Twenty-five Years Ago this week in The Colorado Statesman … Legislators were working overtime in a special session called by Gov. Roy Romer to put together an incentive deal to bring “a billion-dollar shower of money” to the Denver area by luring a United Airlines maintenance center, a reservations “megacenter” and expanded flight operations by the carrier at the new Denver International Airport. Colorado, The Statesman wrote, had learned its lessons after missing out on a Continental Airlines maintenance facility and a massive supercollider – it’s essential to offer big economic incentives, politicos had concluded. “The United Maintenance proposal is the first time Colorado has really taken the gloves off and decided to play the game,” an unsigned commentary maintained. Two days into the special session under the Dome, the House had just passed a package that was headed to the Senate, but legislative leaders were expressing mixed predictions. House Speaker Chuck Berry, R-Colorado Springs, said he wouldn’t “lay odds” on a deal making it to Romer’s desk, and Senate President Ted Strickland, R-Westminster, called himself “cautiously optimistic” an agreement might emerge. Rep. Pat Grant, R-Denver, was the chief bill architect, but his original plan to offer United $360 million in tax refunds was shot down one day into the session after Republican Attorney General Gale Norton expressed doubts about the measure’s constitutionality. A second Grant proposal was to divert $9 million a year in jet fuel sales tax from Stapleton Airport to help Denver pay off $150 million in bonds issued by the city to pay for part of the maintenance facility construction. Strickland warned, however, “United has a bottom line. If we get below that, they’re not interested in doing a deal.” While none of the players had said just what that bottom line was, it was looking like the Grant approach was short at least $100 million. …

… The mayoral runoff between Denver District Attorney Norm Early and Denver Auditor Wellington Webb looked like a real horserace, according to the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post polls, conducted by Ciruli & Associates and Talmey Drake Research, respectively. In the contest to succeed outgoing Mayor Federico Peña, it looked like Webb had pulled himself from a one-time low of 7 percent to dead even with Early, perhaps with the help of endorsements from former Mayor Bill McNichols and state GOP Chairman Bruce Benson. He appeared to have put together a coalition of supporters of Don Bain – the Republican who had been the other top candidate in the May general election – and black voters, pollster Floyd Ciruli had found. …

… Reacting to the proposed United Airlines deal, real estate developer Steve Schuck, a former Republican gubernatorial candidate, cautioned against “chasing elephants” by getting all tied in knots in pursuit of “glamorous, out-of-state corporations.” Instead, he said, the state should work on boosting existing employers, such as Hewlett-Packard, Coors, US West, Ball Corp., Storage Tech and Digital Equipment. “By doing more for United than we do for our loyal, patriotic, historic, traditional employers in Colorado, we’re sending a very dangerous message that I don’t want to be part of,” he said. Schuck and another former gubernatorial candidate, John Andrews, who was heading up the Independence Institute think tank, agreed that the United deal was more about politics than economics. “I think it’s quite likely United has already decided to locate here and is just playing our political system for as much as it can get,” Andrews said. “We’re just wheeling and dealing with whatever business brings the most power to the political arena,” he added. “That’s just bribery.” …

… Former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong and his wife, Ellen, were moving back to Colorado after he declined to seek a third term the year before. Reportedly having sold their Virginia home, the couple was set to move into an Arapahoe County abode soon. The former lawmaker, who owned a couple of TV stations in Idaho and Wyoming along with a mortgage company in Cherry Creek, had also settled on new office digs at 1625 Broadway – the same suite where he had his Denver office when he was senator. Dick Wadhams, who ran Armstrong’s Denver office before managing Hank Brown’s winning 1990 U.S. Senate campaign, would be sharing office space with Armstrong. Wadhams was busy consulting on a congressional race in the Midwest, advising President George Bush’s cousin, George Herbert Walker, in his attempt to unseat a Democratic incumbent. Wadhams was also keeping busy handling “the dirty work” on U.S. Sen. Tim Wirth, whose first term was up the next year. As for Armstrong’s political plans, Wadhams assured The Statesman that his former boss wouldn’t be running for anything real soon. …

… The so-called third chamber of the Colorado General Assembly got some heat at the end of session when the House Democrats threw something called the First Annual Lobbyist Tease, a roast that was also a fundraiser for Democrats. The “Best Ears” award went to Frank DeFilippo, because he “hears all and knows all.” Pancho Hays received the “Nose to the Glass” award for his consistent presence at the window of the House chambers. Because of her ability to get across her point, Freda Poundstone received the “Pointed Finger” award. “Best Counter” went to Wally Stealey because he could always be counted on to get an accurate vote-count. Cathy Walsh accepted the “Stick With Me” award for her unfailing request for lawmakers to “Do it for Roy,” referencing Gov. Roy Romer. Monica Mills got the “Never Say Die” award because of the nine lives of the session’s doomed transportation bill. Kathy Oatis picked up the “Push Me, Pull You” award. The “Comeback of the Year” honor went to former House Speaker Bev Bledsoe. Due to their insistence on lobbying over meals, Paul Kerezi and Susan Cox-Wagoner shared the “Eat ‘Em Up” award. …

– ernest@coloradostatesman.com