Don Marostica
Encyclopedia
Don Marostica is a real estate developer and former legislator in the U.S. state
of Colorado
, currently serving as director of the state's Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
Raised in Colorado, Marostica is an Army
veteran, former high school teacher, and most recently a prominent real estate developer in northern Colorado. After several years serving on the Loveland, Colorado
city council, Marostica was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2006, represented House District 51, which encompasses the city of Loveland
.
Marostica, regarded as a moderate Republican, focused heavily on fiscal issues as a legislator, including transparency and loosening budgetary restrictions, and sat on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee during the 2009 session. In July 2009, Marostica resigned from the legislature to accept the post of economic development director in the cabinet of Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, where he has focused on attracting and growing business in the state of Colorado during the ongoing recession.
and graduated from Roosevelt High School in Johnstown
. He attended Colorado State University
on football and wrestling scholarships, graduating in 1970 with a degree in physical science
and geology
. In 1975, he earned a master's degree in secondary school administration from the University of Northern Colorado
Have been commissioned through the ROTC program at Colorado State, Marostica served in the United States Army
and the Colorado Army National Guard
, leaving the service at the rank of captain in 1979. After leaving the Army, Marostica taught and coached wrestling at Rocky Mountain High School
in Fort Collins
. Marostica currently resides in Loveland, Colorado
with his wife, Carol.
Marostica entered the real estate industry in 1977 and is currently a partner in Loveland Commercial, LLC. In 1982, during a downturn in the real estate market, Marostica declared bankruptcy
and had judgements from creditors filed against him. He also had tax leins filed against him both in the early 1980s and in the mid-1990s, and has since paid all back taxes. Marostica became financially successful in real estate, and, together with other partners in Loveland Commercial, has donated extensively to local causes, including endowing a chair in the business department of Colorado State University
. As a developer, Marostica specialized in commercial real estate, spearheading five Planned Unit Development
s in Loveland and Milliken, Colorado
.
Marostica was elected to the Loveland City Council in 2001, serving for three years, including a span as mayor pro tem, before resigning in 2004 because of professional conflicts of interest. During his 2006 legislative campaign, he was criticized for, as a city council member, voting to award city money to his company for a development contract; the city council had to authorize a special exception to its conflict of interest rules to approve the contract.
Marostica has served on over 60 boards and commissions in the Loveland area, with an emphasis on transportation-related issues (Loveland Transportation Finance Committee, Loveland East-West Mobility Study Committee, Loveland Eisenhower Boulevard Alignment Analysis Committee, Fort Collins-Loveland Airport Master Plan Update Committee). He has also served as the chair of the Board of Directors of the Poudre Valley Health System Foundation and the Medical Center of the Rockies
Foundation, and on the bond oversight committee for the Thompson School District. He is also an avid motorcyclist and regularly participates in the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
and Ride to the Wall, a cross-county ride ending at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
.
, who criticized Marostica for his support of higher taxes and his use of eminent domain
when he was a member the Loveland city council. Marostica edged out McNaught in the Republican primary by about 250 votes, or 5% of voters. In contrast with McNaught's conservative credentials, Marostica was considered by observers on both the left and the right to be a moderate Republican; he supported Colorado's 2005 Referendum C, a loosening of state spending restrictions under the state's Taxpayer Bill of Rights
.
In the general election, Marostica defeated Democrat Jodi Radke in the general election with 56% of the vote. Marostica raised and spent roughly $350,000, of which $220,000 — almost least two-thirds of the money his campaign spent — was donated by Marostica himself, to win the contested primary and general elections.
Although a Republican serving in a legislature controlled by Democrats, Marostica was relatively successful at passing legislation. During his first session, Marostica sponsored bills to streamline the issuance of search warrants, to give volunteer reserve peace officer
s the same status as regular peace officers, and to require that
powersports
vehicles be sold only by licensed motor vehicle dealers.
Marostica, an avid motorcyclist
, was among the prominent opponents of a bill that would have required minors to wear motorcycle helmets while riding, even wearing his own motorcycle helmet to a committee hearing at which the bill was debated.
Marostica failed to win legislative approval what he described as his "most important" proposal — the "Taxpayer Transparency Act," which would have required that government expenditures larger than $300 be reported on a searchable government website. Although supported by Republican House leadership, the bill died in committee; however, Marostica saw his transparency proposal implemented in 2009 by an executive order of Gov. Bill Ritter.
