA “Amy Oliver Show,” Stapleton said the election results proved that thestate’s Public Employees Retirement Association needed and could withstand future reforms.
“I think that this is an opportunity for me to … shine a light on what’s going on here in Colorado, and the fact that we have some deep problems in this state that are not even close to being solved, that are eating away at our school budgets, our local governments,” said Stapleton.
Stapleton, a Republican who ousted incumbent Democrat Cary Kennedy in 2010, has been a thorn in the side of PERA since taking office.
That tension escalated last year when Stapleton announced plans in September to sue PERA for access to certain financial data that the retirement association had denied him.
The Denver Post applauded this move, saying, “Walker Stapleton deserves credit for pushing for accountability in the state’s pension system, though he’s not scoring many style points in the process.”
Stapleton is an ex-officio member of the PERA board, and has argued repeatedly that his job is to protect Colorado taxpayers, not Colorado PERA members.
Listen to the complete interview with Stapleton here.
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