DENVER Decembers word of the month around the state Capitol was vindictive.
Republicans used it over and over to describe the Democrats who drew legislative boundaries that pitted GOP leaders against each other in the same districts.
The fight has left state lawmakers in a sour mood as they approach the start of their yearly session on Jan. 11.
In addition, they have to deal with a fourth-straight year of very tight budgets and as many as four of their members who are running for Congress.
Gov. John Hickenlooper said he wants legislators to start off with a cordial tone.
When youre working on trying to make very difficult decisions around complex matters, tone matters, Hickenlooper said.
Speaker of the House Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, said he wont allow lingering bad feelings from the reapportionment debate to affect work in the House. But he left no doubt that Republicans felt stung by the fight.
It is one of the most difficult things Ive had to face in my time in the Legislature, watching good people who will not come back to the Legislature simply because Democrats on the Reapportionment Commission were vindictive, McNulty said.
Even amid the political fighting, legislators have been busy setting policy goals for the 2012 session, and some of the storylines for the 2012 session are already apparent:
Schools vs. seniors
Thanks to a slightly improving economy, Hickenlooper has cancelled his plans to cut the public school budget in 2012. Republicans, though, want to find nearly $100 million to restore a property tax break to senior citizens who have owned their homes for at least 10 years.
Hickenlooper says theres no way to fund the tax break other than by cutting schools.
Schools vs. Medicaid
Republicans say the real problem is not the senior tax break, but entitlement programs especially Medicaid.
Unfortunately, this is the tumor thats destroying not just our budget, but every budget across the country, said Senate Minority Leader Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs, who blames the federal government for burdening states. We either stand up for ourselves or we go down the tube with them.
Republicans are pushing for a waiver from federal Medicaid rules. Democrats say its a pipe dream.
There is no magic bullet or magic waiver, said House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver.
Colorado has done a good job of controlling its Medicaid costs even as needy people have flocked to the program during the recession, Ferrandino said.
Civil unions
Although Colorado voters rejected a domestic partnership law for gays and lesbians in 2006, a similar civil union bill passed the Senate last year and failed by one vote in a GOP-controlled House committee. Supporters pledge to bring the bill back this year.
This time, they are making a bigger push for GOP support, and they are seeking a Republican sponsor in the House, said Ferrandino, who sponsored last years bill.
Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, voted for the bill last year and is one of a handful of Republicans who publicly back it this year.
She was deluged with supportive messages, opposition and even hate mail after her vote last year.
Theres no winning answer to that issue. I just had to do what I thought was the right thing to do, Roberts said.
Washingtonian ambitions
At least four state legislators have their eyes on the U.S. Congress, including Rep. Sal Pace, D-Pueblo, who is challenging U.S. Rep Scott Tipton, R-Cortez.
Senate President Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, is running against U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma. Rep. Joe Milkosi, D-Denver, is running against U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora.
And Sen. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, is considering a run against U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Boulder.