Marostica declared his "favorite bill" among those he sponsored during the session to be a measure to exempt owners from property tax
on buildings leased to public universities, an idea Marostica attributed to a local developer. Marostica also sponsored legislation signed into law to allow statutory counties, cities, and towns to spend money on marketing in addition to advertising, in response to a lawsuit challenging the town of Estes Park
's ability to engage in marketing.
In the contested 2008 Republican presidential primaries
, Marostica supported former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani
, helping to organize a November 2007 fundraiser for Giuliani's campaign that was reported to net over $60,000. After John McCain
secured the Republican nomination, Marostica supported the McCain-Palin ticket, including kicking off a Sarah Palin
rally in Loveland in October.
In February, Marostica was the only Republican who announced plans to support legislation to repeal Colorado's Arveschoug-Bird limit, which capped the growth of general fund expenditures at 6 percent per year. Marostica faced pressure from prominent Republicans, including Independence Institute
President Jon Caldara and former state treasurer Mark Hillman
, to drop his support; in response, he referred to Hillman and Caldera as "has-beens" and "losers," earning him additional criticism from House Republicans; Marostica later promised to apologize to Hillman and Caldera. Marostica was the prime sponsor of the bill in the House, where, after surviving an attempted Republican filibuster in the Senate, it was ratified, and later signed into law. Marostica also broke with other Republicans as the only member of his party to vote in support of a failed effort to repeal Colorado's death penalty; the proposal passed the Colorado House by one vote, but was defeated in the Senate.
Marostica also sponsored bills to allow golf carts, scooters, and small electric vehicles to travel on some public roads, to allow state veterans organizations to provide burial for unclaimed remains of Colorado military personnel, and to allow building inspectors from other municipalities to assess structural damage to properties, a proposal stemming from a May 2008 tornado in Windsor, Colorado
. to enable increased state funding for online education, and to keep Colorado's tobacco litigation settlement cash fund open for one additional year. Marostica announced plans to introduce legislation to expand the definition of cigar bar
s to increase the number of establishments exempt from Colorado's indoor smoking ban
, but withdrew the legislation after facing opposition from Democrats; that same week, he denounced as "inappropriate and offensive" a British National Health Service
flyer distributed by a lobbyist linking smoking to erectile dysfunction
, calling for an ethics investigation into the flyer.
. Marostica resigned his House seat to take the position, and handed control of his development company to his partner and son in order to avoid conflicts of interest, Marostica named opening Asian markets to Colorado exports as a priority for his time in the new position, in addition to encouraging new venture capital
investment and retaining existing major employers despite the late-2000s recession. Marostica was replaced in the House by small business owner Brian DelGrosso
, and on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee by the more conservative Rep. Kent Lambert
.
During Marostica's first months in the position, he helped lead Colorado's effort to keep Frontier Airlines
jobs in Denver following its merger with Republic Airways; ultimately, Frontier moved several hundred jobs, and Frontier's headquarters, to Wisconsin and Indiana, which offered greater tax and econonmic incentives. When legislators proposed eliminating business tax credits in late 2009 to help balance the states budget, Marostica publicly defended many of those credits, but he did support limited cuts to tax credits in Governor Ritter's proposed 2010-2011 budget.
In late 2009, Marostica was also involved in attracting a wind turbine
parts supplier to Colorado, announcing a renewed emphasis on natural gas development on Colorado's Western Slope, and pushing to speed the permitting process for oil and gas operations. In 2010, Marostica pushed for additional incentives for the "creative industry," including arts, media, and film, in Colorado.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, currently serving as director of the state's Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
Raised in Colorado, Marostica is an Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
veteran, former high school teacher, and most recently a prominent real estate developer in northern Colorado. After several years serving on the Loveland, Colorado
Loveland, Colorado
Loveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Loveland is the 14th most populous city in Colorado. The United States Census Bureau that in 2010 the...
city council, Marostica was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 2006, represented House District 51, which encompasses the city of Loveland
Loveland, Colorado
Loveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Loveland is the 14th most populous city in Colorado. The United States Census Bureau that in 2010 the...
.
Marostica, regarded as a moderate Republican, focused heavily on fiscal issues as a legislator, including transparency and loosening budgetary restrictions, and sat on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee during the 2009 session. In July 2009, Marostica resigned from the legislature to accept the post of economic development director in the cabinet of Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter, where he has focused on attracting and growing business in the state of Colorado during the ongoing recession.
Early career
Marostica was born in Sterling, ColoradoSterling, Colorado
The City of Sterling is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Logan County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 14,777 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Sterling is located at...
and graduated from Roosevelt High School in Johnstown
Johnstown, Colorado
Johnstown is a Home Rule Municipality in Larimer and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. The population was 3,827 at the 2000 census. As of 2010 the US Census Bureau estimates the population of Johnstown at 9,887.-Geography:...
. He attended Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
on football and wrestling scholarships, graduating in 1970 with a degree in physical science
Physical science
Physical science is an encompassing term for the branches of natural science and science that study non-living systems, in contrast to the life sciences...
and geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. In 1975, he earned a master's degree in secondary school administration from the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
Have been commissioned through the ROTC program at Colorado State, Marostica served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and the Colorado Army National Guard
Colorado Army National Guard
The Colorado Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
, leaving the service at the rank of captain in 1979. After leaving the Army, Marostica taught and coached wrestling at Rocky Mountain High School
Rocky Mountain High School (Fort Collins, Colorado)
Rocky Mountain High School is one of four high schools in Fort Collins, Colorado. Its colors are cardinal red and gold and its mascot is the lobo, or wolf. The school serves roughly 2000 students, mostly from central Fort Collins...
in Fort Collins
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
. Marostica currently resides in Loveland, Colorado
Loveland, Colorado
Loveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Loveland is the 14th most populous city in Colorado. The United States Census Bureau that in 2010 the...
with his wife, Carol.
Marostica entered the real estate industry in 1977 and is currently a partner in Loveland Commercial, LLC. In 1982, during a downturn in the real estate market, Marostica declared bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and had judgements from creditors filed against him. He also had tax leins filed against him both in the early 1980s and in the mid-1990s, and has since paid all back taxes. Marostica became financially successful in real estate, and, together with other partners in Loveland Commercial, has donated extensively to local causes, including endowing a chair in the business department of Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
. As a developer, Marostica specialized in commercial real estate, spearheading five Planned Unit Development
Planned Unit Development
A planned unit development , is both a type of building development as well as a regulatory process. A PUD is a designed grouping of varied and compatible land uses, such as housing, recreation, commercial centers, and industrial parks, all within one contained development or...
s in Loveland and Milliken, Colorado
Milliken, Colorado
Milliken is a Statutory Town in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,888 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Milliken is located at ....
.
Marostica was elected to the Loveland City Council in 2001, serving for three years, including a span as mayor pro tem, before resigning in 2004 because of professional conflicts of interest. During his 2006 legislative campaign, he was criticized for, as a city council member, voting to award city money to his company for a development contract; the city council had to authorize a special exception to its conflict of interest rules to approve the contract.
Marostica has served on over 60 boards and commissions in the Loveland area, with an emphasis on transportation-related issues (Loveland Transportation Finance Committee, Loveland East-West Mobility Study Committee, Loveland Eisenhower Boulevard Alignment Analysis Committee, Fort Collins-Loveland Airport Master Plan Update Committee). He has also served as the chair of the Board of Directors of the Poudre Valley Health System Foundation and the Medical Center of the Rockies
Medical Center of the Rockies
Medical Center of the Rockies, located in Loveland, Colorado, is the sister hospital of Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. Both are operated by the Poudre Valley Health System, and Regional West Health Services of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, who is also a co-owner of MCR...
Foundation, and on the bond oversight committee for the Thompson School District. He is also an avid motorcyclist and regularly participates in the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an American motorcycle rally held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, usually the first full week of August.-History:...
and Ride to the Wall, a cross-county ride ending at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is a national memorial in Washington, D.C. It honors U.S. service members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, service members who died in service in Vietnam/South East Asia, and those service members who were unaccounted for during the War.Its...
.
2006 election
In seeking the 51st House district state house seat, representing Loveland, Marostica first faced a challenge from Kevan McNaught in the Republican primary. McNaught was endorsed by the Colorado Club for GrowthClub for Growth
The Club for Growth is a politically conservative 527 organization active in the United States of America, with an agenda focussed on taxation and other economic issues, and with an affiliated political action committee . The Club advocates lower taxes, limited government, less government spending,...
, who criticized Marostica for his support of higher taxes and his use of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
when he was a member the Loveland city council. Marostica edged out McNaught in the Republican primary by about 250 votes, or 5% of voters. In contrast with McNaught's conservative credentials, Marostica was considered by observers on both the left and the right to be a moderate Republican; he supported Colorado's 2005 Referendum C, a loosening of state spending restrictions under the state's Taxpayer Bill of Rights
Taxpayer Bill of Rights
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights is a concept advocated by conservative and free market libertarian groups, primarily in the United States, as a way of limiting the growth of government...
.
In the general election, Marostica defeated Democrat Jodi Radke in the general election with 56% of the vote. Marostica raised and spent roughly $350,000, of which $220,000 — almost least two-thirds of the money his campaign spent — was donated by Marostica himself, to win the contested primary and general elections.
2007 legislative session
For the 2007 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Marostica was assigned to seats on the House Finance Committee and the House Transportation and Energy Committee, while expressing an interest in eventually serving on the powerful Joint Budget Committee. Following the legislative session, Marostica sat on the interim Transportation Legislation Review Committee.Although a Republican serving in a legislature controlled by Democrats, Marostica was relatively successful at passing legislation. During his first session, Marostica sponsored bills to streamline the issuance of search warrants, to give volunteer reserve peace officer
Peace officer
A law enforcement officer , in North America, is any public-sector employee or agent whose duties involve the enforcement of laws. The phrase can include police officers, prison officers, customs officers, immigration officers, bailiffs, probation officers, parole officers, auxiliary officers, and...
s the same status as regular peace officers, and to require that
powersports
Powersports
Powersports are a subset of the generalized category motorsports. Examples of powersport vehicles are motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles and PWCs. One of the defining features of any powersport is the use of an engine, in one form or another...
vehicles be sold only by licensed motor vehicle dealers.
Marostica, an avid motorcyclist
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, was among the prominent opponents of a bill that would have required minors to wear motorcycle helmets while riding, even wearing his own motorcycle helmet to a committee hearing at which the bill was debated.
Marostica failed to win legislative approval what he described as his "most important" proposal — the "Taxpayer Transparency Act," which would have required that government expenditures larger than $300 be reported on a searchable government website. Although supported by Republican House leadership, the bill died in committee; however, Marostica saw his transparency proposal implemented in 2009 by an executive order of Gov. Bill Ritter.
2008 legislative session
In the 2008 session of the Colorado General Assembly, Marostica sat on the House Health and Human Services Committee, the House Transportation and Energy Committee, and the Joint Capital Development Committee.Marostica declared his "favorite bill" among those he sponsored during the session to be a measure to exempt owners from property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
on buildings leased to public universities, an idea Marostica attributed to a local developer. Marostica also sponsored legislation signed into law to allow statutory counties, cities, and towns to spend money on marketing in addition to advertising, in response to a lawsuit challenging the town of Estes Park
Estes Park, Colorado
Estes Park is a town in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. A popular summer resort and the location of the headquarters for Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park lies along the Big Thompson River. Estes Park had a population of 5,858 at the 2010 census...
's ability to engage in marketing.
2008 election
Marostica announced his bid for re-election to the legislature in January 2008; Marostica's campaign raised about five times as much money as that of Democratic opponent Kenneth Bennett, bringing in over $80,000 by mid-October, of which $10,000 was contributed by Marostica personally; His re-election bid was endorsed by the Denver Post, Marostica ultimately won with 58 percent of the vote.In the contested 2008 Republican presidential primaries
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
, Marostica supported former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
, helping to organize a November 2007 fundraiser for Giuliani's campaign that was reported to net over $60,000. After John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
secured the Republican nomination, Marostica supported the McCain-Palin ticket, including kicking off a Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
rally in Loveland in October.
2009 legislative session
For the 2009 legislative session, Marostica was named to a seat on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee, and a seat on the House Appropriations Committee as the ranking Republican member. During hearings before the beginning of the legislative session, Marostica supported withdrawing all state funding from public research universities, a move opposed by university leaders, but which was discussed more seriously after poor economic forecasts. Marostica also helped to lead an effort to allow the state to tap the financial reserves of Pinnacol Assurance, a quasi-governmental worker's compensation insurer, in order to balance the state budget. Following the legislative session, Marostica served on Colorado's Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission, a panel created by legislation during the 2009 General Assembly to consider changes to constitutional constraints on the state budget.In February, Marostica was the only Republican who announced plans to support legislation to repeal Colorado's Arveschoug-Bird limit, which capped the growth of general fund expenditures at 6 percent per year. Marostica faced pressure from prominent Republicans, including Independence Institute
Independence Institute
The Independence Institute is a conservative think tank based in Golden, Colorado. Founded in 1985, the Institute " expertise education, the environment, transportation, personal freedom, government reform, local government, and criminal justice."- Current Staff :As of June 2010, the Independence...
President Jon Caldara and former state treasurer Mark Hillman
Mark Hillman
Mark Hillman was elected to the Colorado State Senate in 1998. He served as Majority Leader from 2003 to 2004 and Minority Leader in 2005 before serving as State Treasurer from 2005 to 2006...
, to drop his support; in response, he referred to Hillman and Caldera as "has-beens" and "losers," earning him additional criticism from House Republicans; Marostica later promised to apologize to Hillman and Caldera. Marostica was the prime sponsor of the bill in the House, where, after surviving an attempted Republican filibuster in the Senate, it was ratified, and later signed into law. Marostica also broke with other Republicans as the only member of his party to vote in support of a failed effort to repeal Colorado's death penalty; the proposal passed the Colorado House by one vote, but was defeated in the Senate.
Marostica also sponsored bills to allow golf carts, scooters, and small electric vehicles to travel on some public roads, to allow state veterans organizations to provide burial for unclaimed remains of Colorado military personnel, and to allow building inspectors from other municipalities to assess structural damage to properties, a proposal stemming from a May 2008 tornado in Windsor, Colorado
Windsor, Colorado
The Town of Windsor is a Home Rule Municipality in Larimer and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town was 18,644. Windsor is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Windsor is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in...
. to enable increased state funding for online education, and to keep Colorado's tobacco litigation settlement cash fund open for one additional year. Marostica announced plans to introduce legislation to expand the definition of cigar bar
Cigar bar
-History:While cigar bars have been around for years, interest in them developed in the 1990s when cities and government entities began instituting smoking bans but provided exceptions for establishments that catered to smokers.-Features:...
s to increase the number of establishments exempt from Colorado's indoor smoking ban
Smoking ban
Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
, but withdrew the legislation after facing opposition from Democrats; that same week, he denounced as "inappropriate and offensive" a British National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
flyer distributed by a lobbyist linking smoking to erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is sexual dysfunction characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance....
, calling for an ethics investigation into the flyer.
Director of Economic Development
In July 2009, Democratic governor Bill Ritter named Marostica, a Republican, to the post of executive director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, replacing Don Elliman, who Ritter had tapped as Colorado's chief operating officerChief operating officer
A Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations can be one of the highest-ranking executives in an organization and comprises part of the "C-Suite"...
. Marostica resigned his House seat to take the position, and handed control of his development company to his partner and son in order to avoid conflicts of interest, Marostica named opening Asian markets to Colorado exports as a priority for his time in the new position, in addition to encouraging new venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
investment and retaining existing major employers despite the late-2000s recession. Marostica was replaced in the House by small business owner Brian DelGrosso
Brian DelGrosso
Brian DelGrosso is a state representative in the U.S. state of Colorado. Del Grosso, a small business owner, was appointed by a Republican Party vacancy committee to the Colorado House of Representatives in August 2009 to fill the vacancy caused by Don Marostica's resignation...
, and on the legislature's Joint Budget Committee by the more conservative Rep. Kent Lambert
Kent Lambert
-2004, 2006 legislative campaigns:After retiring from the Air Force at the rank of colonel in 2004, Lambert entered Colorado politics, challenging Mike Merrifield for the 18th house district seat in central Colorado Springs, losing with 42 percent of the vote...
.
During Marostica's first months in the position, he helped lead Colorado's effort to keep Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
jobs in Denver following its merger with Republic Airways; ultimately, Frontier moved several hundred jobs, and Frontier's headquarters, to Wisconsin and Indiana, which offered greater tax and econonmic incentives. When legislators proposed eliminating business tax credits in late 2009 to help balance the states budget, Marostica publicly defended many of those credits, but he did support limited cuts to tax credits in Governor Ritter's proposed 2010-2011 budget.
In late 2009, Marostica was also involved in attracting a wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
parts supplier to Colorado, announcing a renewed emphasis on natural gas development on Colorado's Western Slope, and pushing to speed the permitting process for oil and gas operations. In 2010, Marostica pushed for additional incentives for the "creative industry," including arts, media, and film, in Colorado.